According to the information provided by the reliable sources in Turkmenistan, earlier this week several Turkmen students from the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) en route to the US on the USGRAD program were not allowed to board the flight operated by the German airline Lufthansa. Only AUCA students were stopped from going abroad whereas other finalists of the program along with FSA/FLEX high school program fellows managed to exit the country unhampered.
The USGRAG program is sponsored by the US Department of State enabling undergraduate students (freshmen, sophomores and juniors) spend an academic year in the US universities and colleges. In Turkmenistan the program is administered by International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX).
Annually the program enrolled up to 10 students from Turkmenistan (as well as other CIS countries excluding Russia) to study in the US. Every year the Turkmen students from AUCA were selected as finalists due to their high proficiency in the English language. Thus, under the present conditions, when the authorities of Turkmenistan are fighting against AUCA students and the university itself, the Migration Service did not allow the students to depart to the USA.
At the same time, there are no reports on the measures undertaken by the US Embassy in Ashgabat to help resolve the situation. At least, no information on the official website of the Embassy is available.
Why are the Turkmen authorities paying increased attention to the students from this educational establishment?
According to one version, the sudden hostility expressed by the Turkmen special services towards the students from AUCA is caused by the fact that the Ministry of National Security is allegedly informed that the representatives of international organizations supporting freedom of speech and information pay visits to Bishkek in an attempt to invite the Turkmen youth to collaboration.
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Recently some details of the meeting held in the Ministry of Education were made known. According to parents of one of the students, the officials from the Ministry suggested that the AUCA students drop out of the university to pursue education opportunities in Russia or Romania.
At the same time, the officials did not even propose covering already paid tuition fees, traveling or accommodation expenses. Nor did they offer to sponsor the studies of young people who did not complete their education in foreign universities and pay tuition fees in other institutions of higher education at the government’s expense.
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According to the latest information from Turkmenistan, young people exiting the country to study in AUCA as well as other institutions of higher education are stopped by the border officers. Onadailybasis 5-6 peoplearetakenofftheflightsdepartingtoMoscow.
Two female students (their surnames are known to Chronicles of Turkmenistan) made suicide attempts. Fortunately, both young Ashgabat residents, who failed to complete their course of study in a higher educational establishment abroad due to the initiative of the Turkmen authorities, are alive.
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