The Question of Badakhshan Autonomy: Myth or Reality?

Abstract

Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) is located in the eastern part of Tajikistan and makes up 49% of the total area. The population of the region constitutes up to 3-5 % of the whole population. GBAO gained its status of autonomy during the Soviet rule. The main reasons to have been granted autonomy were evidences that differentiate the inhabitants of the region from the rest of the Tajik population as well as its geographical location. First, the population of GBAO includes a set of small ethnic communities that have different languages; dialects and ethnic features. Secondly, the majority of the Pamiris profess Ismailism – one of the Shia branches of Islam. It significantly distinguishes them from the rest of the Tajiks, who are also practicing Islam, but adhere to the Sunni branch. Thirdly, there are differences in culture, traditions, national clothes and Pamiri house architecture. Despite those religious, cultural and linguistic differences, the residents of GBAO are officially considered as "Tajiks" and the local languages have no official status. The autonomy was granted to Gorno-Badakhshan during the Soviet Union and later by the government of the independent republic of Tajikistan after the collapse of USSR. However, there is a discrepancy in the interpretation of what this autonomy status de facto means between the central government and the civil society of Badakhshan. Furthermore, the terms of autonomy provided by the Constitution of the Republic of Tajikistan are not implemented in reality. Thus, this discrepancy leads to breaches of autonomy as experienced during different events (ceding of lands to China as well as the July 2012 and May 2014 events) in Khorog city, the capital of Gorno-Badakhshan autonomous region. The thesis will focus on concepts and definitions of autonomy as well as the de jure evidence of the status of Badakhshan in the constitution and the constitutional law of the Republic of Tajikistan. Moreover, I will analyze the de facto status of autonomy through major events, which occurred after the end of the civil war as well as ideas and interpretations of different experts on the situation in Badakhshan and the status of Badakhshan’s autonomy, which I acquired during a number of interviews. Along with these analyses, I will determine how autonomy is generally conceptualized in academia in order to develop a deeper understanding of international views on this matter. Altogether this thesis is a contribution towards the status, potentials and constrains that an autonomous region has, while applying it to the case study of Badakhshan.