DUSAHNBE, July 24, Asia-Plus -- Forces receiving support from ruling People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan (PDPT) might be behind the attempt to force a split within Tajikistan’s Democratic Party (DPT) whether directly or indirectly, Rahmatullo Valiyev, the DPT deputy head, announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on July 24.  

According to him, some media in the country have released slanderous reports blackening the DPT activities.  

As an example, he termed an article entitled “Hizbi Demokrati Tojikiston Ehyo Meshavad or Barham Mekhurad?” (Will Democratic Party of Tajikistan Revive or Break Up?) published in one of the last editions of “Minbari Khalq”, official papers of the PDPT.  This article is about an initiative group that wants to form a faction within the DPT.  

“Under this article “Minbari Khalq” published photographs of initiators of the formation of the faction, including Tavarali Ziyoyev, who was expelled from the party in 2000 for regionalism moods, Masoud Sobirov, who has never been member of the DPT, M. Nuriddinov, member of the party, and S. Nabizod, whom we also do not know,” Rahmatullo Valiyev said.  

Valiyev reminded that several members of the DPT on April 4 sent to the party’s board a letter, announcing the intention to form the faction within the party.  “Under the party’s rules this group had to submit necessary documents to the board but they have not done it so far,” Valiyev said, noting that later that group had broken up and another initiative group had appeared, calling for convocation of the DPT extraordinary congress with participation of people that have nothing to do with the party.  

“We have been sure since the very fist days of these events that some people are unhappy about the party’s position ahead of the presidential election in the country, and therefore they have found a number of persons, who hold the same views, for realizing their mercenary goals by means of them,” said Rahmatullo Valiyev, “We also demand that the DPT and its official paper “Minbari Khalq” should stop to interfere in internal affairs of the DPT and not prevent it from political activity.”