Paul Goble
Staunton, May 2 – Infuriated by what the Tajik government sees as increasing Russian mistreatment of Tajik gastarbeiters in major Russian cities, the embassy of Tajikistan in Moscow has set up a special staff to provide assistant both to new arrivals at airports and railroad stations and to those who have encountered difficulties with life in the Russian Federation.
In a post on his embassy’s website, Tajikistan Ambassaador Abdulmadzhad Dostiyev said that his government was taking this step now "when to [their] great regret, not only ‘the yellow press,’ but also certain government TV channels” are presenting a negative image of Tajik gastarbeiters (tajembassy.ru/novosti/v-posolstve-tadzhikistana-v-rossii-sozdan-shtab-po-okazaniiu-pomoschi-nashim-sootechestvennikam.html).
That negative image in turn, the diplomat suggested, appears to be officially inspired and is promoting "hostility and intolerance” among Russian officials and ordinary officials toward the Tajiks. The main task of the new staff will be to help those arriving or leaving ...
