After the 17^th century, following the Russian expansion around the Caspian Sea, and the establishment of relations between Russia and Persia, the Türkmens were excluded, their settlements decreased. History witnesses that external forces settled and regulated the tribal conflicts of Türkmen people, and their territorial and water disputes with neighbouring countries. Between 1879 and 1881, the Türkmen nation’s economic, political, and social life was destroyed by the harsh impact of the Gökdepe Wars. For this reason the Russian state was able to establish a pro-Russian puppet authority that expanded its cultural and religious propaganda in Türkmen lands.

(43)

The remaining three million Türkmen citizens, in their homeland, mislaid their identities by saying that we were Soviet people. Not only that, they started to forget their language, religion, nation, national feelings and emotions. Inciting and provoking differences and conflicts between the tribes, polarization, diversity, and promotion of anarchy were the basic, systematic, methodical games our enemies played against us.  

(44-45)

As in the relations between humans and nature, balance is also needed in the relations between state and nation. There should not be discrimination between tribes in our state; the fundamentals that consolidate national unity should be accentuated. The idea of tribe remains in the past; national integrity is the essence of the future.

(164)

All our values can help us to become a humane and harmonious nation. Brothers should establish good relations with one another. Factors which could destroy good relations between two brothers must be quickly eliminated. One 

Türkmen is the friend and brother of another Türkmen. This idea must be the most sacred idea of Türkmens. Within the golden personality of Türkmens, national feelings and values must be to the fore and other ideas, such as tribalism and racism must be eradicated in the golden era. In order to eradicate them, we must abandon the outdated process of identification of tribal differences. When we look into the depths of our history, we can find periods when there was no tribalism. Nevertheless, the Türkmen nation still existed in those eras. The Türkmens, starting with Oguz Han, have a history of 5000 years. 

Nations are forever, but tribes are temporary. Nationality carries a society towards eternity, while societies based on tribalism are short-lived. Every member of the Türkmen nation must accept this principle. Life depends on our understanding life and reality. The more we understand our being of Türkmen nationality, the stronger our nationality becomes. In the 21^st century, the Türkmen nation gains its strength from the model of personality it puts forward.   

(203-204)

I have learned all the details of the 74 years of Türkmen history under the Soviet era inside out. In all those only the conflicts and clashes of the Türkmens among themselves were mentioned, whereas not a single word was mentioned concerning the rich historical past and works of the Türkmens, as if such a history had never been lived and as if anything matters as long as it concerns the present. The destiny of our nation and people was taken into consideration and valued through that only. It was indeed very difficult to produce alternative solutions to those too. All the issues on whatever related to Russia and the general problems of the USSR were shown and imposed as issues and problems belonging to the Türkmens.

The basic reason for these events was the struggle between the Bolsheviks and Mensheviks (i.e. the socialists and anti-socialists) during the 20s and 30s. During the 30s and 40s the nationalists were labelled as fascist and “the unity groups” of atheists were against them. In truth, during this period there was an ongoing conflict within which there were show trials, prosecutions and massacres. This struggle was carried out under different names. Like all the other nations of the USSR, The Türkmens were not permitted to do any research into their history and destiny.

(267)