My Dear Country!

Every people aspires to wealth. Such aspirations cannot be realized unless they are guided and led by the state. In order to render Ruhnama the Türkmen’s essence, present, and future, we need administrators who are wise, foreseeing and who have not engaged in any improper and unlawful deeds. If you want to be a proper headman, you will act as if you are mother or father to the whole village. You need to be a man that serves the village day and night. If you think that you are the owner of the village and hold your interests superior to those of the villagers then the way you lead people will diverge from our way.

If you are a district governor or governor, then you will have the whole district’s or city’s burden on your shoulders. If you cannot warm the people under your administration with justice in the way instructed in Magtymguly’s lines, “If you are a judge, then warm your public equally in the way the Sun does,” then you will not be a proper official. 

(384-385)

In today’s world where we are leading a peaceful and harmonious life, various Türkmen officials must be supportive of the chief leader of the Türkmen in the event of a catastrophe, or other disasters that might arise out of the bad will of domestic and external forces (May Allah protect us in such cases). Standing before threatening bullets and agreeing to die or hiding at times of difficulty are defined as cowardliness by the Türkmens. There is a Türkmen saying in this context which runs, “Cowardliness is far worse than death.”

(385)

Many things are the direct responsibility of officials. I, as President, have to be very careful when appointing new governors that they are sensitive to the nation’s and the country’s interests, that they are trustworthy, and that they are sincere in the performance of their duties. For the selection of new civil servants we have to ratify a national act in our National Congress. This act shall set out the following: what are the prerequisites of being a civil servant, the rules governing appointments, civil servant posts in official bureaus and new cadres, and the boundaries of delegated power. Each citizen’s right to enter the civil service should be protected. In the selection of civil servants nationality, citizenship, economic and official status, domicile and region, and faith should not be taken into consideration. Only their abilities and capabilities in a merit system should be considered. Officials should appoint those who are capable and competent in their work and should check the work carried out by them. If a 

manager is successful, there will be progress and responsibility in his unit or department.

The appointment of those who are loyal to the nation according to their capabilities to the proper duties and posts is very important. An administrator, rather than for his own personal interests, should care for the interests of his nation, people and state.

I want to emphasize seven elements which can damage the progress of the state:

First element: unqualified officials

Second element: the spread of tribal and sectarian consciousness

Third element: disagreements between people and tribes

Fourth element: religious and sectarian conflicts

Fifth element: disagreements with neighbouring countries

Sixth element: domestic turmoil

Seventh element: the effects of natural catastrophes.

I, as the first President of Independent and Permanently Neutral Türkmenistan, accept as one of my basic duties the responsibility for preventing the development of the seven elements cited above. I advise the presidents who will succeed me to be sensitive to them, always take them into consideration, and work hard in order to prevent the development of such calamities which might harm our state.

(269-270)