From AFP:
State media say doctors in Turkmenistan must now pledge allegiance to President Saparmurat Niyazov, instead of taking the traditional Hippocratic oath.
The "Neutralnii Turkmenistan" daily reports today that doctors must kneel solemnly and take the pledge to Niyazov and his book of moral guidance, the "Rukhnama."
The president-for-life has made his "Rukhnama" mandatory reading for all civil servants and students.
The new pledge also sets a dozen rules for new doctors, including a ban on euthanasia.
Niyazov changed his name a while back to "Serdar Turkmenbashi," which means "Great Leader of all Turkmen." He named the month of January after himself, April is named in honor of his mother. He's a classic megalomaniac. Here's more from a 2004 60 Minutes report on the "Great Leader."
The golden likeness of the former communist party boss-turned-dictator is in the center of the capitol, always rotating to face the sun. His picture is on the airplane that brings you to the main port town called Turkmenbashi. It watches over workers in the field, over children in school, over drivers on the road. He's also on the money, and he's even on the national vodka.
His face is everywhere, and you can’t walk a block without seeing either a statue or photo of him.
“If I was a worker and my president gave me all the things they have here in Turkmenistan, I would not only paint his picture, I would have his picture on my shoulder, or on my clothing,” says Turkmenbashi. “I'm personally against seeing my pictures and statues in the streets - but it's what the people want.”
I'm sure those doctors in Turkmenistan are happy with ditching the Hippocratic Oath for the moral guide of the "Great Leader of all Turkmen."
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