Travels with My Camera: The Happy Dictator
Wed 18 April 2007 10.30pm
Read viewers' comments on 'The Happy Dictator'
We follow broadcaster and art critic Waldemar Januszczak as he goes undercover into the heart of one of the world's most secretive states: Turkmenistan.
Run by a dictator whose megalomania has spawned a personality cult to rival that of Mao.
But is it all bad? Januszczak travels into the heart of this bizarre and sinister country – the North Korea of Central Asia – to separate the truth from the fiction. And he's taken his camera with him, together with his camera crew undercover as a group of blokes on a stag do...
Facts about Turkmenistan
President: Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov won the Feb 2007 elections.
"Prior to his death on 21 December 2006, real power was concentrated in the hands of President Niyazov, who awarded himself the title of 'Turkmenbashi' – leader of the Turkmens" (Foreign Office)
Population: 4.8 million (UN estimate, 2005)
Capital: Ashgabat
Major religion: Islam
Media: the Turkmen government has total control over media output. Even Internet access is controlled by Turkmentelecom and other state bodies. Turkmen TV and Turkmen Radio are both state-owned.
Main exports: Oil, gas, textiles, raw cotton.
Foreign office: Country profile
Interested in this documentary? Post your comments on the More4 forum
 |
 |
|
 |
Can't see the video? You will need Windows Media Player to watch these clips. Download here
