Global Witness’s 2006 report, It’s A Gas, exposed how former president, Saparmurat Niyazov, controlled
most of Turkmenistan’s earnings from gas in off-budget funds. At least US$3
billion of Turkmenistan’s money was held in Frankfurt by Deutsche Bank, in a
famous example of authoritarian regimes consolidating their power with the help
of western financial institutions. These funds, ostensibly state accounts, were
under the personal control of Niyazov. He used this control to prop up his
police state and fund a lavish personality cult, which included glittering
palaces, the promotion of his own holy book and an infamous gold statue of
himself that rotated to face the sun. Global Witness’s advocacy led to an
investigation by the German banking authority into the Turkmen accounts held by
Deutsche Bank.
Since then, due to rising gas prices and increased exports
to China, the value of Turkmen off-budget funds in Deutsche Bank is likely to
have increased several fold. Questions remain over how they are managed under current
president Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, and why Deutsche Bank continues to bank
for one of the world’s most repressive regimes.
In collaboration with renowned satirical cartoonist, David
Rees, in 2009 Global Witness released All
That Gas?, a briefing showing why the European Commission should not turn a
blind eye to Turkmenistan’s brutal regime in its bid to secure future gas
supplies. In part due to pressure from NGOs, the EU’s Partnership agreement
with Turkmenistan has yet to be ratified by the European Parliament.
Minyak, Gas dan PertambanganReport
Minyak, Gas dan PertambanganReport
