KHUJAND, July 6, 2009, Asia-Plus — Increasing rates of death by suicide in northern Tajikistan were the focus of a July 5 meeting in Khujand.
Staged by local training and analytical center, Civic Community, under support of the OSCE field office in Khujand, the meeting brought together representatives of regional organizations of political parties active in Sughd province, local public associations, experts and local authorities to discuss ways to stem an increase in the number of suicides in the province.
Speaking at the meeting, Naimjon Samezoda, the head of the regional organization of the Islamic Revival Party (IRPT) for Sughd, noted that increase in the number of suicides in northern Tajikistan evoked serious concern. According to him, 113 suicides and 39 suicide attempt cases have been registered in the province over the first five months of this year, which is 66.1 percent more than in the same period of last year.
“Among those who committed suicide over the report period 12 were minors,” Samezoda said. He named distraction from Islam as one factors that contributed to the increase in the number of suicides among. “Like other religions, Islam condemns suicide, you know,” said Samezoda, “Suicides also could be caused by economic and family problems.” He added that 38 suicide attempt cases were reported among servicemen last year; 16 of those attempts were fatal.
Bakhtiyor Nasrulloyev, a lawyer from Istaravshan, noted that the main reason for suicides among local women was domestic violence and hard economic problems were the main reason for suicides among men.
The meeting participants suggested that a special group, comprising representatives from local authorities and political parties, should be set up to seek solution to the problem of increasing rates of death by suicide in the area. Representatives of this group should carry out anti-suicide campaign among the population, including teenagers and youth, across the province.
Representatives from the Khujand NGO Gulrukhsor offered carrying out an informational and suicide awareness campaign in all cities and districts of the region until September 4 (World Suicide Prevention Day) as well as establishing psychoanalytical centers in the region.
