First All-Turkmen Congress of Soviets, Declaration on the Formation of the Turkmen Socialist Soviet Republic (TurkSSR). 1924

**Original Source: **F. Ksenofontov, Uzbekistan i Turkmenistan. K voprosu : K voprosa ob ikh vhozhdenii v SSSR (Moscow/Leningrad, 1925), 36-39.

The peoples of Central Asia, although for centuries under the oppression of the Khans, Emirs, and Tsarism, have always been politically and economically enslaved and nationally disunited.

The great November revolution, having destroyed the power of capital and of the exploiters, and having broken the chains of political and economic enslavement, in the "declaration of the rights of the people of Russia", dated November 2, 1917, has now initiated the principles of equality and sovereignty of all peoples of Russia, as well as their rights of self-determination, securing in this manner the possibility of a new life for all peoples of the former tsarist possessions.

To the present, the objective condition of civil war has not permitted the complete carrying out of the principles proclaimed.

The formation of the USSR, while representing a new definite step toward the unification of all countries into a World Socialist Soviet Republic, has united the USSR into a single union-state capable of securing external safety and internal economic prosperity, as well as freedom of national development of the peoples on the basis of their free, equal, and peaceful collaboration and fraternal relations in the process of the creation of a true wedge against world capitalism.

Now, having removed the conditions that hindered the execution of the great principles of state life laid down as the basis of the "declaration of the rights of the people," the working masses of the Turkmen people, through their first congress of Soviets, solemnly declare the formation of an independent socialist soviet republic in the territory which has long been inhabited by the Turkmen peoples, which territory is composed of the regions of Poltoratsk, Morv, Kerkinsk, Leninsk and Tashaus.

Loyal to the desires of the workers' and dekkan masses for solidarity and fraternal unification, the toiling masses of the Turkmen people before the whole working mankind solemnly declare their desire to enter, for the purpose of the formation of a single front against world capital, into the composition of the USSR as a member thereof and with all the rights appertaining thereto.

Constantly aiming for the destruction of any kind of exploitation of man by man, for the complete abolition of any class division, and for the establishment of a socialist organization of society,-the first congress of Soviets of the TurkSSR indorses the "declaration of the rights" of the working and exploited people adopted by the third all-Russian congress of Soviets, and charges the government of the Turkmen republic, in conformity with the legislation of the USSR, with the carrying into practice and execution of all basic principles of the declaration.

The workers of the Turkmen people declare that the following principles shall be the basis for the work of all organs of the Turkmen Socialist Soviet Republic:

1. For the purpose of the complete destruction of the bourgeoisie, the abolition of the exploitation of man by man, and the attainment of socialism, he main purpose of the TurkSSR shall be the establishment of the dictatorship of the city and aul proletariat and of the poorest dekkan masses, in the form of a powerful soviet authority.

2. The TurkSSR is a free socialist state of all the toiling masses of Turkmenistan.

3. All authority throughout the TurkSSR shall belong to the entire working population of the country united in the city, aul, village and kishlaq Soviets.

4. The TurkSSR recognizes that labor is a duty of all citizens of the republic.

5-6. [Correspond to chapter V, articles 13-14, of the constitution of the RSFSR.]

7. In order to secure for the working class genuine freedom of association, the TurkSSR lends to the working masses and poorest dekkans all kinds of material and other assistance to help them to unite and to organize themselves.

8. In order to secure for the working masses genuine freedom of assembly, the TurkSSR hands over to the working class and poorest dekkans all buildings suitable for popular assemblies.

9-10. [Correspond to chapter V, articles 17 and 21, of the constitution of the RSFSR.]

11. The TurkSSR, recognizing the equality of the rights of all citizens, irrespective of race or nationality, declare it contrary to the fundamental laws of the republic to permit any privileges whatsoever, as well as any oppression of national minorities, or restriction of their equality and indisputable right the use of their native tongue.

12. The official language of the TurkSSR shall be the Turkmen and Russian languages.

13. [Corresponds to chapter V, article23, of the constitution of the RSFSR.]

14. The supreme organ of authority of the TurkSSR is the congress of Soviets of dekkan, workers', and red army deputies of the Turkmenia, and, during the interim between the congresses of Soviets, the Turkmen central executive committee.

15. Recognizing the possession by women of all equal rights, the TurkSSR shall take all measures to abolish all customary conditions which, by their character, tend to restrict women's rights.

16. The TurkSSR, entering into the USSR as a member with full rights, shall exercise its state authority independently, its sovereignty being limited only within the limits as determined by the constitution of the USSR in regard to the matters subject to the competence of the Union.

17. The TurkSSR has the right of free secession from the Union.

18. The territory of the TurkSSR can not be modified without its consent.

Source: Walter Russell Batsell, Soviet Rule in Russia (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1929), Chapter VI.