Suppressing the truth in Turkmenistan

WHEN THE Soviet Union collapsed almost a quarter-century ago, the new nation of Turkmenistan had grand hopes. Landlocked, and with only 5 million people, it nevertheless hoped to ride its vast natural gas reserves to prosperity: The “Kuwait of Central Asia” was the dream.

A stifling dictatorship, combined more recently with falling prices for oil and gas, instead has led Turkmenistan to a dead end. With Russia having its own troubles, China is pretty much the only customer f ........