Presidium of the Democratic Party of Tajikistan (DPT) dismissed Chairman Masud Sobirov on December 24 and appointed his deputy Saidjafar Ismonov as acting head.

Speaking to journalists yesterday, Mr. Ismonov said Masud Sobirov was dismissed because of his intention to reunite with another wing of the party, led by Rahmatullo Valiev.

“He [Masud Sobirov] was not authorized to make such a decision without the approval of the party presidium,” said Mr. Ismonov. “Such issues should be discussed by all members of the party”.

Members of the presidium were also disappointed with Masud Sobirov’s inefficient leadership. They told journalists that Mr. Sobirov was not attending party meetings and was responsible for the party’s failure to establish a permanent office and launch party newspaper.

“During the presidium meeting on December 24, Masud Sobirov left the meeting shortly after it started,” said Mr. Ismonov. “This indicates that Sobirov ignores the party and disrespects members of the presidium”.

Mr. Ismonov also said the extraordinary congress of DPT on January 14 will appoint the new chairman and give an evaluation of Mr. Sobirov’s leadership of the party.

Masud Sobirov’s dismissal came only a week after the two rival factions of DPT announced they were ready to discuss possible reunion and bring an end to the conflict that divided and weakened the once-powerful Democratic Party.

Mr. Sobirov was behind what many politicians and experts viewed as government-led efforts to divide and marginalize DPT. In April 2006, Masud Sobirov established the faction “Vatan” within DPT that aimed to “rebuild the party’s influence”. The faction soon organized an “extraordinary congress” of a limited number of party members and dismissed DPT’s jailed leader Mahmadruzi Iskandarov appointing Masud Sobirov as the new chairman. DPT’s “old guard” led by Rahmatullo Valiev prompted at the government’s involvement with “Vatan”’s schismatic efforts but did not take it very seriously as Mr. Sobirov was not recognized by most political parties and authorities. However, on September 29, 2006, the Ministry of Justice registered Masud Sobirov as chairman of the Democratic Party in a move that many experts and opposition parties described as a revenge for DPT’s boycott of the presidential election [For background see my post of October 5].

Mr. Sobirov’s dismissal makes the prospects of the reunion of rival factions of DPT dimmer than before.