圣书的影子

　　Why are some of the world's biggest international companies translating an absurd foreign
　　book into their own language, trying to hide their aims and avoid discussion about the human

　　rights and freedom of speech situation in Turkmenistan?
　　Shadow Of The Holy Book investigates the morality of international companies and the dictatorship
　　of oil-and-gas-rich Turkmenistan. These companies help give the dictatorship the propaganda support
　　that it needs to survive. Turkmenistan’s dictator, Saparmurat Niyazov, has written a ludicrous
　　book: the Ruhnama, the Book of the Soul, a key tool in the government’s subjugation of human
　　rights and free speech. Yet many international companies give their clandestine support to the
　　Ruhnama and help suppress the country’s voices of opposition and dissidence – in return for multimillion-
　　dollar business deals.
　　The film follows lawyer/author Kevin Frazier and film director Arto Halonen as they travel from Europe
　　to Turkmenistan, and all the way to the United States. The filmmakers are in search of companies
　　operating in Turkmenistan, particularly the companies that have translated the Ruhnama
　　books into their own languages, and thus supported Turkmenistan's dictatorship in the most absurd
　　way possible.
　　The film also reflects the current situation in Turkmenistan, the impact of the Ruhnama book, and
　　the ethics of the companies operating there. This is done through the dissidents and refugees,
　　many of whom have been the targets of persecution, torture, and assassination attempts organised
　　by the Turkmenistan government.
　　Turkmenistan has some of the biggest oil-and-gas reserves in the world, and this has increased
　　the greed and ruthlessness of corporate activities in the region. Well-known companies like DaimlerChrysler,
　　Siemens, Bouygues and Caterpillar praise and support the Ruhnama book, a book that
　　has destroyed the education system and has served as the centerpiece of the dictatorship. The
　　filmmakers look for corporate responsibility, and the companies duck and hide – until a couple of
　　business executives appear who are ready to talk and take responsibility.
　　The film is the story of a dictatorship, and also of the transition from one leader to the next. After
　　the sudden death of Saparmurat Niyazov, the creator of the Ruhnama book, power has transferred
　　to Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov who has, on the surface, made reforms but in terms of violations
　　against freedom of speech and human rights everything has remained the same. He has
　　also praised the Ruhnama, and used it to increase his power. Therefore international corporations
　　continue to use the same techniques to please the new leader as they did with Niyazov. The
　　shadow of the holy book continues to stretch beyond Niyazov’s grave.