DUSHANBE (Reuters) - Tajikistan's long-serving president has accused the "enemies" of his nation of using the Internet to undermine his rule and urged his people to mobilize against the threat.
President Emomali Rahmon did not name any countries, but his remarks came at a time of growing tension between Tajikistan, a strategic nation courted by the West, and Russia, its former Soviet overlord.
In his annual state of the nation address, Rahmon said forces on the Internet were waging a "deliberate and evil campaign" against Tajikistan, a Persian-speaking country which gained independence after the Soviet collapse in 1991.
"This information war...is aimed at humiliating Tajikistan's role in international politics, at instilling pessimism in our people about their future," he said.
"The Tajik nation should know the goals and aims of its enemies, remain politically vigilant and avoid despair," he said, adding that 80 percent of media reports on Tajikistan were based on "lies, slander, and biased materials."
The impoverished nation depends on both Russia, where a million of its skilled workers earn wages, and the West, which provides it with humanitarian aid, to make ends meet.
Remittances account for about half of Tajikistan's gross domestic product and are falling along with Russia's contracting economy. Another source of national income is an aluminum plant, but its role has decreased as the economic crisis sent world aluminum prices to a seven-year low.
Tajikistan, which borders Afghanistan, has distanced itself from Russia over the past years, accusing Moscow of breaking its promises of more investment.
The United States has stepped up contacts with Tajikistan, which it sees as part of a supply transit route for troops fighting in Afghanistan.
U.S. diplomacy intensified this year after Kyrgyzstan evicted U.S. troops from an air base, a strategic win for Russia which sees the region as part of its sphere of interest.
"It is obvious that the independence of the Tajik nation and its diversified foreign policy are not in favor with certain circles," Rahmon said. He gave no specific examples.
Tajik officials have long complained about Russia's negative perception of Tajiks working there and racism and violence against laborers from the Muslim nation.
Russia hosts the world's second-largest number of migrants after the United States, many of them from Tajikistan, according to the UN's International Organization for Migration.
Rahmon nearly cancelled a visit to Russia in February as relations soured. He is particularly upset by a lack of Russian commitment to help Tajikistan build a $3.2 billion power plant, which he sees as a key pillar in the economy.
Tajikistan terminated a deal this month allowing a Russian TV channel to broadcast in the country.
President Emomali Rahmon did not name any countries, but his remarks came at a time of growing tension between Tajikistan, a strategic nation courted by the West, and Russia, its former Soviet overlord.
In his annual state of the nation address, Rahmon said forces on the Internet were waging a "deliberate and evil campaign" against Tajikistan, a Persian-speaking country which gained independence after the Soviet collapse in 1991.
"This information war...is aimed at humiliating Tajikistan's role in international politics, at instilling pessimism in our people about their future," he said.
"The Tajik nation should know the goals and aims of its enemies, remain politically vigilant and avoid despair," he said, adding that 80 percent of media reports on Tajikistan were based on "lies, slander, and biased materials."
The impoverished nation depends on both Russia, where a million of its skilled workers earn wages, and the West, which provides it with humanitarian aid, to make ends meet.
Remittances account for about half of Tajikistan's gross domestic product and are falling along with Russia's contracting economy. Another source of national income is an aluminum plant, but its role has decreased as the economic crisis sent world aluminum prices to a seven-year low.
Tajikistan, which borders Afghanistan, has distanced itself from Russia over the past years, accusing Moscow of breaking its promises of more investment.
The United States has stepped up contacts with Tajikistan, which it sees as part of a supply transit route for troops fighting in Afghanistan.
U.S. diplomacy intensified this year after Kyrgyzstan evicted U.S. troops from an air base, a strategic win for Russia which sees the region as part of its sphere of interest.
"It is obvious that the independence of the Tajik nation and its diversified foreign policy are not in favor with certain circles," Rahmon said. He gave no specific examples.
Tajik officials have long complained about Russia's negative perception of Tajiks working there and racism and violence against laborers from the Muslim nation.
Russia hosts the world's second-largest number of migrants after the United States, many of them from Tajikistan, according to the UN's International Organization for Migration.
Rahmon nearly cancelled a visit to Russia in February as relations soured. He is particularly upset by a lack of Russian commitment to help Tajikistan build a $3.2 billion power plant, which he sees as a key pillar in the economy.
Tajikistan terminated a deal this month allowing a Russian TV channel to broadcast in the country.