DUSHANBE. June 27 (Interfax) - Each citizen of Tajikistan must defend the country's national unity, while all public organizations, political parties and media must be careful with their words because peace in the republic is still quite fragile, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon said in a televised address on Friday.
Today Tajikistan is marking the 17th anniversary of the signing of a historic agreement that put an end to the country's five-year civil war, which claimed thousands of lives and left the Tajik economy in ruins.
"Since all people of Tajikistan treat national unity as a sacred value, which is vital to the happiness and well-being of our nation, the task facing each considerate, vigilant and wise person, a patriot is to defend national unity as a crucial factor of our state's stability and the development of Tajik society, as well as worship it as the nation's great heritage," Rahmon said.
The Tajik leader believes that "in this context political parties, public organizations and media companies should be increasingly careful and thoughtful in their assessments and coverage of social and political problems in the country in order to defend the state's independence, national interests, security, peace, social and political stability, as well as further strengthen the national unity of the Tajik people."
During the 1992-1997 civil war, the United Tajik Opposition, which included both overtly Islamist forces and moderate democratic parties, fought against the People's Front, which helped the country's incumbent President Emomali Rahmon come to power in Tajikistan.
June 27 is a non-working day in Tajikistan. However, the former sides in the conflict celebrate this holiday separately. The Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRP), the country's largest opposition force that used to form the core of the United Tajik Opposition, marked the anniversary on June 26.
"We suggest that all those who attended the peace agreement signing ceremony be invited to next year's festivities in order to hold a single National Unity Day event instead of celebrating this memorable day separately," IRP leader Muhhidin Kabiri said.