The International Newsletter of Communist Studies Online IX

The International Newsletter of Communist Studies Online 16/2003 45
CEC by himself. His colleagues on work in the Mussulman Bureau of the Communist Party of Turkestan sent in
their resignation too. But the CC of the RCP (B) and the »Turkcommission« did not remain indifferent to
Ryskulov. On April 14, 1920, V. Frunze wrote to V. I. Lenin: »Ryskulov is the most outstanding representative of
these Mussulman Communists from the Kirghiz (Kazakhs - V. R.) (…) as besides his mind, he has a strong
energy and a remarkable character«. 21 V. V. Kuibyshev, member of the »Turkcommission«, wrote in a letter,
dated August 9, 1920, to E. D. Stasova, secretary of the CC of the RCP (B): »Ryskulov is an uncommon figure
and he may become a remarkable Communist in Moscow … Therefore we believe that his trip to Moscow at
the disposal of the CC is necessary«. 22
On August 24, 1920, T. R. Ryskulov was nominated second substitute of I. V. Stalin, at the time the People’s
Commissar on Nationalities of the RSFSR. But before this, and after a recommendation of the CC of the party,
Ryskulov was sent to participate in the First congress of the peoples of the East in Baku where he was elected
chairman of the Presidium of the Communist fraction of the congress. 23 On September 1, 1920, according to
the agenda, »Comrade Ryskulov opens the congress with the announcement of welcome to Comrade Zinovyev
and other members of the Comintern«. 24 His speech on the 5th of September was highly appreciated by the
participants of the congress. According to the memoirs of E. D. Stasova, the secretary of the CC of the RCP (B),
G.K. Ordzhonikidze considered Ryskulov with bright attention and heat. 25 A. I. Mikoian, in his memoirs
mentioned the impression which Ryskulov’s passion and conviction had made on the delegates. 26 At the
congress Ryskulov became a member of the Council of Action and Propaganda in the East. 27
On May 14, 1922, I. V. Stalin, in a telegram sent to G. K. Ordzhonikidze to Tashkent, wrote: »... there is no need
of indulging the commissars of Turkestan, they have not deserved it, the last two years have shown that all of
them taken together are below Ryskulov to whose return I do not object to«. 28 In September 1922, by the
decision of the CC of the RCP (B) Ryskulov became a member of the Central Asia Bureau of the RCP (B)
(Sredazbiuro) 29 and finally, he was appointed chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars (CPC) of
Turkestan. At the 12th congress of the RCP (B) on April 23, 1923, Ryskulov intervened in the debate on the
national question. 30 The delegates of the congress elected him as candidate-member of the CC of the RCP (B).
21 Ibid, fond 589, inv. 3, file 15599, vol. 3, sh. 65; vol. 4, sh. 132-134.
22 Ibid, fond 79, inv. 1, file 160, sh. 1-1 back; S. Beisembaev, S. Kulbaev: Turar Ryskulov, Alma-Ata, 1974, p.
21. See also about T. Ryskulov: V. M. Ustinov: [Service to the People], Alma-Ata, 1984; id.: [The Vice-
Chairman of the Sovnarkom of the Russian Federation], Alma-Ata, 1988; id. Turar Ryskulov, Almaty, 1996;
Sherkhan Murtazaev: [Fiery Arrow], Moscow, 1982; id. [Fiery Arrow. The Novel Trilogy], Alma-Ata, 1988; T.
R. Ryskulov: [Selected Works], Alma-Ata, 1984.
23 RGASPI, fond 544, inv. 2, file 9, sh. 12.
24 Ibid, sh. 20.
25 E. D. Stasova: [Memoirs], Moscow, 1969, p. 109
26 A. I. Mikoian: [On the Way of Struggle], vol. I, Moscow, 1971, p. 586.
27 RGASPI, fond 544, inv. 2, file 4, sh. 15; fond 61, inv. 1, file 10, sh. 7.
28 [Bolshevist Leaders. Correspondence 1912-1927. Collected Documents], Moscow, 1996, p. 252.
29 Ibid, p. 255-256.
30 [Twelfth Congress of the RCP (B), April 17-25, 1923. Shorthand report], Moscow 1968, p. 510-515.