Resurgence of Islam in Fergana Valley
In Ferghana valley, where borders of three Central Asian countries meet - Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, Islam has always been a delicate issue to deal with, especially on political level. Taking into consideration that almost 95% of population in Fergana valley are Muslim, officials of these three countries clearly understand that Islamic issues once dealt wrongly may serve as a basis for peoples uprising against the government. The Andijan massacre, the result of prosecution of Akramiya followers in Andijan city of Uzbekistan, is a good example for this.
During Soviet times, when the central government promoted atheistic ideology among the population, Islam had suffered badly and existed only undercover. Budget workers, especially school teachers, who prayed at their work palces, were publicly fired and were in “black list” of the government, which meant a full stop in the career of the person. There was a case in Andijan city in late 80’s, when a school principal was fired, because his son was wedding was according to islamic rules.
After the collapse of communism, there was a sudden resurgence of Islam in Ferghana valley. Different Islamic organizations had popped up. One of the popular ones is Hizb-ut-Tahrir, an Islamic Political Party working for the reestablishment of Caliphate, Islamic state, in the world. Hizb-it-Tahrir is considered as a terrorist organization and banned in all three countries of Ferghana valley. Unlike its neighbors, Uzbekistan took very severe politics towards Hizb-ut-Tahrir. Its members were and still are persecuted and imprisoned for their membership in the organization. Imprisoned Hizb-ut-Tahrir members are reportedly being ill-treated and systematically tortured. The situation in neighboring Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan is not that bad, though, the governments of these countries also takes severe actions towards Hizb-ut-Tahrir.
BBC reporter Natalia Antaleva recently made a video report showing that the number of Hizb-ut-Tahrir’s followers in Fergana valley is growing, attracting more women to its activities.
I think that officials of both Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan need to take another, more effective approach in dealing with religious organizations, especially Hizb-ut-Tahrir. Here I fully agree with Tim Epkenhans, director of OSCE Academy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, who told to BBC reporter that “the security agencies [of the region] definitely provided these [Islamic] organizations with certain myth that they are doing something bad against the government” and that “the very disproportionate prosecution of Islamic organizations, such as Hizb-ut-Tahrir, is in the end generating more conflict and violence than it solves.”
on November 19th, 2007 at 5:20 am
Hi,
I disagree with Mr Tim Epkenhans, as clearly hizb ut tahrir is operating in places like Indonisia and the uk, where its not like Uzbakistan, but still the number of hizb ut tahrir’s followers is growing, in Indonosia we are talking about milions.
on November 19th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
“where its not like Uzbakistan, but still the number of hizb ut tahrir’s followers is growing, in Indonosia we are talking about milions.”
So what? What is your point?
on November 22nd, 2007 at 5:43 pm
“the security agencies [of the region] definitely provided these [Islamic] organizations with certain myth that they are doing something bad against the government”
Their point in the vedio report that, the reason why is hizb ut tahrir number is growing, is because of the way the security agencies dealing with the situatin.
But in Indonisia and The uk the security agencies by law cant do what the uzbek agencies are doing, but still hizb ut tahrir’s followers is growing in indonisia and the uk, so his point about the security agencies in Uzbakistan is wrong.
thank you.
on November 23rd, 2007 at 11:10 am
I understood what’s in the video.
The reality is, that it is more than convenient for the regimes in CA, and that in Uzbekistan in particular, to have, or inflate, a threat like the HT (pretty much like Stalin needed Jewish conspiracies and Trotskist saboteurs at the time), because it is one of the last ways that they can legitimate themselves. HT is the perfect ghost everyone speaks about but no-one has actually seen.
What is much more worrying - especially since most Central Asia watchers are too busy focusing on the so-called ‘Islamist threat’ - are all these evangelist Christian sects that, openly or ondercover, wreck society (esp. in Kyrgyzstan).
on November 25th, 2007 at 1:41 am
Have you watched the vedio report?
We have people against C A regimes, Hizb ut tahrir is one example and no one can deny their influence, and others, a group of people working for the west, which is very jealous, that the area under the Russian control, so they want to use their democratical style
( what used in ukraine and Georgia) to get a feet in the area.
on November 26th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
How do you measure its influence, Marina? I think HT’s influence is much more a matter of how some perceive it, use it and of the way it is covered by the media, than of actual activities, members etc… HT in CA in really a far cry from what Hamas is doing in Gaza or Hizbullah in South Lebanon and Beirut, where they have armed wings, a network of social services and so on.
You know what may make some afraid of the HT? Both part of its revolutionary discourse and its organisation structure (underground cells) remind the Russian Bolshevik movement in its early days. The Soviet apparachiks who are still in power in most Stans know well how that ended.
on November 27th, 2007 at 3:01 am
You know the most dangerous thing about Hizb ut tahrir, that they stand up for their ideas, they are not willing to compromise, when I ask them a question, they answer it, they have a clear idea, for what they are looking for, they are a real danger for the C A regimes, of course, if Russia leaves them face it alone, but the connection between C A nations and Russia is very deep.
Out side my department i saw a man puting a poster for the islamic society, i told him I want to know more about Hizb ut tahrir, he linked me with the women side of the islamic society, I spoke to them, They invited me to their talks, I visted their website, and there was no differnce between what they say, what they call for, and what is in their websites, they are open, and I almost met evry body.
The funny thing they asked Mr David Cameron for an open debate for what he is accusing them in the parliament, I am certain politicians are not brave enough, but this reminded me of something the same one of hizb ut tahrir’s women told me about, that they asked Mr Karimov for the same thing, when he accused them of something, and the women was trying to till me that they have nothing to hide.
But in one side you say they are nothing, they have no infulance and in other you warn us from their underground cells.
After I heard it from them, I beleive, if the people of C A decide that they want Islam, its their own choise and we have to feel happy for them, and we have to prepare ourselves for political and economical relationships with them.
The real gruop which we should be aware and afraid from it, and their work is realy worse and more eveil, who gets their Orders from the westren embassies, and this would make some afraid (allow me to use this part from you) Both parts of its revolutionary discourse and its organisation structure (underground cells) remind the Russian Bolshevik movement in its early days. The Soviet apparachiks who are still in power in most Stans know well how that ended.
on November 27th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
“Out side my department i saw a man puting a poster for the islamic society, i told him I want to know more about Hizb ut tahrir,”
Where was that? Uzb, UK, Rus?
“But in one side you say they are nothing, they have no infulance and in other you warn us from their underground cells.”
I don’t say they are nothing. I say that their influence in CA is more a matter of the whole fuss made around them by those who have advantage to do so (the regimes, KGB etc.—so that they can promote themselves towards the West, “yes it’s us or terrorist takeover”) more than of actual numbers of followers, political and miltary power etc.
“I beleive, if the people of C A decide that they want Islam, its their own choise and we have to feel happy for them, and we have to prepare ourselves for political and economical relationships with them.”
I like that point and I agree with you. Depending on where you are, a substantial part of CA’s people (maybe not 80-90% but not a few either, even in Kyr) look to Islam as an alternative. People need direction in life. Soviet Communism, despite some positive achievements, is dead. What represents ‘Western liberalism’ in CA is a flop and deeply distrusted, even hated, by many people. If ‘more Islam’ means that people find an identity, dignity and social responsibility in Islam, then that is not a threat but a good thing.
Again, the fact that a person wants to live ‘more the Muslim way’ does not mean that he or she wants a Sharia state. BTW, if you are interested: the PEW Research Centre and the sociologist Tair Faradov carried out empirical studies (for the Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan case, but relevant for other stans tool) that clearly show/suggest that. I don’t see why religious knowledge and consciouness by definition ‘degrades’ people.
“The real gruop which we should be aware and afraid from it, and their work is realy worse and more eveil, who gets their Orders from the westren embassies”
on November 28th, 2007 at 4:16 am
(( the fact that a person wants to live ‘more the Muslim way’ does not mean that he or she wants a Sharia state.))
See, people in the west should not trust people who say this, why? because any one can see that Muslim people are different, they have their own edias and values, for us to say that we want a thief to go to Prison for two years, muslims beleive that a thief if some conditions are met, his hand should be cut off, and we should not judge them and their beleive according to our way of life.
And we should know that muslims are not willing to drop off this belief, and its not only about one law, its a set of laws and values based on their belief that man cant decide what is bad and what is good, ( its a very long discussing), and their belief say: that God should decide, and all their laws and values are based on this belief.
We are not here to try to convince them, to leave their belief as all attepts to do so faild, even our people are convinced by them, so we have to accept it, they are going to rule themselves, so leave them to do what ever they want.
This means we have to stop imposing Democrasy on them, they have their own system, let them rule themselves the way they want, they want an elected and accounted leader, to rule them by Islam (call it Sharia state). so let them do that.
The problem and the people in Russia and in the west should realise it, that we hear people like yourself talking about values, laws and system of goverment, and you sound no differnt from us, you want the same thing we want, but in the reality you are differnt, your belief is defferent, Muslims dont accept man made rules, and till we realise that, and leave them to set up a system which compatible with their belief and values which based on this belief.
We cant compare Islam with christianity, Islam is not only a religion, its a way of life, it tells you how to speak to God, and how to buy a house.
For this reason I find hizb ut tahrir is very series. others are The echo of our voices.
on November 28th, 2007 at 11:56 am
“This means we have to stop imposing Democrasy on them, they have their own system, let them rule themselves the way they want”
This is the way it is going to turn out anyhow, not necessarily in Sharia states everywhere but in any case Islam-inspired and not the way ‘the West’ wants it either. The ‘import democracy exercise’ in Iraq is what it is, and regimes like that of Karimov have no future. Besides, most ‘import systems’ (secular nationalism, Communism, liberal democracy) have failed in the Muslim world.
on December 2nd, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Ataman Rakin, I would like to talk to you. My research is on HT. I very much agree with you. Please email me at speshko@gmail.com
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