The threat of inter-religious conflict
by Mekhman Gafarly
Nezavisimaia gazeta, 11 July 1996
After the fall of the USSR and the failure of communist ideology, a return to religion has replaced atheism on postsoviet space. This process has been especially painful in the republics of Central Asia, where the rebirth of Islam has gradually created a threat to social order and also to the existing state structure. A clear example of this is seen in Tadjikstan where it led to civil way in which the conflict was between the procommunist Dushanbei regime and the Islamic opposition.
Judging by what has happened in Kirgizia it seems that even in this republic there is the danger of the growth of conflict on religious grounds. Recently the president of the state commission on religious affairs of the republic, Emilbek Kaptagaev, spoke about this. In particular he said that recently there has been noted a tendency toward the "christianization and baptisim" of Kirgiz, who "are converting to protestant churches of various denominations in groups." This is happening mainly in the northern regions of Kirgizia and in Bishkek, where foreign religious missions are distribution the Bible in Kirgiz as well as protestant literature. A yet greater threat for Kirgizia is posed by missions from Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Pakistan, which do not conceal their intent to create in Kirgizia an Islmaic state. They are conducting their agitation in the south of the country where Islam is most widespread.
According to Emilbek Kaptagaev, Kirgiz on the whole are Muslim by religious profession and they consider those who adopt another faith to be traitors and apostates, and the threats that are more and more being made against them are a potential threat to social stability.
Today in Central Asia the interests of practically all religions of the world are clashing. Representatives of various religious sects, taking advantage of the spiritual vacuum that resulted from the spread of atheism in the course of seventy years, are trying to astablish themselves in the countries of the region. According to the president of the commission on religious affairs of Kirgizia, at the present time there are 24 Protestant churches and religious orgnaizations registered with the Ministry of Justice (before the fall of the USSR there were no more than four), which are financed mainly by religious associations in European countries. As Protestant religious organizations increae the strength of their invluence, the Orthodox church is shoved into the background.
In Kirgizia in the past five years more than 1000 mosques have been built, the greater portion of them at the expense of foreign sponsors. Besides this, thanks to the financial support of various countries thousands of Kirgiz have studied in univrsities in Muslim countries. Many of them are returning to their homeland with ideas of Islamic fundamentalism and the creation of a religious state.
The commission on religious affairs of Kirgizia, created in the spring of 1966, has suggested that the government adopt measures for regulating the religious situation and the construction of religious structures. A new edition of the law on religious organizations has also been prepared.