DATE=4/22/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=ISLAMIC OPPOSITION
NUMBER=5-46181
BYLINE=ED WARNER
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: On her recent trip to Central Asia, U-S
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright warned about
Islamist terrorism, but also urged more political
freedom in the countries of the region -- Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
The latest elections in all five have been considered
highly flawed. V-O-A's Ed Warner asked two recent
visitors to the region about the rising Islamist
opposition and its connection to authoritarian
regimes.
TEXT: A good way to make an enemy is to act like one.
That is Ahmed Rashid's advice to westerners who, in
his opinion, are contributing to the spread of Islamic
extremism by their extreme hostility to Islam.
But don't blame the West altogether for the growing
radicalism, he adds. Put some of the responsibility
on the Muslims in charge of Central Asian countries,
who are growing more repressive:
/// Rashid Act ///
The authoritarian systems in Central Asia, which
do not allow any kind of opposition to exist and
crack down very hard on any kind of political
dissent, naturally means that anyone who is
opposing the regime or even wants to write or
talk about the regime is pushed into the
underground. And the moment you get into the
underground, you are radicalized.
/// End Act ///
With political opposition suppressed, says Mr. Rashid,
Islam becomes the only vehicle for protest.
Despite their authoritarianism, the governments are
unable to satisfy many basic needs of the population.
Mr. Rashid notes unemployment is especially high among
young people -- prime recruits for radicalism:
/// Rashid Act ///
You have enormous economic recession. You have
very fragile state structures. You have the
inability of a very corrupt and incompetent
elite to deliver the goods to the people,
especially in the post Cold War era where
patrons such as the United States or the Soviet
Union have basically stepped back and have
forced these elites to stand on their own feet
and deliver. And they just have not been able
to do so.
/// End Act ///
Mr. Rashid says while westerners are investing heavily
in Central Asia, they are not using their influence to
moderate the policies of the governments.
The Islamic opposition groups have similar traits,
says Michael Rubin of the Washington Institute for
Near East Policy. For instance, their hatred of the
West. But they are not really unified:
/// Rubin Act ///
Groups might coordinate between themselves for
common interests, but that said, I am not a big
believer in global plots and conspiracy
theories. I think Osama bin-Laden, for example,
has gained a lot of power because of the U-S
focus on him. There are plenty of other people
in Afghanistan who are operating against Egypt,
against the stability of Yemen, against the
stability of Central Asia.
/// End Act ///
Mr. Rubin says the Taleban, which rules most of
Afghanistan, is basically an ethnic Pushtun movement
that is largely confined to Afghanistan. Some of its
troops in northern Afghanistan come from different
countries and are fighting for a particular cause.
They get their training in Afghanistan, but their
commitments lie elsewhere. (signed)
NEB/EW/JP
22-Apr-2000 14:30 PM EDT (22-Apr-2000 1830 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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