Religious extremism in central Asia

Abstract

The Central Asian republics are bearing the brunt of terrorism fed by religious extremism for the last few years. Uzbekistan, Kyrghyzstan and Tajikistan have suffered the most among the five Central Asian republics. Uzbekistan and Kyrghyzstan are currently facing armed rebel incursions that began in 1999. After the end of the Communist control, the somewhat unsettled situation made the region a happy hunting ground for a new breed of highly motivated Islamic clergy. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan liberally provided religious literature and funds for the construction of mosques and religious schools etc. At the same time, the socio‐economic dislocation in the republics and the vacuum following the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union and socialism was cleverly exploited by Islamic radical elements backed by the Taliban. The Taliban helped the Islamic opposition movements of the Central Asian republics providing them sanctuaries and training. The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), whose ultimate objective is to establish an Islamic state, was given arms and training in Afghanistan by the Taliban. These linkages have made religious extremism a potent source of destabilisation for the region. The turbulence in the region is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.