Understanding islamic radicalization in central asia. Osce academy in bishkek, botanichesky 1a, bishkek, kyrgyzstan, 72004. The scope of this category includes pages whose subjects relate to terrorism, a contentious label valueladen labelssuch as calling an organization andor individual a terroristmay express contentious opinion and are best avoided unless widely used by reliable sources to describe the subject, in which case use. Sa comprises of the sub himalayan countries and is surrounded clockwise, from west to east by western asia, central asia, eastern asia, and southeastern asia. Order code rs21903 updated february 8, 2005 crs report for. According to the global terrorism database gtd 2014 terrorist attacks in southeast asia fluctuated to varying. In addition, all states of central asia including neutral turkmenistan, kazakhstan, georgia and. Hyping isiss threat in central asia does a disservice to all involved. Method the main method was comparative analysis and analysis of. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading counterterrorism policies in central asia central asian studies book 25. Sinnott argued that security threats in central asia stem primarily from the mistakes of the regions leadersboth today and in the soviet period. Counterterrorism policies in central asia central asian studies book 25 kindle edition by omelicheva, mariya y download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
In the aftermath of 911, this region has been designated by the united states to be the second front in the war on terrorism. Jan 20, 2017 on october 3, 2016, the international crisis group icg, an influential independent research organization, released another report on islamic radicalization in central asia. Project muse transnational islam in south and southeast asia. In his view, the soviet economic system established central asian republics in the role of crude resource suppliers, creating a situation of dependency. Certainly, the terrorist threat within central asia is a reality that cannot be.
A transition of power is taking place in uzbekistan and, consequently. Noor, alexander horstmann, dietrich reetz, ali riaz, animesh roul, noorhaidi hasan, ahmad fauzi abdul hamid, rommel c. Counterterrorism in central asia requires international. Threat of terrorism in central asia new eastern outlook. Central asias five countries the republic of kazakhstan. For some time scholarly work on islam in soviet central asia emphasized the strict surveillance by the soviet state. Understanding islamic radicalization in central asia updated.
The main threat for central asia and russia lies in a continuation of the current policies while the key parameters change. Mar 31, 2020 sinnott argued that security threats in central asia stem primarily from the mistakes of the regions leadersboth today and in the soviet period. To save the maps to your computer, rightclick on the link. Unodc presence in central asia began in 1993 with the establishment of the unodc regional office for central asia in tashkent, uzbekistan. For many people it is defined by adherence to traditions and customs rather than strict observance of islamic rituals. The five central asian states of kazakhstan, uzbekistan, kyrgyzstan. Regional workshop on investigative techniques of transnational corruption offences was concluded on 4 march 2015 in tehran by adopting a set of recommendations for promoting internationalregional cooperation in better addressing corruption related cases. Again, in the 1920s, muslim partisans in the socalled basmachi movement opposed the bolshevik. Order code rs21903 updated february 8, 2005 crs report. Uzbekistan, view it as a free public good and basic right.
Counterterrorism policies in central asia is an exceptional book. Central asia at 25 archive of european integration. Terrorism in central asia and kazakhstan and information. As john heathershaw, a central asia expert at the university of exeter, noted in an interview with foreign policy magazine, the estimates and figures from central asian governments are all. Dynamics, dimensions, and sources article pdf available in education about asia 183 january 20 with 2,812 reads how we measure reads. During world war i, for example, islamic militants took up arms to oppose the russian governments attempts to mobilize muslims to work in the front. It was because of this conspiracy against the american republics by the european monarchies that the great english statesman, canning, called the attention of our government to it. Kazakhstan, the second largest country in central asia, is competing with thailand to secure a united nations security council unsc nonpermanent seat for 20172018. Mar 09, 2017 central asias religious authorities maintain that hanafi islam is the most locally appropriate, not just because it has been the locally dominant school historically, but because it is described as tolerating preislamic customs, which helps moderate islamic teachings that prevail in other parts of the world. Outside the economic and political challenges lays the threat of terrorism. Central asia has also hit headlines for reasons and links to terrorism involving central asians beyond the region. Taking into account the dynamic of the events in syria, the radical islamic militants from central asia also pose a threat for the nato member states.
We found that while there are autonomous spaces where social organizations can function free from state interference. The convergence of the great powers on central asia was justified in terms of anti. Getting americas antiterrorist message to central asia. The seriousness of the terrorist threat in the postsoviet central asia, aggravated by a generally high degree of support for radical islamic movements among the local population. Submission guidelines are found at the end of each issue. Central asia, though referred to as a single region, consists of five culturally. Exporting jihad islamic terrorism from central asia. The trafficking terrorism nexus is the main feature of the organized crime scene in todays interconnected and globalized world, as mariya y. The spiritual administration of the muslims of central asia and kazakhstan sadum, established in 1943 in tashkent, was the state. Terrorism, religion and state policy in central asia doc. Omelicheva and others published terrorism in central asia. Central asia became a location point for the international terrorism, religious extremism, ethnonational separatism, organized crime, illicit traffic in drugs and weapons, illegal migration. In 2002 the imu was reclassified as terrorist by the united states. Salafists and al qaeda have gained few adherents in the region.
Ethnic dimension of religious extremism and terrorism in. A major public conference for civil society, the media and research institutions should be considered in central asia, as should a regional training for the media on international legal instruments, conventions and standards in the fight against terrorism. Since the invasion, the imu has been greatly weakened due to us military actions which cut off its supply of resources and killed its leader. But the logistical situation has changed dramatically in the past 18 months since new political agreements were reached to. Prior to the 2001 invasion of afghanistan, the islamic movement of uzbekistan imu posed the greatest threat to the karimov administration. The often overlooked but no less pertinent region of central asia namely afghanistan and the five formerly soviet stans. Assessing the terrorist threat in and from central asia. Dilemas of state building, human rights and terrorism in chinas west notable in this regard were the interethnic riots between the uyghur and han chinese population of the regions capital urumqi on 5 and 6 july 2009 which left at least 156 dead and many hundreds injured.
Kazakhstan, kyrgyzstan, turkmenistan, tajikistan and uzbekistanis the focus of michael griffins reaping the whirlwind and ahmed rashids two recent books. On the left, we have sayfullo saipov, who conducted an attack on halloween in october 2017 in new york, killing eight people, just meters from the world trade center, the most significant attack in new york since 911. The deterioration of democracy only threatens this cooperation. What is more, the geopolitical situation is deteriorating against a background of growing domestic instability in central asian countries. Note that maps may not appear on the webpage in their full size and resolution. Sipri launched the wider central asia wca initiative in january 2012 with the express purpose of promoting and facilitating dialogue on security in afghanistans neighbourhood, building on the clear need for cooperative policy. The scope of this category includes pages whose subjects relate to terrorism, a contentious label valueladen labelssuch as calling an organization andor individual a terroristmay express contentious opinion and are best avoided unless widely used by reliable sources to describe the subject, in which case use intext. Terrorism, religious extremism, and the imu in central asia radical islamic opposition movements have a long history in central asia dating back to the tsarist era. Tom lantos of california in the house of representatives thursday, december, 2001. Counterterrorism policies in central asia central asian. Relations between afghanistan and central asian states. Connecting the baltic and black sea ports with afghanistan through russia, central asia, and the caucasus, the ndn serves as a key vehicle for u. Russias central asia policy and the role of russian nationalism.
It has been accepted for inclusion in young historians conference by an authorized administrator of pdxscholar. Radical islamic terrorism spreading across central asia. Furthermore, the great game being played out in central asia by the worlds largest powers leave the region fraught with. Recent focus groups conducted by radio free europe with kyrgyz, tajik, and. Method the main method was comparative analysis and analysis of government documents, expert survey. Strategy and its regional action plan for central asia.
Historically, islamic faith practices in central asia had been subject to state control and strict supervision in times of the soviet union. Exporting jihad islamic terrorism from central asia osw. Furthermore, the great game being played out in central asia by. Download free asia maps sponsors free map downloads free world country map downloads. This event is brought to you for free and open access. To describe the islamic revival in central asia, a few notes on the historical background and earlier and later scholarly work on islam in the soviet union are at place. However, the strength of this book is her ability to question the policies of central asian states in reaction to islamic radical groups. Assessment of threat for afghanistan, pakistan and. The workshop was organized under the unodc regional programme for afghanistan and neighboring. Drivers and paths of terrorism in central asia center. Central asias religious authorities maintain that hanafi islam is the most locally appropriate, not just because it has been the locally dominant school historically, but because it is described as tolerating preislamic customs, which helps moderate islamic teachings that prevail in other parts of the world. On october 3, 2016, the international crisis group icg, an influential independent research organization, released another report on islamic radicalization in central asia. Kazakhstan, kyrgyzstan, tajikistan, turkmenistan, and uzbekistan. Russia, china, and the united states in central asia the web site.
Relations between afghanistan and central asian states after. A handbook of terrorism and insurgency in southeast asia. This timely and significant book seeks to explain the deepseated complexities of terrorism and insurgency in southeast asia. Ever since the dissolution of the soviet union, central asia has experienced a deluge of religious activity. Speaker, i am very pleased that the international relations committee recently passed legislation to create radio free afghanistan. Central asia all serve to amplify threats and risks to the regional security system. Central asia is a vast region, which includes afghanistan, mongolia, the northern regions of iran, india and pakistan, the western outreaches of china as well as. Summary the present study provides an analysis of chinas foreign policy towards central asia to trace culture of chinas foreign policy. The central asia findings in the research served as the basis to formulate recommendations to all parties involved in media policy and practice, both in the region and externally. An introduction the region is located at the strategically important area in world. This website also contains a dedicated section containing news, background information and analytical texts on political extremism and terrorism in central asia and worldwide.
The culture of chinas foreign policy approach deals with. Assessment of threat for afghanistan, pakistan and south and central asia kashif mumtaz abstract the nearcomplete state breakdown in iraq and syria explains the meteoric rise of isis in a short span of time. The source of most terrorists and terrorist organizations that operate in central asia is afghanistan due to the former presence of the taliban and al qaeda militants, and the ferghana valley due to the tajik civil war. Theres facts that some of the most dangerous terrorist organizations in this region were created the active support of the us and nato special services. The book they have edited is a thorough and rich compilation of data, narratives and assessments of the interlinkages between drug trafficking and terrorist groups that have. Towards central asia expanding the concepts of national interest and national security zille huma phd thesis university of sussex may 2014. Information technology for counterterrorism march 24, 2006 this report concludes that the most devastating consequences of a terrorist attack would occur if it were on or used it as part of a broader attack. Muslims are a majority in kirgizstan, uzbekistan, tadjikistan and turkmenistan in central asia, afghanis tan, pakistan, and bang ladesh in south asia and malaysia, brunei, and indonesia in southeast asia. Central asia is a good environment for the return of isis, especially at the borders, which provide terrorist with a haven from the economic crises and lawlessness. New york attack underlines central asia as growing source. In the post911 world, the landscape of terrorism in southeast asian has undergone profound change. She is the author of counterterrorism policies in central asia routledge, 2011 and multiple articles on. But the logistical situation has changed dramatically in the past 18 months since new political agreements were reached to enable nato.
Radical islamic terrorism spreading across central asia like. Omelichevas knowledge of the islamic radical groups in central asia establishes her as one of the foremost academic experts in her field. The attack in new york has accentuated the growing threat presented by jihadiinspired terrorism from central asia, the onetime soviet region where little economic opportunity and less political. The united states and central asia central asiacaucasus institute.
In the past decade, government efforts to counter extremism and terrorism that have resulted in far more casualties than terrorism itself. Disgruntled citizens in central asia grudge all the political regimes, which are aligned with the superpowers and do not improve the basic services for their people. Terrorism in central asia is largely a crossborder phenomenon. Civil society and politics in central asia on jstor.
Being a muslim in central asia is a part of the local identity. Mar 24, 2006 information technology for counterterrorism march 24, 2006 this report concludes that the most devastating consequences of a terrorist attack would occur if it were on or used it as part of a broader attack. Asia political 2000 278 asia political 1997 425k asia political 1997 1. Colonies which had revolted from spain and portugal in central and south america under the influence of the successful example of the united states. What unites a spectrum of groups that i refer to as radical islamic movements is the islamist ideology omelicheva, mariya y. Central asia is a vast region, which includes afghanistan, mongolia, the northern regions of iran, india and pakistan, the western outreaches of china as well as part of the southern outskirts of russia and five former soviet republics. The american entry into central asia has complicated the geostrategic dynamics of the region and. Central asia security policy briefs are published by the osce academy in bishkek. The expected impact is to strengthen democracy and political stability in central asia as one of the regions of outstanding importance for global peace. Following the usled coalition intervention in afghanistan in october 2001, and the invasion of. Terrorism in central asia and kazakhstan and information warfare.
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