Uzbekistan

CEIP, Mar 07: A Face of Islam: Muhammad-Sodiq Muhammad-Yusuf

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The role of Islam in the formally secular state of Uzbekistan remains a potentially volatile issue. Critics of President Karimov often cite his hard-line stance on radical Islam as a cornerstone of his authoritarian regime. Whether Karimov will again seek to extend his time in office remains uncertain, yet it remains vitally important that both domestic and international actors understand the influence of Islam in Uzbekistan to understand the potential problems facing the nation and the Central Asian region more generally.

In this Carnegie Paper, Martha Brill Olcott, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment, provides an in-depth analysis of Sheikh Muhammad-Sodiq Muhammad-Yusuf—the most prominent theologian and unofficial spiritual leader of Uzbekistan. Olcott gives insight into Muhammad-Sodiq’s life, his spiritual and ideological writings, and ultimately, his political agenda....

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I'd like to add to Jedburh's post "Roots of Radical Islam in Central Asia" by the same author.

http://www.carnegieendowment.org/fil...oots_final.pdf

Here is "Economist" article about islam in Russia "A beningn growth"

http://www.economist.com/world/europ...ory_id=8961754

This paper is Olga Oliker's testimony presented before the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe on May 18, 2007.

Author gives her own explanation of causes of violent opposition.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/testimonies...RAND_CT282.pdf

The Jamestown Foundation, 27 Jun 07:

Reassessming Andijan: The Road to Restoring US-Uzbek Relations

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...This paper places the events in Andijan in a broader context, starting with Uzbekistan’s independence after the collapse of the USSR in 1991 and progressing onward with the development of indigenous political movements and the post-Soviet rise of Islam in Central Asia.

Polat gives an in-depth description of events both preceding and following the demonstrations, armed attacks and subsequent government response quelling the disturbance. No topic is too sensitive, from government policies to the statements by the leaders of the unrest themselves. Every available piece of open source evidence, from interviews to videos as well as a number of studies by Western specialists in the aftermath of the insurrection, has been painstakingly analyzed and incorporated into this paper....

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Uzbekistan remains a serious risk to itself and its region. While 69-year-old President Islom Karimov shows no signs of relinquishing power, despite the end of his legal term of office more than half a year ago, his eventual departure may lead to a violent power struggle. The economy remains tightly controlled, with regime stalwarts, including the security services and Karimov’s daughter Gulnora, exerting excessive influence, which drives away investors and exacerbates poverty. The human rights situation is grave, and those who seek to flee abroad live in constant danger of attempts to return them forcibly. While the government cites the “war on terror” to justify many policies, its repression may in fact be creating greater future danger. Efforts at international engagement have been stymied by its refusal to reform and to allow an independent investigation of the May 2005 Andijon uprising. Little can be done presently to influence Tashkent but it is important to help ordinary Uzbeks as much as possible and to assist the country’s neighbours build their capacity to cope with the instability that is likely to develop when Karimov goes.

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http://www.crisisgroup.org/library/d...ncertainty.pdf

HRW, 7 Nov 07: Nowhere to Turn: Torture and Ill-Treatment in Uzbekistan

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Torture and ill-treatment—and impunity for perpetrators—are part of a wide-ranging problem of human rights in Uzbekistan. The Uzbek government has a poor record across a spectrum of violations. It does not tolerate dissent, severely restricts media freedoms, has persecuted and imprisoned a number of human rights defenders, and does not in practice permit public demonstrations that express criticism of the authorities. Individuals whose Islamic beliefs, practices and affiliations are at odds with official Islam are branded “fundamentalists” or “extremists” and are sentenced to lengthy prison sentences. Great numbers of people in Uzbekistan face barriers to lifting themselves from staggering poverty due to corruption and human rights violations.

Torture and ill-treatment is an enduring problem in Uzbekistan. In the past decade a number of reports by Uzbek and international human rights organizations have documented ill-treatment, including torture, in Uzbek police and security facilities, remand prisons, and post-conviction facilities. Three things, however, have distinguished the discussion of torture in the past few years from previous years. First, Uzbekistan’s engagement with the United Nations anti-torture machinery, which resulted in several legal reforms. Secondly, the government’s strenuous efforts to convince the international community that it is committed to torture reform, while acknowledging neither the scale of the problem or the impunity for it. Thirdly, the government’s fierce crackdown on civil society following the May 2005 Andijan uprising and massacre.....

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SWP Comments, 14 Apr 08: The Islamic Jihad Union: On the Internationalisation of Uzbek Jihadism

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The Islamic Jihad Union (IJU), founded in 2002 after splitting off from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), has been trying since 2007 to boost its public image. Unlike the IMU, the largest militant organisation in Central Asia, it advocates the internationalisation of the "Holy War" and has joined forces with the Taliban in Afghanistan and with al-Qaida on the global level. It is a young and small organisation and together with al-Qaida has been training volunteers from Central Asia, Pakistan and Europe in the Pakistani region of Waziristan. Although so far the IJU seems to have had little influence in its native Uzbekistan, it has managed to recruit a group of Turks and Germans, some of whom planned attacks in Germany in 2007. It is still too early to speak of a trend, but should the IJU and al-Qaida succeed in recruiting greater numbers of young Turks and Germans of Turkish origin, the likelihood of attacks in Germany will increase......

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Thanks to Ted and all others who have posted to this site topic about Islam today in the Stans and in Russia, too.

Our Bham MOAA Chapter a year or two back had a Montgomery USAF Reserve unit C-130 pilot speak to us about flying into and working out of one of the Stans in support of Afghantisan ops. Very good talk with slides.

The practical educational benefit via this and many other topics here on SWJ are invaluable and I can say at least in my case in this specific instance will shortly be to the attention and more educated by these SWJ comments of our member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, my friend Senator Jeff Sessions.

Keep up the good info which helps all from the lowest level in rank grunt in the field in SW Asia to our top policy makers in the US whether they be in Congress or the White House.

A rare commentary on this country, prompted by the death of its "strongman", which starts with:

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The death of Uzbek President Islam Karimov, the longest serving ruler in the post-Soviet space, has triggered concern about the stability of the Central Asian country. In power since 1989, Karimov’s authoritarian rule has undoubtedly contributed to relative stability, whilst also hindering the development of a robust economy and functioning civil society. The centralisation of power around Karimov and lack of effective, independent state institutions, means there are deep concerns about domestic stability following his death.

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Link:vhttps://defenceindepth.co/2016/09/1...or-uzbekistan/

An article from CTC's Sentinel on the impact of radicalisation in Central Asia, especially amongst Uzbeks. The Abstract says:

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Abstract: Ethnic Uzbeks carried out terrorist attacks in Istanbul, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, and New York City in 2017, making it clear radicalization in the Uzbek and Central Asian global diaspora is a growing global security concern. There has been an increase in Uzbek-language terrorist propaganda, and terrorist groups dislodged from Uzbekistan have built up significant operations in Syria. These groups are exploiting grievances over autocratic regimes and corruption at home to recruit Central Asians and support global terrorist agendas. Central Asian operatives trained in Syria have already returned back to their home region to plot attacks and may pose a wider threat to international security.

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Link:https://ctc.usma.edu/posts/violent-e...k-city-attacks