What is the reason for the statement of the Caucasian Muslims Office?

Baku/15.06.22/Turan: On June 14, the Caucasus Muslims Office  (CMO) issued a statement in connection with attempts to destabilize the situation in Azerbaijan. The statement notes that along with the fact that Azerbaijan is a multicultural and tolerant country, “from some destructive forces, concerned about the success of the state in the field of tolerance and inter-religious, inter-confessional harmony, targeted provocative tendencies are observed, both within the country and abroad. aimed at undermining social stability, civil unity, inciting hatred,” the statement said.

Are such dangerous trends really observed, or does it simply seem so? If yes, what is the purpose?

MP Elman Nasirov told Turan that President Ilham Aliyev is pursuing a policy of multiculturalism, as a result of which Azerbaijan has become one of the main centers of multiculturalism in the world. "Azerbaijan is a multinational, multi-confessional state, and in this state the bearers of different religions live like one family."

He believes that this is public order and responsibility. "Mr. Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly said in his speeches that the socio-political stability of Azerbaijan is a strong state. And the reason is the existence of the unity of the people and power. The reason for this unity is that the power in Azerbaijan serves the interests of every representative of the people."

According to the deputy, the president spoke about other facts in his speeches, that nothing threatens the country from within. “We are a mobilized society, a strong state. But there are also outside dangers. They want to take advantage of some anti-national elements within the country to create this threat. And the search for certain ways to implement this, relying on religious radicalism, is no exception.”

According to Nasirov, the rapid development of Azerbaijan, the successes of Azerbaijan at the front under the leadership of Ilham Aliyev and the restoration work in the liberated territories do not please anyone in the world. “Anti-Azerbaijani international circles are concerned. They develop various scenarios, work with youth, use the issue of religious confessions and create tension in Azerbaijan.” He noted that it was impossible. “Those who chose Azerbaijan for this work made a very big mistake with the address. Azerbaijan is a strong state."

Security expert Ilham Ismail said that since Azerbaijan gained independence for many years, these processes have been taking place both in closed and open form. “Sunnism is practiced in Azerbaijan, despite the dominant Shiites, but there has never been enmity. However, Iran's hardline Shia radical religiosity and Saudi Arabia's line of Wahhabism have increased significantly since Azerbaijan's independence."

According to the expert, this growth is observed even now. “During the Karabakh war, the issue calmed down somewhat. And now it's going up again. But all these issues are under control. Azerbaijani special services are sensitive enough to these issues. Because here, in the absence of control, conflicts can be provoked.” Ismail noted that this is a political process. "Religion has always acted in parallel with politics. And now the process is political." He believes that this statement by the Caucasian Muslims Office is of a preventive nature.

Co-founder of the human rights organization Line of Defense Rufat Safarov believes that the statement of the Caucasian Muslims Office is connected with the hunger strike of the chairman of the Muslim Unity Movement Taleh Bagirzade and the reasons that led to it. “Both the position of the CMO and the statements of the Azerbaijani authorities about hunger strikes by certain authorized persons of Taleh Bagirzade and his associates do not reflect reality. Because here the government is actually the source of the problem, and the repressive machine in the hands of the government makes the current situation unsatisfactory.”

The human rights activist noted that a healthy policy towards believers should be pursued in Azerbaijan. “However, we do not see this. Taleh Bagirzade and other members of the movement have been on a hunger strike for several days. They are right in their claims. Some members of this movement say they were ill-treated by law enforcement when they were detained, and their religious values ​​were insulted. Everyone is obliged to respect the beliefs and beliefs of others. Of course, if it is within the framework of the law and is not of an extremist nature. If we are talking about the Muslim Unity Movement, then its supporters peacefully perform religious rituals.”—21D-