Исламский экстремизм в Центральной Азии

Poliakov K.

Islamic Extremism in Central Asia

Еditor: Naumkin Vitaly, Emanuilov Rahaim

Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Москва, 2014, 136 p.

The book explores the problems of genesis of Islamic Extremism during 1991 – 2014 in the sovereign States of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The author analyses a wide range of sources – legislation, policy documents, speeches, and statements by offi-cials, materials published by international human rights organizations, indi-vidual opposition politicians – to achieve the scientific objectives, namely to determine the factors of origin of Islamic extremism. The author presents his vision of further development of Islamic extremism in Central Asia, assess-ment of the impact of foreign forces on the religious and political situation in the region, measures taken by the leaders of the countries in the field of combating Islamic extremism and terrorism. The author concludes on the basis of the conducted research that corruption, protectionism, economic and political stagnation, lack of commitment and the willingness of the ruling elites to conduct serious socio-economic and political reforms, as well as changes of relations between the state and the representatives of the Islamic opposition are the main causes of Islamic extremism in Central Asia. The author also emphasizes the negative role of the external factor, the influence of foreign powers in the pursuit of their own interests (political and economic) on the religious-political situation in Central Asia. He proves the involvement of external forces in destabilizing the situation in the region, and shows the ways how Islamic extremists are switching to the position of terrorist struggle against the secular regimes.