Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09DUSHANBE704
2009-06-05 12:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dushanbe
Cable title:
RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS OFFICIALS IN TAJIKISTAN: WHO'S RUNNING THE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000704
SIPDIS
STATE DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/5/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KISL TI
SUBJECT: RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS OFFICIALS IN TAJIKISTAN: WHO'S RUNNING THE
SHOW?
REF: 09 DUSHANBE 347
CLASSIFIED BY: Tracey Jacobson, Ambassador, EXEC, DOS.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000704
SIPDIS
STATE DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/5/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KISL TI
SUBJECT: RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS OFFICIALS IN TAJIKISTAN: WHO'S RUNNING THE
SHOW?
REF: 09 DUSHANBE 347
CLASSIFIED BY: Tracey Jacobson, Ambassador, EXEC, DOS.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) Summary: Catherine Cosman, Senior Analyst at the U.S.
Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF),met with
Tajik officials June 1-4 to discuss the country's religious
policy. USCIRF has placed Tajikistan on a list of countries of
concern because of government restrictions on religious
expression, embodied in a newly enacted religion law (reftel).
Government officials stuck to their talking points, insisting
that regulation -- as opposed to restriction -- was necessary,
and that any criticism of the government's religious policy was
unwarranted. More interestingly, we believe we have finally met
one of the main architects of the government's religious policy.
End summary.
TOEING THE LINE
2. (SBU) During her June 1-4 visit to Dushanbe, Catherine Cosman
met with Saidmurod Fattoev, State Advisor on Social and
Political Issues, Mirzoshohrukh Asrori, the Minister of Culture,
and Murodullo Davlatov, the Head of the Islamic Center under
President Rahmon's Executive Office. Asrori claimed that
introducing the religion law was one of his ministry's most
important achievements, and he recited the usual talking points
in defense of it: government officials drafted the law in
conjunction with civil society and international organizations;
criticism of the law is based on inaccurate information, or is
an attempt to "politicize" religious issues; the law respects
the separation of government and religious issues. Fattoev and
Davlatov made almost identical arguments.
3. (SBU) Asrori made a distinction between regulation and
restriction. It is necessary for the government to regulate
religious issues -- while not interfering in them -- in order to
ensure that all rights are protected. The provisions relating
to government registration of religious organizations,
population quotas for mosques, and government supervision of
selecting imams are not restrictions; they are simply "necessary
because of our mentality."
HEAD OF THE ISLAMIC CENTER MAKES A BIG IMPRESSION
4. (C) Davlatov was the most forthright in his characterization
of the government's religious policy. He had previously served
as the Deputy Minister of Culture, and he is rumored to be an
intelligence official. His office was created a few months ago
with the mandate to "research religious trends." It now has 35
employees, and ours was his first meeting with international
officials as the Head of the Islamic Center.
5. (C) Davlatov initially claimed to have nothing to do with the
new religion law, after which he spent more than an hour
enumerating the reasons why the law was necessary. Extremism is
a serious threat to the government and society, and there are
radical imams who can misinform the public. The law is a
prophylactic, giving the government the ability to preserve
stability and security. The law does create some conflicts with
religious practice -- but should the government allow Islam to
promote polygamy, for example?
6. (C) Comment: Davlatov knows Arabic, and he occasionally
quoted passages from the Quran. He appeared to have a
relatively deep understanding of religious practice, which
differentiates him from most officials here involved in
religious affairs. His initial exchanges with Cosman were
somewhat hostile, particularly when he was asked about
controversial provisions of the law. By the end of the meeting,
however, he had calmed down significantly, and he said he was
open to cooperation in the future.
DUSHANBE 00000704 002 OF 002
WHO'S REALLY IN CHARGE HERE?
7. (C) It was clear from our meetings that Davlatov is a major
force behind the government's religious policy. From his tone
and arguments, it is very likely that he was one of the main
drafters of the religion law, and he has an important role in
shaping the government's perception of, and relationship to,
religious communities. He spoke like a Soviet security
apparatchik rather than an academic who is merely "studying
trends" in Islam. Fattoev and Asrori are obviously used to
speaking to international audiences, but they likely have little
influence in formulating policy.
End comment.
JACOBSON
SIPDIS
STATE DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/5/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KISL TI
SUBJECT: RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS OFFICIALS IN TAJIKISTAN: WHO'S RUNNING THE
SHOW?
REF: 09 DUSHANBE 347
CLASSIFIED BY: Tracey Jacobson, Ambassador, EXEC, DOS.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) Summary: Catherine Cosman, Senior Analyst at the U.S.
Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF),met with
Tajik officials June 1-4 to discuss the country's religious
policy. USCIRF has placed Tajikistan on a list of countries of
concern because of government restrictions on religious
expression, embodied in a newly enacted religion law (reftel).
Government officials stuck to their talking points, insisting
that regulation -- as opposed to restriction -- was necessary,
and that any criticism of the government's religious policy was
unwarranted. More interestingly, we believe we have finally met
one of the main architects of the government's religious policy.
End summary.
TOEING THE LINE
2. (SBU) During her June 1-4 visit to Dushanbe, Catherine Cosman
met with Saidmurod Fattoev, State Advisor on Social and
Political Issues, Mirzoshohrukh Asrori, the Minister of Culture,
and Murodullo Davlatov, the Head of the Islamic Center under
President Rahmon's Executive Office. Asrori claimed that
introducing the religion law was one of his ministry's most
important achievements, and he recited the usual talking points
in defense of it: government officials drafted the law in
conjunction with civil society and international organizations;
criticism of the law is based on inaccurate information, or is
an attempt to "politicize" religious issues; the law respects
the separation of government and religious issues. Fattoev and
Davlatov made almost identical arguments.
3. (SBU) Asrori made a distinction between regulation and
restriction. It is necessary for the government to regulate
religious issues -- while not interfering in them -- in order to
ensure that all rights are protected. The provisions relating
to government registration of religious organizations,
population quotas for mosques, and government supervision of
selecting imams are not restrictions; they are simply "necessary
because of our mentality."
HEAD OF THE ISLAMIC CENTER MAKES A BIG IMPRESSION
4. (C) Davlatov was the most forthright in his characterization
of the government's religious policy. He had previously served
as the Deputy Minister of Culture, and he is rumored to be an
intelligence official. His office was created a few months ago
with the mandate to "research religious trends." It now has 35
employees, and ours was his first meeting with international
officials as the Head of the Islamic Center.
5. (C) Davlatov initially claimed to have nothing to do with the
new religion law, after which he spent more than an hour
enumerating the reasons why the law was necessary. Extremism is
a serious threat to the government and society, and there are
radical imams who can misinform the public. The law is a
prophylactic, giving the government the ability to preserve
stability and security. The law does create some conflicts with
religious practice -- but should the government allow Islam to
promote polygamy, for example?
6. (C) Comment: Davlatov knows Arabic, and he occasionally
quoted passages from the Quran. He appeared to have a
relatively deep understanding of religious practice, which
differentiates him from most officials here involved in
religious affairs. His initial exchanges with Cosman were
somewhat hostile, particularly when he was asked about
controversial provisions of the law. By the end of the meeting,
however, he had calmed down significantly, and he said he was
open to cooperation in the future.
DUSHANBE 00000704 002 OF 002
WHO'S REALLY IN CHARGE HERE?
7. (C) It was clear from our meetings that Davlatov is a major
force behind the government's religious policy. From his tone
and arguments, it is very likely that he was one of the main
drafters of the religion law, and he has an important role in
shaping the government's perception of, and relationship to,
religious communities. He spoke like a Soviet security
apparatchik rather than an academic who is merely "studying
trends" in Islam. Fattoev and Asrori are obviously used to
speaking to international audiences, but they likely have little
influence in formulating policy.
End comment.
JACOBSON