(C) KUDOS FOR REPORTING ON ISLAM IN TAJIKISTAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 040428 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/22/2034 TAGS: PINR KIRF KISL PGOV PHUM TI SUBJECT: (C) KUDOS FOR REPORTING ON ISLAM IN TAJIKISTAN (C-RE9-00739) REF: A. DUSHANBE 000347 ¶B. DUSHANBE 000095 ¶C. DUSHANBE 000290 ¶D. DUSHANBE 001409 ¶E. DUSHANBE 000357 ¶F. DUSHANBE 000346 ¶G. DUSHANBE 001523 Classified By: SUZANNE MCCORMICK, DIR., INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (C) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS WISH TO PROVIDE KUDOS TO POST FOR REFS, WHICH PROVIDED UNIQUE INSIGHTS AND INFORMATION ON ISLAM IN TAJIKISTAN AND ON CENTRAL ASIA. ANALYSTS IN PARTICULAR APPRECIATE EFFORTS MADE BY POST TO MEET WITH VARIOUS ISLAMIC CLERICS THROUGHOUT TAJIKISTAN, WHICH PROVIDED IMPORTANT CONTEXT TO AN OFTEN VAGUE ISSUE. WASHINGTON POLICYMAKERS REMAIN INTERESTED IN THE DIRECTION CENTRAL ASIAN ISLAM IS EVOLVING, AND ACCORDINGLY ANALYSTS WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE ANY FURTHER REPORTING POST CAN PROVIDE ON THIS TOPIC, AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT. A LIST OF SPECIFIC TOPICS OF INTEREST FOLLOWS. MANY THANKS, AND REGARDS FROM WASHINGTON. ¶A. (C) WHAT IS THE ROLE AND INFLUENCE OF THE ISLAMIC REVIVAL PARTY OF TAJIKISTAN (IRPT)? TO WHAT EXTENT ARE THERE DISAGREEMENTS WITHIN THE PARTY AS TO WHAT POLITICAL COURSE OF ACTION TO PURSUE? ¶B. (C) HOW DO TAJIKISTANIS PERCEIVE THE POLITICAL PARTY HIZB-UT-TAHRIR (HT)? HAS THERE BEEN ANY NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN RECENT YEARS IN SUPPORT FOR AND/OR INTEREST IN HT? IF SO, WHY? ¶C. (C) TO WHAT EXTENT DO TAJIKISTANI MUSLIMS SHOW A SENSE OF SOLIDARITY WITH MUSLIMS OUTSIDE CENTRAL ASIA, FOR INSTANCE WITH CAUSES SUCH AS THE PLIGHT OF THE PALESTINIANS? HAS THERE BEEN ANY CHANGE IN THIS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS? ¶D. (C) PLEASE PROVIDE ANY AVAILABLE INFORMATION CONCERNING SERMONS BY POPULAR IMAMS IN TAJIKISTAN. WHAT TYPE OF INFORMATION AND/OR SERMONS ARE BEING CIRCULATED AMONG TAJIKISTANI MUSLIMS VIA DVD, CD, OR OTHER MEDIA? HOW ARE TAJIKISTANIS PERCEIVING THESE SERMONS? ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-RE9-00739 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON