The country has focused on improving religious education as a way to improve security
BY SALTANAT BERDIKEEVA
The June 28, 2016, attack at Istanbul Ataturk Airport cast a shadow of terrorism not only on Turkey, but also on Central Asian countries such as the Kyrgyz Republic.
By shutting down terror cells and disrupting terrorist incursions, the Kyrgyz Republic has been largely spared from attacks. However, the Kyrgyz government and local media have expressed concerns about the growing threat to the country of religious extremism and terrorism. Such concerns are amplified by the reach of Daesh and its indiscriminate attacks on targets across the world.
This article assesses some of the Kyrgyz Republic’s latest anti-terror measures and its preparedness to combat extremism and terrorism.
Existing Threats
On July 16, 2015, Kyrgyz security forces engaged in a bloody battle with terrorists in the country’s capital for the first time. Security forces killed six terrorists and captured a seventh. They were reportedly part of Daesh and planned two attacks in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek.
The incident aroused anxiety in the country. In recent years, the Kyrgyz Republic reportedly foiled dozens of attacks planned by international terrorist groups. Having blacklisted a multitude of groups for presenting a threat to the country’s security, Kyrgyz authorities now worry about the reach of Daesh into Central Asia.
Toward the end of 2015, the Kyrgyz Republic outlawed 19 extremist and terrorist groups, including al-Qaida, Movement of the Taliban, Islamic Movement of Eastern Turkestan, Islamic State, and Jabhat al-Nusrah. According to the Kyrgyz Interior Ministry, police identified 4,000 people as adherents of extremist views. Kyrgyz authorities stressed that the spread of religious extremist ideas is particularly troublesome in the southern provinces of Osh and Jalal-Abad, though such extremism is also present in the northern part of the republic.
Combating Extremism and Terrorism
The Kyrgyz Republic is a member of a number of regional and international security organizations, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Collective Security Treaty Organization, and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. All of these promote military cooperation, counterterrorism, and information and intelligence sharing among member countries. The Kyrgyz Republic has been actively conducting and participating in counterterrorist training and military exercises within the anti-terrorist frameworks of these organizations. The country also benefits from U.S. training programs for its customs and border security and police.
Kyrgyz officials have also undertaken anti-terrorist measures at home, with a focus on young people as possible targets as well as perpetrators. Because young people are vulnerable to radicalization and recruitment by religious extremist groups, the Kyrgyz Interior Ministry has reached out to youth to help identify extremists and recruitment attempts on social media and report them to law enforcement.
At the same time, Kyrgyz authorities increasingly see educational facilities and dormitories as potential terrorist targets. A decree of the Ministry of Education from March 2016 requires that such facilities meet standards set by the Anti-Terrorist Center of the State Committee of National Security. The measures include proper evacuation plans; forbidding access by unauthorized people to educational buildings; thorough inspections of electrical and gas equipment on school property; and training for staff and students on how to respond to a terrorist attack.
The Kyrgyz Republic understands that proper religious education is key to countering extremism and terrorism. In the context of the newfound freedom of religion and the spiritual quest of many Kyrgyzstanis after the collapse of the Soviet Union, both the Kyrgyz public and authorities see a link between the search for religious identity, poor religious education and the vulnerability of those who fall prey to extremist propaganda. Kyrgyz authorities believe that the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan or the Muftiate, an official coordinating body for Islamic institutions and education in the country, could play a more active role in guiding the country’s Islamic affairs. Indeed, coordination of counterradicalization efforts between state authorities and the Muftiate has noticeably improved.
The Muftiate appears to have stepped up its role from being a mere rubber stamp like its Soviet predecessor to being a more dynamic and important actor in providing proper Islamic training. The organization reportedly conducted 29 trainings in 2015 aimed at raising the qualifications of imams on countering radicalization and violent extremism, as well as 18 trainings to 920 students of madrasas. Governors, local officials and law enforcement authorities also participated in these trainings, resulting in discussions with the Muftiate on the necessity of outreach to youth about Islam and radicalization. In addition, 70 madrasas in the country introduced a unified curriculum at the behest of the Kyrgyz Republic’s National Defense Council. With 2,662 mosques operating in the country, it is unlikely more mosques will be built, according to Mufti Maksatbek aji Toktomushev.
Faced with global terror threats, the Kyrgyz focus on the quality of religious education and the radicalization of its youth are of paramount importance. But the country’s success in stopping the spread of extremism within its borders will depend on larger changes — improving the standard of living, cracking down on corruption, maintaining political stability and respecting human rights. The Kyrgyz Republic’s ability to counter religious radicalization with ties to global terrorist networks hinges on a delicate balance between respecting democratic values and human rights, while clamping down on radical Islam. Overreaction is likely to worsen radicalization.