The head of the “Tolerance” public organization, Absalitdin Murzayev, made a speech at a recent conference of the NCFD Public Council. He expressed support for recognition and equality of all Islamic trends within the Orthodox field of Russia at the third conference of peoples in Dagestan.
One of Islamic trends in Dagestan is the Salafiyyah, requested by the law on ban of Wahhabi and other extremist activities. Alexander Khloponin, Russian Plenipotentiary Presidential Envoy to the North Caucasian Federal District, says the problem cannot be resolved by force only.
Absalitdin Murzayev did not exclude use of force but he proposed switch of interior-confessional relations into a format of dialogue. “Together with authoritative religious figures there is need to prove inacceptability of extremism from the Islamic point of view. Dagestan is forming a public dialogue on solution of land conflicts, national disagreements, problems of separated peoples. Work is being carried out in this aspect” However, there is still no interior-confessional dialogue. It needs a reconsideration of state-confessional relations”, Murzayev told VK.
The expert says more young people are influenced by Internet muftis and new trends rather than official clergy. He quoted Yevgeny Primakov, a member of the Public Council at the North Caucasian Federal District, to explain the reasons for the process: “Official clergy loses positions because it is viewed as a state institution”. Official clergy has enough resources, thousands of mosques, imams, higher education centers, madrassas, media sources and states support. But it needs modernization to prevent youth from following leaders of the Sufism trend.
The government must know about the population of municipalities. Organization of the “Mashuk”, “Seliger” and “Dombay” youth camps is a positive initiative but there is need to work with youth on the streets too, Murzayev believes.
The expert supposes that municipal grants should be started. There are informal groups willing to develop charters and carry out training projects. There are hardly any youth organizations in municipal districts. Old methods are unable to resolve the problem.
The NCFD Public Council views strengthening of a positive image of the region. Participants of the conference see need in using the cultural potential and media to realize the initiative. Museums and tourism could contribute. Alexander Khloponin says museums would be great connectors for tourism routes. The conference condemned federal channels for strives of topical issues neglecting positive themes. Khloponin says the problem cannot be solved with bans or restrictions. People have the right to decide what to watch or to watch nothing at all.
Author: Musa Musayev, Makhachkala. Exclusively for VK
