Gulnara Inandzh,
Director of Information and Analytical Center Etnoglobus (ethnoglobus.az), editor of Russian section of Turkishnews American-Turkish Resource website www.turkishnews.com , Head of Representative Office of Lev Gumilev Center of Russia in Azerbaijan.
The Exclusive interview of Haji Elchin Manafov, the acting chairman of Azerbaijan Islamic Party, for the American – Turkish site turkishnews.com
How would you assess the summary of 2012 for the devout of Azerbaijan?
-The pressures against Azerbaijani devout staid in memories last year. The steps of the official bodies are aimed to limit Moslem in the country. Many devout as well as the members of Moslem party are at the prison. Notwithstanding the liberation of 6 devout with the amnesty decree of the president at the end of the year, many devout are judged with false accusation. It is very disappointed.
The officials claim they are not enemy of Moslem but their policy shows the opposite. The head of Azerbaijan Islamic Party, Movum Samadovis still into detention. He was forbidden of holding religious rites, using press and internet while he is in the severe regime. The ban of hijab hasn’t been eliminated yet. All abovementioned cause the dissatisfaction of the devout.
Last year VagifA bdullayev died at the prison. It was mistak that Haji Vagif thrown into detention in his old age. He said that there was no accusation against him at the court. Notwithstanding, he died either with direct pressure or bewail, fact is fact.
Despite all, we don’t lose our hope. We expect the situation to be changed. There is president election in the near future. I think, the officials will discuss and change the policy. And, I hope the hijab issue will be solved positively.
The head of the country is Muslim and he says he supports Islam. During both internal and external visits we have said that we don’t believe that the president is at the top of the pressures against devout. In my mind, all these are happening due to the tyranny of the officers or the impact of external forces.
Most of the traditions of Azerbaijan people are related to Moslem. Our nation protected these traditions during various stages of the history as well as under the pressures and bans of Soviet period.
If the government wants its quiet management, it must rely on Moslem. The person that people choose rules the country. Their duty is to serve the people. Paying strange attitude to belief, faith of the citizens is wrong attitude. The devout are dissatisfied of the current situation.
– The pressure is not against Islam, it is against political Islam and its activity…
-It seems that there is anxiety of the development of Moslem. Notwithstanding the pre-agreement with the administration of the restaurant where the 20 yearly jubilees would be held at the end of the last year, the measure was banned without any information. I don’t think that the pressures are against the politicization of Moslem.
The people having no relation with AIP are also arrested. Our friends, school and university mates are afraid to call the name of the party, to be near with us. The devout are always under the fear of arresting.
Not only the devout engaged in political activities but also, the people delivering lectures from the pulpit, the people working in the mosque and having external religious indications are arrested.
If the devout working in the institutions freely showed their relation to Islam before, now they try to hide their religious belief.
The devout engaged in charity were also arrested.
-«Greens», «Justice» and Society and Development Parties are forming religious block and trying to get the faith of the religious formed in the public. Can AIP join this block?
-The main purpose of this block is only clear to them. The foundation of the block before president election, diligence causes doubt. The pre – foundation of such block would be reasonable.
The activity of AIP leans to Azerbaijan statehood. We are interested in the development of Azerbaijan government and replied the summons of the forces serving to this. If the aforesaid block will serve our government, we can join them.
-The Russian ideologists nominate the possibility of the formation of Eurasian ideology of V.Putin, the president of Russian Federation, held in political plane with religious values as well as Islamic principals…
-The Islam is the best way of the escape of humanity. I think it is the best idea. There already formed such an idea in Japan that, when the country has reached the highest level of the development, idolatry is not answering these summons. During one of the measures held in Tokyo Moslem was assessed as a religion of humanity.
Islam has a potential of gathering the people of great geographical place.
– During the general assembly of AIP the participation of devout in the president election was discussed. Will the devout participate in the president election?
It was the first time during the activity of AIP that the necessity of Islam political ideology was put as the right of the citizens.
AIP is strictly preparing to the president elections and working actively with the devout at the regions. The participation of the devout at the president election should be in three ways – supporting the representative of AIP, boycotting the elections and voting for the corresponding representative.
The participation of AIP representative will be determined during this period.