New Eastern Europe - November-December 2017

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European countries. In other words, it
would be inaccurate to say that only those
lacking proper education and opportu-
nities are attracted to radical ideologies.
Secondly, there is no direct link be-
tween poverty and attraction to extremist
ideology. It is much more complex than
that. Yet, the International Crisis Group
report made more questionable assump-
tions as it did not really define what rad-
icalisation means. It tends to accept the
state definition of extremism and radi-
calisation. Central Asian governments
position themselves as fighters against
radical and extremist Islam, however, at
the same time, their own policies, prac-
tices and ideologies are fuelling many
of these activities. The Crisis Group re-
porters have used information provid-
ed by the state which has an interest in
exaggerating the growth of radical ac-
tivities. Moreover, many of the people
interviewed by them also happen to be
affiliated with the government and it is
in these people’s interest to point the
finger at “radical Islamic groups”. They
see themselves as combating radical Is-
lamism.
If you look at the accumulated effect
of this research, the conclusion suggests
that we must do something to strength-
en the governments of Central Asia so
that they can hold in check radical Is-
lamic groups. The report does not really
question the role of the governments in
creating these trends. Moreover, some of
the people who have been involved in the
research lack the appropriate academic
training and are ill-equipped to be writ-

ing about this issue. One of the purposes

of the group is to issue warnings about

emerging problems and working out

methods of crisis prevention. If there is

no proper oversight of such research,

some potential threats might become

exaggerated.

So if we look at Kyrgyzstan specifically,

is there a threat of growing radicalisation or

is it just an issue like anywhere else?

Radicalisation is being talked about

as if it were a single phenomenon, but

in fact it is related to so many different

processes, including the nature of the

government, its inability to provide wel-

fare and proper education, development,

respect for freedoms, as well as security

and stability. It is also related to propa-

ganda and the lack of education, the

lack of proper knowledge about Islam

which is opening opportunities for all

kinds of groups with different interests

in supporting the growing industry of

radical Islam. So radicalisation is a result

of many different factors, psychological

ones as well. Stress pushes people to

look for refuge in response to the false

propaganda about what Islam is. I would

therefore suggest that we focus on what

radicalisation is and how it is taking

place rather than whether radicalisation

presents a trend. Radicalisation is con-

nected to numerous social, economic

and political problems.

That was the problem with the In-

ternational Crisis Group report. It says

that uneducated people living in pov-

erty in underdeveloped areas are more

The complex reality of radicalisation in Central Asia, Interviewer: Agnieszka Pikulicka-Wilczewska Opinion & Analysis