DUSHANBE, August 9, 2012, Asia-Plus — 40,000 somoni have been collected following an appeal by the Islamic Revival Party (IRP) leader Muhiddin Kabiri to Muslims of Tajikistan to support residents of Gorno Badakhshan.
We will recall that in a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, IRP leader on July 30 called on his supporters to donate the cost of at least daily iftar (iftar is the evening meal when Muslims break their fast during the Islamic month of Ramadan) to residents of Gorno Badakhshan.
According to IRP’s headquarters in Dushanbe, members and supporters of the party have collected the donations and director of the independent charitable organization, Dasti Yori (Helping Hand), Komil Areshov, will deliver the humanitarian aid to Gorno Badakhshan.
“These funds will be distributed to residents of Khorog who incurred serious losses during those events and families of those who died during the military operation,” said the source. “Donations will be collected for residents of Khorog until the 27th day (August 14) of the holy month of Ramadan. The donations will be sent to Khorog after Laylat al-Qadr (Shabi-Qadr, variously rendered in English as the Night of Destiny, Night of Power, Night of Value, the Night of Decree or Night of Measures, is the anniversary of two very important dates in Islam that occurred in the month of Ramadan. It is the anniversary of the night Muslims believe the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad).”
The clashes began in Khorog on July 24 when government forces launched a military operation against what it called “militants” following the murder of the regional security chief Abdullo Nazarov on July 21.
The authorities have blamed Tolib Ayombekov, a former warlord from the civil war, for the murder of Abdullo Nazarov.
According to some media sources, fighting that occurred in Khorog last week has left at least 17 soldiers, 30 militants, and some 20 civilians dead.
The authorities are still demanding that four people it considers responsible for the assassination be handed over to face justice.
