DUSHANBE, June 23, 2015, Asia-Plus – The Islamic Revival Party (IRP) leader Muhiddin Kabiri, who is still outside the country, says he has not yet reversed his decision to return to Tajikistan.
“Of course, I cannot ignore completely blunt and anonymous threats as well as recommendations of the party activists and relatives to wait a little with returning home,” Kabiri told Asia-Plus in an interview.
He noted that he would like to be with his associates these days. “It is possible that my presence would give them moral support. Psychological pressure will begin on the party members now, ‘You oppose here and your leader is outside the country.’ This depresses me most of all. The situation is not easy and I will try to weigh everything in order not to make an emotional decision,” IRP leader said.
Asked whether he concedes that he can be arrested right at the Dushanbe airport, Kabiri said, “If you had asked me before the Zayd Saidov’s case, I would have answered “no,” but now it is difficult to say.”
Asked what he thinks about articles in state-run newspapers accusing him of land machinations, Kabiri said that there had been no any machinations. “They say that I allegedly incorrectly sold my property. What criminal proceedings could be instituted against me if the authorities sold their property 17 years ago and I purchased it at auction at the price fixed by them. Everything was done in accordance with law. I made over the property to new owners notarially.”
IRP leader further noted that during talks with European politicians they had discussed general global problems such as fight against terrorism, observance of human rights and providing stability in the region. “They [European politicians] are concerned over expansion of radicalism in the region. They consider that violation of civilian rights and pressure on opposition parties increase radical tendency in society. They consider our party a moderate political structure and an important factor to prevent radicalism. However, there ought not to forget that Europe has its own interests in the region, which can coincide with interests of those who violate rights of citizens,” Kabiri noted.
Asked about what now threatens peace in Tajikistan, IRP leader said, “There are many factors posing threat to peace and stability in the country. For example, corruption, regionalism, authoritarianism, rise in radicalism and so forth. The most serious threat to peace in Tajikistan is posed by departure from the peace agreement.”
Asked about the party open letter to the president, Kabiri noted, “If our warns and proposals had previously been interpreted as a “blackmail,” today there is an obvious threat of conflict. It does not mean that we have warned and expressed our opinion and we will now sit with our hands idle until both secular and religious radicalism will turn the country into firing ground and people into cannon fodder. That is the essence of our letter to the president.”
We will recall that the IRP Political Council on June 15 released an open letter to President Emomali Rahmon, in which the authors discuss numerous facts of persecution the party members underwent at the hands of state bodies.
Asked about how to curb radical moods in society, Kabiri said, “It is the main issue. We should not allow further radicalization of the population, including our supporters. It is getting tough for us to convince people of the truth of our policy. How many times we can speak about tolerance and patience, when the authorities humiliate and insult religious feelings of the people, violate the main rights of citizens? Who have more arguments, those who call on the youth to go to Syria or I?”
“I would advise the president to read once again the peace agreement,” IRP leader noted.
