DUSHANBE, July 31, 2012, Asia-Plus — Members of the former pro-government Popular Front of Tajikistan say they have nothing to do with a statement that was released by a number of local media sources on behalf of them on July 31.
“The Popular Front may take up arms again for protection of the country, but only in the event if the government asks and only for protection of the country against external aggression, Quvvatali Murodov, the former head of the medical unit of the Popular Front of Tajikistan, told Asia-Plus in an interview on July 31, commenting on the statement, which, in particular, says that the situation in Gorno Badakhshan forces the Popular Front to take up arms again.
“We had laid down weapons long ago and are currently engaged in constructive labor, but the situation that emerged in Gorno Badakhshan is dangerously explosive and those provocations invoked by destructive forces, unfortunately, make us think about the possibility of recurrence of the events of those terrible years,” said Murodov. “In this case, we are ready to stand up for protection of the constitutional order of Tajikistan, its territorial integrity and indivisibility.”
Murodov says representatives of the former Popular Front have nothing to do with the statement that was released by a number of local media sources on Tuesday.
“They [residents of Gorno Badakhshan] are our people, our fellow-countrymen, and we have lived in one land since the dawn of time. We are ready to interfere only in the case if Tajikistan comes under attack from an external enemy, but in the situation connected with the Khorog events, this is inadmissible and we do not intend to take up arms,” Murodov stated.
It is to be noted that some members of the illegal armed groups currently fighting against the government forces in Khorog are former supporters of the United Tajik Opposition (UTO) that had fought against the government forces during the civil war (1992-1997).
The pro-government Popular Front was reportedly dissolved in February 1993. In May this year, ex-leaders of the former Popular Front announced their intention to revive the organization but without weapons. The organization intends to nominate its candidate for the presidential election that will take place in Tajikistan in February 2013.
