INFLUENCE OF EXTREMISM ON YOUTH OF KAZAKHSTAN.
Matenova Zh.,
Master Student of S. Toraighyrov Pavlodar State
University
Resume
In the article the author describes the influence of the religious
organizations of extremist sense on the youth of the Republic of Kazakhstan and
represents tasks which face the state and confessional institutes on the
extremism counteraction.
Key – words:
Terrorism, the extremist activity, young people, the extremism
counteraction.
Such concepts as
terrorism, extremism, and terror do not surprise any more us as we got used to
hear these words day by day from TV screens, to look through news in newspapers
and electronic sources of information. Terror became new threat for the
mankind, negatively influencing development of the certain states and on the
international community as a whole.
The terrorism is
considered as an extreme form of manifestation of extremism. It is a very
difficult phenomenon which is differently shown in various countries depending
on their cultural traditions, social structure and many other factors.
Processes of distribution of the extremist and terrorist ideology which is
covering with religion, recently gain very large-scale character practically
around the world.
Threat of
terrorism is touches all mankind, but the most terrible that young people most
often get under influence of extremist moods. Why today do extremist moods
actively develop among young people? What aims are pursued by terrorists,
breaking the law?
The most
dangerous from the point of view of entry into a field of extremist activity is
the age from 14 to 25 years. Imposing of two major psychological and social
factors falls on this time. In the psychological plan consciousness
development, an aggravation of sense of justice, search of sense and value of
life is characteristic for teenage age and youth. During this period the
teenager has a huge desire to find the group, community, is searching own
identity which is formed according to the most primitive scheme "we"
— "they". Also the unstable mentality is it is characteristic for
this period. It is very easily to manipulate them.
In the modern
world a lot of novel temptations arise before youth. Sometimes young people are
keen on the most various kinds of magic or extreme currents of youth
subculture. Often they give in on tempting offers to enter that, either other
organization or society: whether it can be a promise of "easy"
earnings or "prestigious work" abroad; "healing from illnesses
or adversities", “cheerful and sincere" leisure. How to resist from
such tempting offers?
Research of new
religious movements becomes more and more actual in connection with their
aiming at youth. The youth in a sense represents the country future, and
therefore moods, behavior, and health of the youth are the peculiar barometer
measuring the general moral, ideological and social and psychological climate
in the society.
The youth which
has not accumulated sufficient knowledge and life experience, deprived of
objective and critical information about religion easily finds the road to
sects in search of the solution of various problems and a choice of a world
outlook, answers to exciting questions of the life purpose and sense. Peculiar
age psychological features of youth are categoriality and maximalism, a keen
interest in miracles and fantastic mystery, draft to new with a great desire to
learn everything with minimum for intellectual and moral expenses. These
features promote readiness to enter the new "exotic" organizations
which, in principle are focused on youth.
By means of well
fulfilled methods of psychological influence for recruitment of new members
totalitarian sects skillfully involve thousands deceived people, generally of
young ages (15-35 years) pulling out them from family and society life.
Uncertainty of
transitional character, social status of youth amplifies socially - economic
uncertainty, which is lack of property, perspective permanent job, a family,
etc.
For the last one
and a half decades religiousness of the population significantly increased that
in great measure was promoted by policy of the country concerning traditional
confessions. But in the country also religious trends, which are unusual for
our population, started extending. The spiritual sphere began to be filled with
representatives of the various foreign religious centers, funds and other
structures among which there were extremist and destructive organizations.
The most
destructive are the following organizations: "Jehovah's Witnesses",
"Good Fortune (Life Source)", "Harvest Church",
"Scientology Church" which constitute danger to society, cause damage
to health, mental and material welfare of the followers.
Also a lot of
religious organizations of an extremist Islamic orientation appeared. Cases of
opening of such organizations under cover of madrasah, courses of foreign
languages, in particular Asian languages, various educational institutions and
funds are not excluded. Emissaries of this current often are natives of Egypt,
Jordan, Sudan, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Recently influence of Wahhabis of
Astrakhan (the Russian Federation), Uzbekistan and Tajikistan on the Kazakhstan
Muslims is noticeable. Available materials testify that Wahhabis train
themselves for "jihad", for possible "God's" tests in this
connection, the secret direction of young members in camp of fighters’
practices, as happened with young people from the Ekibastuz city of the
Pavlodar region. They have been recently judged because they visited Syria as
fighters. On questions as they got to such course, they answered, that even did
not understand how it had happened to them.
Activity of such
organizations is carried out on the basis of observance of strict conspiracy,
including the moments of preliminary studying of the candidate, checks on
personal errands. The main contingent of sects is made by the persons who have
already passed preliminary training in religious institutions. They do not have
noticeable external differences in clothes and behavior, they wear usual
European clothes, gather in strictly caused places and at secret apartments.
They pay special attention to involvement of persons from among representatives
of the intellectuals, scientists, student's youth which owing to the education,
as a rule, make frame of this religious and political organization.
In case of need
recruiters give financial help to the adherents. Besides, members of the
organization and heads regularly carry out the analysis of a socio-political
situation on the places; estimate domestic and foreign policy; collect
information about private life of the top officials of the country, military
capacity of the country, stocks of minerals, etc. At this period the recruiters
do not call for "Jihad", considering that while believers are not
ready to it and they need to be trained, brought up. It is not excluded that in
the future members of the organization can become true "Shahids" to
achieve the purpose set by them and on the first signal they have to follow
"Jihad", because as they think the "Jihad" way is one of
the duties of the Muslim.
The problem with
sectarianism does not weaken from year to year, but becomes more sharply. Unfortunately, it occurs in spite of the
fact that, as well as around the world, and in Kazakhstan extensive events for
prevention of extremism and terrorism, identification and elimination of the
factors provoking terrorism are held.
But, how many books would not be printed, how many social anti-terror
advertisements wouldn't be broadcast, representatives of youth get into a
network of sectarians. During the last
fifteen years activity of these sects already showed that their religious ideas
serve as cover of their valid interests. The main thing for them is not
spiritual development of the young man, but enrichment of the heads.
As it was noted
above, special danger is constituted by attempts of extremists to expand the
social base at the expense of youth. For these purposes foreign emissaries
direct their efforts to formation of the personnel reserve in the country, they
send young citizens for training in the foreign Islamic centers. The majority
of the Kazakhstan citizens who were trained there, after return serve as
conductors of Islamic extremism and radicalism. However the certain positive
effect gained during their realization, is inadequate to sharpness of the
problems connected with manifestations of extremism under religious banners. As
practice shows, the integrated approach to implementation of extremism
counteraction is required. At this approach measures of regulating,
prohibitive, and preventive character should be provided. Public institutes and
religious associations should take the certain place in the work on the
prevention of such dangerous socio-political phenomenon as extremism.
Considering
everything said, it would be expedient to define the tasks which face the state
and confessional institutes on the extremism counteraction.
To the most
meaningful tasks should be ranked the following:
• To provide
responsibility of the centralized religious organization for illegal activity
of the local religious organizations;
• To fix
legislatively use prohibition of the techniques including hypnotic impact on
the personality or application of narcotic and pharmacological preparations in
activity of religious communities;
• To develop a
uniform (written) form of a consent of parents and persons, them replacing, on
participation of minors in activity of the religious organizations;
• To provide the
obligatory notification of local governments about creation of religious
groups;
• To create an
interdepartmental databank about different manifestations of political and
religious extremism;
• To intensify a
dialogue with the foreign countries, including the former Soviet republics of
Central Asia, concerning counteraction to distribution of religious extremism
for the purpose of an experience exchange, search of effective decisions, and
definition of options of joint actions.
Realization of
measures, certainly, will make the dialogue between the state and confessions
accurate and purposeful, subordinated to preservation of integrity of
Kazakhstan, ensuring the safety, the solution of one of important problems of
the present time i.e. formation of international communication culture in the
society, achievement of the democratic and constitutional state at the
international level of high authority of our country.
Literature:
1.
A. L. Dvorkin, 10 Questions to the
Persuasive Stranger, Moscow, 1998.
2.
D. N. Nurmanbetova, R. I. Kamarova,
Youth and Nonconventional Faiths in Kazakhstan: Recommendations, Astana, 2009
3.
G. L. Litvinov, Methods of recruitment and ways of deduction
of adherents in sects: Article, 2012
4.
Z. S. Ivanova, Counteraction to
Involvement of Teenagers and Youth in the Extremist Organizations: Article /
Electronic source: Z. S. Ivanova//site of V. G. Fedorov Polytechnic School No.
47.
5.
Religious Organizations In
Kazakhstan: Booklet, Center of Theological, Psychological and Law
Consultations, Astana, 2009