KORAN TRANSLATED INTO ABKHAZIAN. TURKISH RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE TO SEND ABKHAZIAN-SPEAKING CLERGYMEN TO ABKHAZIA
by Elza Tsiklauri

Rezonansi
Nov 24 2008
Georgia

The Turkish Religious Affairs Directorate is the first official
organization, which has started official dialogue with the de facto
Abkhaz authorities. According to the Turkish media reports, an
agreement has already been reached that Abkhazian-speaking clergymen
will be sent from Turkey to Abkhazia in order to satisfy religious
needs of residents of Abkhazia.

Ties established between Muslims in Abkhazia and Turkey

The Turkish media also report that, in addition, a Turkish religious
foundation will fund the construction of a new Mosque and the
translation of Koran into Abkhazian and its dissemination in Abkhazia.

Ankara has not yet made a statement in this connection. The Kremlin
is keeping silence too. However, Georgian experts are saying that
Moscow will not allow the strengthening of Islam in Abkhazia, which
it has recognized, and will do all it can to prevent this religion
from acquiring a foothold here.

According to GHN agency, it was the Turkish Hurriyet newspaper that
reported on the start of cooperation between the Turkish Religious
Affairs Directorate and separatist Abkhazia. The newspaper reported
that the head of the Presidency of Religious Affairs, Ali Bardakoglu,
met Abkhaz Deputy Mufti Timur Dzyba in Ankara last week.

It was decided at the meeting to establish bilateral religious
relations.

"It was decided at the talks to satisfy Abkhazia’s religious needs,
in particular, through Muslim clergymen and places of worship," the
newspaper wrote, noting that it is first and foremost the question
of sending to Abkhazia Abkhazian-speaking Turkish clergymen.

An agreement was also reached at the talks on the participation
of a Turkish religious foundation in the construction of a mosque
in Abkhazia.

In addition, it was also agreed at the meeting to supply Koran to
Abkhazia and to publish Koran in Abkhazian with support of the Turkish
Presidency of Religious Affairs.

The Spiritual Administration of Abkhazia’s Muslims was founded in
1999 with direct support from the unrecognized republic’s de facto
president Vladislav Ardzinba. However, both before and after the
[Georgian-Abkhaz] military conflict [in 1992-1993], Ardzinba was
against Islam’s being widespread in Abkhazia.

The aforementioned organization now unites more than 100 members.

It is also known that the Spiritual Administration of Abkhazia’s
Muslims has established close relations with Muslims residing in
Russia, who supply Abkhaz Muslims with literature. An agreement on
cooperation with Russian Muslims was signed in March 2005.

Places of worship of followers of traditional Islam emerged in Abkhazia
after the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict. One of such places was built in
the village of Agudzera near Sukhumi. At the same time, the Wahhabi
movement headed by well-known Wahhabi Khazamat Gitsba also became
active. However, the movement did not become widespread. In the
same period, this small circle of Muslims decided to build a mosque,
but the building was blown up at the very beginning and unidentified
people killed Gitsba.

The spreading of Islam in Abkhazia and the resettlement of descendants
of Abkhaz Muhajirs [evicted from Abkhazia by Tsarist Russia following
the Russian Turkish war in the late 19th century] from Turkey are
categorically unacceptable to the Russian authorities. A couple of
years ago, a member of the Russian Duma, Sergey Mitrofanov, even made
such a statement in a private conversation: "What terrible thing we
did! We evicted the Georgians from Abkhazia and Islamic centres are
now being opened there".

Correspondingly, Tbilisi assumes that Moscow will ultimately not allow
cooperation between the de facto authorities and the Turkish Religious
Affairs Directorate and will use all available levers to prevent it.

Separatist authorities "play their own games"

"The Turks are trying to strengthen their positions in Abkhazia through
this cooperation. Given that, this action of theirs is understandable
and clear. In addition, it is obvious that they are preparing grounds
in advance for the return of Muhajirs’ descendants.

"However, [representatives of] Sunni Islam, who signed this document
on cooperation, do not represent an aggressive wing of Islam and,
correspondingly, are less dangerous. However, I can say one thing
for sure: Russia will by no means allow Turkey to enter Abkhazia and,
on the other hand, religious activities to become particularly active.

"The de facto Abkhaz authorities often play their own games. Although
the Kremlin has warned them on a lot of occasions, Sukhumi continues
to insist on the idea of returning Muhajirs’ descendants. This
causes serious anger in Moscow. It seriously warns the authorities
in Sukhumi through the local Armenian diaspora that it will not
allow this, particularly ahead of the [2014 Winter] Olympics [to be
held in Russia’s Sochi adjacent to Abkhazia] and in such a troubled
situation. Therefore, it is another issue how Sukhumi is to implement
this idea.

"Incidentally, the de facto Abkhaz authorities will fail in this
issue just like it failed in building a Western vector [of foreign
policy]. Russia will achieve its goal anyway," expert in Caucasus
issues Mamuka Areshidze told Mteli Kvira.

Islam strong as never in Abkhazia

Another expert in Caucasus issues, Gia Anchabadze, does not rule out
that the Kremlin may take measures against the rising strength of
Islam in Abkhazia. However, he finds it difficult to say what shape
all that may take.

"In general, there is no clear division line between Christians
and Muslims in Abkhazia. Christians celebrate Bairam and Muslims –
Easter. At the same time, both have strong vestiges of paganism,
but there are no tensions between them.

"As regards percentage, from 80 to 90 per cent are Christians in
Abkhazia, while the rest account themselves Muslim. Despite the
percentage, Islam has never been as strong in Abkhazia as now. There
are cases when young Abkhaz go to Turkey and convert to Islam. There
is talk now that a mosque may be built too and Muslim organizations,
first and foremost of Turkish origin, will most probably start their
activities in Abkhazia following that.

"As regards the Russia factor, of course, strengthening Islam is
not agreeable for Moscow, because that will be viewed against the
background of what is happening in the North Caucasus. However,
it is very difficult to say today what measures Moscow will take in
this case and how it will act, although it is already clear that it
will resort to anything against this," Anchabadze added.