“The attempt of radical neophytes to fob off foreign religious ideals on the society, including in the form of the archaic attire, is a blatant challenge to our traditional principles and values.” This is what the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev said at the National Kurultai (assembly). Who was the message addressed to and what does it mean for the social and economic life of the country?
On March 15, 2024, the session of the National Kurultai was held in Atyrau, west of Kazakhstan. Tokayev made a number of ideological statements there, including religious sphere. He pointed out that so many people in Kazakhstan were ‘wrapped in black’.
“Wearing all black contradicts our people’s perception of the world, is a thoughtless copying of foreign norms associated with religious fanaticism. We should not break away from our spiritual roots and wash out our national identity,” the president said.
There is nothing extraordinary in the president’s words, according to religious scholar Ayan Oryntai.
“The National Kurultai is a platform for discussing ideological and humanitarian issues, and it is quite expectable that religious issues would be discussed there sooner or later,” the expert said.
He reminded that this year the Kurultai was held in Atyrau region, one of the most religious regions of Kazakhstan. Moreover, the Kurultai was held during the beginning of Ramadan – a holy month for Muslims. It could also have its impact on the relevance of the religious theme.
“Religion-related points were affected even more by domestic abuse and by the fact that some people justify such abuse by religious values,” Oryntai said.
According to him, the speech of Tokayev was first meant for overly religious categories of people, including civil servants, some of which could promote Islamic agenda.
Tokayev addressed his messages not only to the society of Kazakhstan, but also to foreign countries. Sociologist Yeset Yesengaraev is positive about it.
“It is caused by the fact that Kazakhstan now faces the rise in religious sentiments, including negative ones. It is good neither for the power nor for the society. Tokayev conveyed a message about the attitude assumed by our country. His words were meant for foreign countries and they should understand that the policy of countering fundamentalism would be pursued. This message might have been meant for China, which is definitely concerned about the Islamic sentiments and the growing influence on groups within the elite,” Yesengaraev said.
According to Zhanar Dzhandosova, head of the SANGE Research Centre, the relevance of Tokayev’s message is that religiousness became a subject of manipulations and was implanted via social media, while the secular society loses the information war to bloggers.
“For 30 years of independence, the population has lost self-sufficiency in decision-making. In the 90s, our young men went to Arab states to study. Now we are reaping the fruits of that education: there are groups with religious leaders who affect the immature minds,” Dzhandosova said.
Yeset Yesengaraev doubts that the public attitude of the heat of state “will have a chilling effect on religious extremism”.
“Those who want to spread and enhance these movements won’t be convinced by any warnings, even the sternest ones,” he explained his doubts.
Ayan Oryntai does not expect that there would be drastic changes in the state confessional policy of Kazakhstan after the speech. However, measures would be taken to strengthen the secular nature of the state as opposed to the Islamisation of the society, as an attempt to prevent the influence of religious factor on the political life of the country.
But, according to Oryntai, the expert community, including academic community, must start researching the issue of ‘laicity’ and ‘secularism’ with full responsibility, without following political or other environments, using scientific methods and theories.
“What are contemporary state models, who are they interconnected with the freedom of conscience, speech and religion? How to take into account local context and international standards in a right way? What fundamental principles of human rights must remain secure despite secular or other nature of the state? Experts must give answers to all these questions and suggest options for lawmakers and other decision-makers,” Ayan Oryntain said.
Dzhandosova is convinced that Kazakhstan needs to require separation of religion and state, especially in terms of non-interference of religion in the public health sector. Moreover, public servants must show the way how to behave with religious people.
“There should be no cases when deputy principal can rip off the headscarf,” Dzhandosova said.
Askar Ismailov, director of analytical company PACE Analytics, expressed concern that the words spoken at the National Kurultai could impact gas projects to be developed by Kazakhstan.
“No secret that gas projects are not interesting to western companies that develop Kazakhstan-based oil and gas fields, or to Russia, which hinders the construction of the gas plant in Kazakhstan from the Yelbasy time (a special title of the ex-president of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev – Editor’s note). Even Chinese investors do not want to invest in these projects, except for Zhanazhol gas plant,” Ismailov said.
Kazakhstan failed to find investors for gas projects in Qatar.
“However, the words of the National Council about hijabs can reset Qatar’s desire to invest in Kazakhstan,” said Ismailov. “For Qatar, hijab is not only the religious direction, but national dress. Qataris take it as reverently as Kazakhs take their chapan and saukele. Calling hijab a ‘behavioural model of the Middle Ages’ means offending their ideals. And this is the way how the words will be interpreted to the leaders of Qatar.”
Five days after the Kurultai, March 20, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov undertook a working visit to Qatar. Bektenov said then, “We are on the threshold of implementation of far-reaching and strategically important investment projects that have a tremendous value of 17.6 billion dollars.” Among these projects is the construction of gas plants in the amount of 5.7 billion dollars. It seems like dire forecasts regarding gas plant did not come true.
Main photo: Akorda.kz