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Moscow Wants to Unite Muslims of the Post-Soviet Space

Reading Time: 3 minutes For the first time since the end of the Soviet Union, Moscow this week is hosting senior Muslim leaders from eight post-Soviet states to discuss the formation of a coordinating council among them, a step Russian government officials said would “correspond” to Moscow’s foreign policy goals.

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By Paul Goble

For the first time since the end of the Soviet Union, Moscow this week is hosting senior Muslim leaders from eight post-Soviet states to discuss the formation of a coordinating council among them, a step Russian government officials said would “correspond” to Moscow’s foreign policy goals.

Yesterday, 40 Muslim leaders from eight of the CIS countries, the leaders of the other “traditional” confessions of Russia and senior Muslim leaders from the “far abroad” participated in a scientific-practical conference in the Russian capital entitled “The Muslims in the CIS for Inter-Confessional and Inter-National Accord.”

The meeting, the possibility of which has long been discussed, was organized at the Initiative of the of the Muslim Spiritual Directorate (MSD) of the Caucasus and the International Islamic Mission, with the backing of the Russian government Foundation for the Support of Islamic Culture, Science and Education (www.islam.ru/rus/2009-06-17/#27296).

In a message to the conference, President Dmitry Medvedev noted “the importance of the rapprochement of the Islamic communities of the CIS and the contribution” of this meeting to that end. And Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Saltanov said that coordinating the efforts of the Muslims of the CIS “corresponds to [Moscow’s] foreign policy line.”

The moving spirit behind both the meeting and the idea of creating a consultative council of Muslims of the CIS was the chairman of the Baku-based Muslim Spiritual Directorate (MSD) of the Caucasus, Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pasha-zade, whose institution in Soviet times administered all Shiia Muslim communities in the USSR as well as the Sunnis of the Caucasus.

In his opening address, Pasha-zade said that a consultative council for Muslims of the CIS would reflect the reality that “the CIS is the homeland for Muslims who sometimes were citizens of a single state” and who recognize that “good relations between the peoples of the CIS is an important historical achievement” (news-ru.trend.az/society/religion/1489413.html).

“We, the spiritual leaders of the CIS decisively oppose forces which seek to undermine the territorial integrity, security, and stability of states,” Pasha-zade said, because he and his colleagues are “deeply convinced that “only by uniting our forces and religious organizations will we be able to effectively respond to the ideological aggression against the space of the CIS.”

In addition to the support Pasha-zade received from Russian officials and leaders of the Orthodox Church, the Azerbaijani Muslim leader was given enthusiastic support by the Muslim leaders in attendance. Talgat Tadjuddin, the head of the Central MSD, said that united, the Muslims of Eurasia could never be defeated.

And Ismail Berdiyev, the head of the Coordinating Center of Muslims of the North Caucasus, was even more supportive. He said that such unification should have taken place “yesterday,” and he denounced those Muslim leaders from across the region for failing to take part (www.islam.ru/rus/2009-06-17/#27296).

That Moscow is interested in building a single “power vertical” not only across the CIS but within Russia was suggested earlier this week when Kremlin ideologist Vladislav Surkov met with the leaders of the MSDs of the North Caucasus and said that uniting the community of believers was something Moscow wants to see (www.islam.ru/rus/2009-06-17/#27294).

That the Russian authorities would like to have a single structure for Islam within the Russian Federation is no surprise, although most Russian experts have stressed that the creation of such a structure is almost certainly impossible given the very different ideas and interests of Muslim communities in various parts of the Russian Federation.

Consequently, Moscow’s new interest in promoting Muslim “unity” across the former Soviet space must be understood less in terms of any Russian belief that there is a single Muslim community there, whatever Pasha-zade and the other say, than in a conviction in Moscow that such cooperation could promote Moscow’s political interests.

On the one hand, using Muslim groups to extend Moscow’s interests in these former Soviet republics, in particular Ukraine and Azerbaijan, is an obvious tactic. And on the other, by playing up certain ideas such as opposing extremism, Moscow appears to be seeking the good opinion of the secular governments of these post-Soviet states.

But if those goals make sense from Moscow’s point of view, the Russian government is taking a very serious risk by playing in this area. First, there is the danger that Muslims inside the Russian Federation will use such contacts as a lever against Moscow, a danger already in evidence this week in Kazan where there was a meeting of Islamic cities from around the world.

Second, there is the chance that Muslims in the former Soviet republics and the governments of these states will view any such cooperation as a means of putting pressure on the Russian government, especially when Moscow cracks down on Muslim groups that it views as a threat or when Moscow has a different view on issues like self-determination than Muslims do.

And third, and perhaps most important, Moscow’s playing with the concept of Muslim unity in the former Soviet space will represent a challenge to Russian nationalist thoughts and open the way to the rise of a Muslim-Christian Eurasianism that at the end of the day – or even at the beginning – the Russian Orthodox Church will feel itself compelled to oppose.

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“They are not needy, but they need help”. How Moldovan volunteers try to create a safe environment for the Ukrainian refugees

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At the Government’s ground floor, the phones ring constantly, the laptop screens never reach standby. In one corner of the room there is a logistics planning meeting, someone has a call on Zoom with partners and donors, someone else finally managed to take a cookie and make some coffee. Everyone is exhausted and have sleepy red eyes, but the volunteers still have a lot of energy and dedication to help in creating a safe place for the Ukrainian refugees.

“It’s like a continuous bustle just so you won’t read the news. You get home sometimes and you don’t have time for news, and that somehow helps. It’s a kind of solidarity and mutual support,” says Vlada Ciobanu, volunteer responsible for communication and fundraising.

The volunteers group was formed from the very first day of war. A Facebook page was created, where all types of messages immediately started to flow: “I offer accommodation”, “I want to help”, “I want to get involved”, “Where can I bring the products?”, “I have a car and I can go to the customs”. Soon, the authorities also started asking for volunteers’ support. Now they all work together, coordinate activities and try to find solutions to the most difficult problems.

Is accommodation needed for 10, 200 or 800 people? Do you need transportation to the customs? Does anyone want to deliver 3 tons of apples and does not know where? Do you need medicine or mobile toilets? All these questions require prompt answers and actions. Blankets, sheets, diapers, hygiene products, food, clothes – people bring everything, and someone needs to quickly find ways of delivering them to those who need them.

Sometimes this collaboration is difficult, involves a lot of bureaucracy, and it can be difficult to get answers on time. “Republic of Moldova has never faced such a large influx of refugees and, probably because nobody thought this could happen, a mechanism of this kind of crisis has not been developed. Due to the absence of such a mechanism that the state should have created, we, the volunteers, intervened and tried to help in a practical way for the spontaneous and on the sport solutions of the problems,” mentions Ecaterina Luțișina, volunteer responsible for the refugees’ accommodation.

Ana Maria Popa, one of the founders of the group “Help Ukrainians in Moldova/SOS Українці Молдовa” says that the toughest thing is to find time and have a clear mind in managing different procedures, although things still happen somehow naturally. Everyone is ready to intervene and help, to take on more responsibilities and to act immediately when needed. The biggest challenges arise when it is necessary to accommodate large families, people with special needs, for which alternative solutions must be identified.

Goods and donations

The volunteers try to cope with the high flow of requests for both accommodation and products of all kinds. “It came to me as a shock and a panic when I found out that both mothers who are now in Ukraine, as well as those who found refuge in our country are losing their milk because of stress. We are trying to fill an enormous need for milk powder, for which the demand is high and the stocks are decreasing”, says Steliana, the volunteer responsible for the distribution of goods from the donation centers.

Several centers have been set up to collect donations in all regions of Chisinau, and volunteers are redirecting the goods to where the refugees are. A system for processing and monitoring donations has already been established, while the volunteer drivers take over the order only according to a unique code.

Volunteers from the collection centers also do the inventory – the donated goods and the distributed goods. The rest is transported to Vatra deposit, from where it is distributed to the placement centers where more than 50 refugees are housed.

When they want to donate goods, but they don’t know what would be needed, people are urged to put themselves in the position of refugees and ask themselves what would they need most if they wake up overnight and have to hurriedly pack their bags and run away. Steliana wants to emphasise that “these people are not needy, but these people need help. They did not choose to end up in this situation.”

Furthermore, the volunteer Cristina Sîrbu seeks to identify producers and negotiate prices for products needed by refugees, thus mediating the procurement process for NGOs with which she collaborates, such as Caritas, World Children’s Fund, Polish Solidarity Fund, Lifting hands, Peace Corps and others.

One of the challenges she is facing now is the identifying a mattress manufacturer in the West, because the Moldovan mattress manufacturer that has been helping so far no longer has polyurethane, a raw material usually imported from Russia and Ukraine.

Cristina also needs to find solutions for the needs of the volunteer groups – phones, laptops, gsm connection and internet for a good carrying out of activities.

Hate messages

The most difficult thing for the communication team is to manage the hate messages on the social networks, which started to appear more often. “Even if there is some sort of dissatisfaction from the Ukrainian refugees and those who offer help, we live now in a very diverse society, there are different kind of people, and we act very differently under stress,” said Vlada Ciobanu.

Translation by Cătălina Bîrsanu

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#WorldForUkraine – a map that shows the magnitude of the world’s actions against Russian aggression

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The international community and volunteers from all over te world have launched #WorldForUkraine as a platform that shows the magnitude of the world’s actions against the Russian aggression. In a digital world – it is an interactive map of public support of Ukrainians under the hashtag #WorldForUkraine – rallies, flash mobs, protests around the world. In the physical dimension – it is your opportunity to take to the streets and declare: “No to Putin’s aggression, no to war.”

„Today, along with the political and military support, emotional connection with the civilized world and truthful information are extremely important for Ukraine. The power to do it is in your hands. Join the #WorldForUkraine project and contribute to the victorious battle against the bloodshed inflicted on Ukraine by the aggression of the Russian Federation”, says the „about the project” section of the platform.

Go to the streets — Tell people — Connect and Unite — Become POWERFUL

Volunteers have launched #WorldForUkraine as a platform that shows the magnitude of the world’s actions against Russian aggression. In digital world – it is an INTERACTIVE MAP of public support of Ukrainians worldforukraine.net under the hashtag #WorldForUkraine – rallies, flash mobs, protests around the world. In the physical dimension – it is your opportunity to take to the streets and declare: “No to Putin’s aggression, no to war.” There you may find information about past and future rallies in your city in support of Ukraine. This is a permanent platform for Ukrainian diaspora and people all over the world concerned about the situation in Ukraine.

So here’s a couple of things you could do yourself to help:

* if there is a political rally in your city, then participate in it and write about it on social media with geolocation and the hashtag #WorldForUkraine

* if there are no rallies nearby, organize one in support of Ukraine yourself, write about it on social media with geolocation adding the hashtag #WorldForUkraine

The map will add information about gathering by #WorldForUkraine AUTOMATICALLY

Your voice now stronger THAN ever

All rallies are already here: https://worldforukraine.net

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How is Moldova managing the big influx of Ukrainian refugees? The authorities’ plan, explained 

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From 24th to 28th of February, 71 359 Ukrainian citizens entered the territory of Republic of Moldova. 33 173 of them left the country. As of this moment, there are 38 186 Ukrainian citizens in Moldova, who have arrived over the past 100 hours. 

The Moldovan people and authorities have organized themselves quickly from the first day of war between Russia and Ukraine. However, in the event of a prolonged armed conflict and a continuous influx of Ukrainian refugees, the efforts and donations need to be efficiently managed. Thus, we inquired about Moldova’s long-term plan and the state’s capacity to receive, host, and treat a bigger number of refugees. 

On February 26th, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Moldova approved the Regulation of organization and functioning of the temporary Placement Center for refugees and the staffing and expenditure rules. According to the Regulation, the Centers will have the capacity of temporary hosting and feeding at least 20 persons, for a maximum of 3 months, with the possibility of extending this period. The Centers will also offer legal, social, psychological, and primary medical consultations to the refugees. The Center’s activity will be financed from budget allocations, under Article 19 of Provision no. 1 of the Exceptional Situations Commission from February 24th, 2022, and from other sources of funding that do not contravene applicable law.

The Ministry of Inner Affairs and the Government of Moldova facilitated the organization of the volunteers’ group “Moldova for Peace”.  Its purpose is to receive, offer assistance and accommodation to the Ukrainian refugees. The group is still working on creating a structure, registering and contacting volunteers, etc. It does not activate under a legal umbrella. 

Lilia Nenescu, one of the “Moldova for Peace” volunteers, said that the group consists of over 20 people. Other 1700 registered to volunteer by filling in this form, which is still available. The group consists of several departments: 

The volunteers’ department. Its members act as fixers: they’re responsible for connecting the people in need of assistance with the appropriate department. Some of the volunteers are located in the customs points. “The Ministry of Inner Affairs sends us every day the list of the customs points where our assistance is needed, and we mobilize the volunteers”, says Lilia Nenescu. 

The Goods Department manages all the goods donated by the Moldavian citizens. The donations are separated into categories: non-perishable foods and non-food supplies. The volunteers of this department sort the goods into packages to be distributed. 

The Government intends to collect all the donations in four locations. The National Agency for Food Safety and the National Agency for Public Health will ensure mechanisms to confirm that all the deposited goods comply with safety and quality regulations. 

The Service Department operates in 4 directions and needs the volunteer involvement of specialists in psychology, legal assistance (the majority of the refugees only have Ukrainian ID and birth certificates of their children); medical assistance; translation (a part of the refugees are not Ukrainian citizens). 

According to Elena Mudrîi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Health, so far there is no data about the number of  Covid-19 positive refugees. She only mentioned two cases that needed outpatient medical assistance: a pregnant woman and the mother of a 4-day-old child. 

The Accommodation Department. The volunteers are waiting for the centralized and updated information from the Ministry of Labor about the institutions offering accommodation, besides the houses offered by individuals. 

The Transport Department consists of drivers organized in groups. They receive notifications about the number of people who need transportation from the customs points to the asylum centers for refugees.

The municipal authorities of Chișinău announced that the Ukrainian children refugees from the capital city will be enrolled in educational institutions. The authorities also intend to create Day-Care Centers for children, where they will be engaged in educational activities and will receive psychological assistance. Besides, the refugees from the municipal temporary accommodation centers receive individual and group counseling. 

In addition to this effort, a group of volunteers consisting of Ana Gurău, Ana Popapa, and Andrei Lutenco developed, with the help of Cristian Coșneanu, the UArefugees platform, synchronized with the responses from this form. On the first day, 943 people offered their help using the form, and 110 people asked for help. According to Anna Gurău, the volunteers communicate with the Government in order to update the platform with the missing data. 

Translation from Romanian by Natalia Graur

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