Dokument #1122035
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
No mention of the Vohabists could be found
among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, a
23 May 1998 Interfax report states that a group of "Islamic
extremists" called "Vahabits" had been holding a group of policemen
under siege in a village of Daghestan.
Furthermore, according to a November 1998
regional early warning report on Daghestan, there is a religious
group called the Wahhabists who make up about 2 or 3 per cent of
the Sunni Muslims in Daghestan. The report was prepared by the
London-based Forum on Early Warning and Early Response (FEWER),
which describes itself as a "multi-sectorial and multi-disciplinary
organisation [whose] goal is to draw together and support existing
early warning networks to produce early warning reports containing
analysis and policy recommendations". The report also states
that:
The Sunni Muslims, who make up 97 % of Daghestan's Islamic population, are subdivided into two groups: Tarrikatist and Wahhabist ...With foreign support, the Wahhabis aggressive radicalism and militarism is making them more influential across the region. Christianity and Judaism account for approximately 10 % of the population.
The attached excerpt from a report on
Daghestan prepared by the UK-based Conflict Studies Research Centre
(CSRC) which is part of the British Army's Doctrine and Development
Directorate, provides an analysis of the Wahhabist movement in
Daghestan:
... their aim is somewhat more extensive. "This is the beginning of the unification of the peoples of the Caucasus. Soon in this agreement will be included other nations of the Caucasus. We have one aim - the creation in the Caucasus of an Islamic Republic which will include Ichkeria, Dagestan, Kabarda, Balkariya, Ingushetiya, Karachayevo-Cherkessia and Azerbaijan". The latest tendency is attempts at spreading the idea of Wahhabism to "Ingushetia, Kabardino-Bakariya, Karachayevo-Cherkessia and Adygeya", almost to the Black Sea littoral. The intermediate objective of Wahhabism, again from Russian sources, is to strengthen their foothold and presence in the North Caucasus. "Consolidating their position amongst the multi-nation peoples of the North Caucasus, the Wahhabis have the objective of penetrating the power structures. This work is not wasted. Wahhabi sympathisers have appeared amongst deputies of legislative assemblies of republics, government, and state organs. In the Russian press the spread of the influence of the Wahhabis has been noticed in the Chechen government: Udugov, Yandarbiyev and others".
This Response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is
not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any
particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the
list of additional sources consulted in researching this
Information Request.
References
The Conflict Studies Research Centre
(CSRC), Camberley, Surrey, UK. N.d.C.W. Blandy. Dagestan: The
Gathering Storm. http://www.pims.org/csrc/Dagestan_Gathering_Storm.htm
[Accessed 9 September 1999]
Forum on Early Warning and Early
Response (FEWER), London. November 1998. Enver Kisriev. Region
Early Warning Report: Daghestan. http://www.fewer.org/caucasus/daghestan_1198.htm[Accessed
13 Sept. 1999]
Attachment
The Conflict Studies Research Centre
(CSRC), Camberley, Surrey, UK. n.d. C.W. Blandy. Dagestan: The
Gathering Storm. http://www.pims.org/csrc/dagestan_gathering_storm.htm[Accessed
9 September 1999]
Additional Sources Consulted
Electronic sources: Internet,
LEXIS/NEXIS, WNC.
Interfax [Moscow]. 23 May 1998. "Police
Blocked by Islamist in North Caucasus." (NEXIS)
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
Website.
Russia Today Website.
Transitions Online Website.