On November 9, a “Critical Point” programme by TV-Channel “Ukraine” came up with a broadcast named “Jihad, Ukrainian-Style.” I shall make no mistake if I say that we haven't seen a more unprofessional and at the same time Islamophobic fake “documentary” during the whole year of 2013.
I have no desire of making a detailed analysis of the whole pack of technologies and methods used for faking this “Islamic-threat broadcast” where such antagonists in views and values as, for instance, AUASO “Alraid” and Hizb-ut-Tahrir are considered the same. A common thread running through this so-to-say documentary is the concept that “every Muslim is an extremist and combatant, and Muslims of Slavonic origin are the most dangerous.”
I want to stress once again that detailed analysis of every means and methods used in the broadcast is a collector’s piece for the specialists in so-called informational and psychological wars and operations.
I want to answer the main question — why this was done.
First of all, this is a kind of revenge upon the Crimean Tatars and the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Crimea for their solid position in supporting the Euro-integration and maintaining the Crimean Tatars’ rights. They understand that only with the means of Euro-integration their ethnic group will be granted a normal, steady life in dignity. For that reason the Crimean Tatars boost the Euro-maidan in Kyiv, and the Crimean Tatar flags flutter at the Independance Square.
Second, this is an act of revenge upon the AUASO “Alraid” Crimean Office for supporting the Crimeat Tatars for more than 15 years, educating them in their religion and helping them revive their culture. A revenge for not letting this ethnic group forget their Islamic identity. At that, this educational work includes raising tolerance, moderation and respect for other ethnic and religious groups.
This work by the AUASO “Alraid” is well-known within the peninsula and appreciated by both the governing authorities and the public. The most prominent scientists and educators both from the peninsula, the continental Ukraine and even from abroad take part in numerous conferences, roundtables and seminars held at the “Alraid” Islamic Cultural Centres (including the one in Crimea) on a regular basis. Such events are also facilitated by the Association at the academic and educational institutions in close cooperation with them.
By the way, I haven’t seen the “famous” “specialist in Islamic Studies” Yurii Pershikov at any of such events.
And third, such broadcast is an attempt to make mischief, distrust and enmity between people of different ethnic and religious groups in Ukraine as a whole and Crimea in particular.
I want to remind these “prominent experts in religious studies” who made the above named broadcast a commonplace truth known by every true Christian: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Ditto the Muslims: who said a Slavonic can’t be a Muslim? look back at the Slavonic Bosnians or Bulgarian Muslims, for instance! And all this nonsense that a Slavonic can’t be a Muslim and remain at his Slavonic roots at the same time insults the Christian first of all, as it feeds the extremists sentiments. The logic is the same as when someone is denying the very existence of Christian Arabs!
In brief, monsieurs “experts”, this was a very unskilled and low-quality product you passed off as the above named “documentary”. But, as the Eastern sophia says, “the dogs bark, but the caravans move on.”
Dr.Vyacheslav Shved, leading researcher of the Institute for World Economy and International Relations of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Ukraine,
Director of the Dept. of Near East Affairs at Ukraine's National Institute for Strategic Studies,
Vice-President of the “Ukrainian Centre For Islamic Studies” NGO
