Latest Articles about Domestic/Social
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Turkistan Islamic Party Video Attempts to Explain Uyghur Militancy to Chinese
Almost completely overshadowed by the death of Osama bin Laden, jihadi publishing house Sawt al-Islam released a bilingual video from the Turkistan Islamic Party in mid-May. [1] The video recounted various historic grievances held by western China’s Muslim Uyghur people against Chinese communist rule while... MORE
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Growing Financial Crisis Reversing al-Shabaab’s Gains in Somalia
Even as Somalia’s radical Islamist al-Shabaab movement announced its allegiance to the new al-Qaeda leader, Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri, the movement has displayed signs of weakness that have led to the loss of territory in recent clashes in Mogadishu and in towns close to the border... MORE
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The Majority of Russians Feel Disfranchised
Last week at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, President Dmitry Medvedev outlined an ambitious program of political and economic reform. Medvedev touted an end of government manipulation of the economy he called “state capitalism” and called for the devolution of power to the regions... MORE
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Russian Experts Claim Democratic Process is the Key to Solving the Crisis in Dagestan
On June 21, unusually fierce clashes between government forces and the insurgents took place in northern Dagestan’s Kizlyar district. The security services and the rebels fought each other throughout the day in a wooded area near the village of Kuznetsovka. The government forces suspended the... MORE
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The State’s Embrace of Traditional Islam Puts Both In Danger
The issue of official support for “traditional Islam” to counterbalance radical Islam once again emerged as a pressing theme following the June 7 murder of the Head of the Institute of Theology and International Affairs, Maksud Sadikov, in Makhachkala, Dagestan. Yet, Islam cannot itself be... MORE
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Kazakhstan’s Senate “Rejects” Planned Deployment to Afghanistan
Kazakhstan’s Senate vote on June 9 to reject plans to deploy military personnel to Afghanistan seemed to mark an apparent blow to London and Washington hoping to persuade Astana to join the coalition. However, the nature of the political controversy in Kazakhstan, triggered by the... MORE
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Moscow’s Plan to Increase Control over the North Caucasus Imperils its Effort to Modernize the Region
The International Economic Forum took place in St. Petersburg, Russia, over June 16-18. Delegations from the North Caucasian republics attended the event and a special session “North Caucasus: Unlocking the Potential” took place on June 18. From the statements of Russian officials, it transpired that... MORE
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Medvedev Speaks Against Putinism and Fails to Disprove Khodorkovsky
The annual economic forum in St. Petersburg is not known for quality debates and builds its reputation around a major political speech traditionally delivered by the leader or a candidate with the ambition to set Russia’s course for years to come. President Dmitry Medvedev rose... MORE
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CCP Tightens Control over Courts
Chinese Chief Justice Wang Shengjun’s advocacy of out-of-court mediation as a favored means of settling civil disputes and “enhancing social harmony” has raised concerns about the further deterioration of the country’s rule of law and judicial independence. At a recent seminar for senior judges, Wang,... MORE
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Series of Violent Incidents Reported in Dagestan and Kabardino-Balkaria
Insurgency-related violence was reported in the North Caucasus this past week, particularly in Dagestan and Kabardino-Balkaria.Two improvised explosive devices were discovered today (June 17) on a gas pipeline in Dagestan’s Derbent district. While one of the devices was being defused, the second one detonated, damaging... MORE