By Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
Imagine Russia in 2050! According to Paul Goble, a specialist on ethnic minorities in the Russian Federation has predicted that within the next several decades, Russia will become a Muslim majority state. There is another bad news with fast decline in country’s population. This has already become a headache for Russian politicians and policy makers. President Vladimir Putin has called already for Russian women to have more children, because demographers predict that Russia’s population will fall from 143 million to 100 million by 2050. This situation has alarmed Russians as well Western leaders, more so because analysts estimate that Muslims will comprise the majority group in Russia’s population in few decades.
The Muslim population growth rate since 1989 is between 40 and 50 percent, depending on ethnic groups. Today Russia has about 8,000 mosques while 15 years there were only 300 mosques. According to statistics, by the end of 2015, number of mosques in Russia will cross 25,000. These statistics are frightening for many ethnic Russians who associate Islam with the Kremlin’s war against insurgents in Chechnya. Russia is shrinking. Alarmed by the situation, Putin has offered incentives to women who will have more children.
He said that the government would offer 1,500 roubles for the first child, and 3,000 roubles for the second child. He further said that the government will offer financial incentives to those couples who will adopt Russian orphans. But, response to Vladimir Putin’s call is almost zero. Main reason behind fast decline in non-Muslim population in Russia is, particularly larger section of young females in the country is not in favor of having even any child. If someone has, that is also limited within one only. On the other hand, almost all the Muslim couples have at least three children. The number generally ranges between 3-5.
Talking to Blitz, a leader of Moscow’s most populated area said, if the growth of Muslim population continues in the present trend, with the serious decline in population of other religious communities, Russian might ultimately end up as a Muslim state in next two decades. He suggested massive propaganda in favor of having more children in country’s mass media as well increase in the amount of incentives. He also pointed to the fact that, in most cases, such incentives might again go to the Muslim mothers, who generally have more than one child. This is not the question of incentives; it is a matter of realization for the entire non-Muslim Russian population. They should understand that by limited number of children, they are gradually pushing the fate of the country towards an Islamic federation.
Commenting on the issue, a former diplomat said, after the fall of Soviet Union, unfortunately, the entire Russian nation has lost their nationalist spirit, because of poverty and other socio-political adversities. Now they fear in having more than a single child in the family as the cost of living has become extremely expensive, while in most cases, female members of the families are rather forced to work in various fields to bring extra money for their families.
He said, not only the number of Muslim population in Russia is on fast growth because the Muslim women have more than one child, but in recent years, a large number of Islamist NGOs are actively working in the country, which are playing desperate role in having very large number of newly converts in Islam from other religion. He further said, especially the atheist groups are gradually getting inclined towards Islam because of extensive propaganda and activities of the Islamist NGOs.
Highly educated scholars are engaged in giving sermons in mosques and other public places on a regular basis, which is putting tremendous impact on the minds of the people, especially the younger generation. These Islamic clerics are even with suits and clean shaven face. They speak different languages fluently, which is a very strong point for them to attract the attention of already educated Russian people, who are in serious economic and social distress.
He said, in contrary to activities of Islamist NGOs, there are virtually no or very few activities of missionaries of other religious faiths in Russia. Although the Islamist clerics and missions have their hidden and open missions in mind, from their faces and sermons, it is really difficult to identify anything. They initially spread the message of peace, and end up with the poison of religious hatred and jihad. These groups are even gradually capturing Russian media, through investments via Western countries, which are actually Arab money. They are even spending money in giving voice and strength to Muslim leadership, with the ultimate goal of taking over the power of Kremlin.
Comparing the new converted Russian Muslims with Muslims in other countries, he said, they are more fanatics and their beliefs are deep rooted in their minds and thoughts. They openly pronounce that, the main reason behind accepting Islam was as salvage. Poison of hatred has greatly influenced their minds. They instantly take the example of Chechnya, where Kremlin forces committed serious massacre. In their inner thoughts, there is a kind of hatred for Russian leaders and for the non-Muslims, and they want to take revenge of Chechnya case.
A senior journalist with Russian Interfax news agency told Blitz Afro-Arab sources are putting millions of dollars behind Islamist NGOs in Russia. In near future, quite a number of important seats in Russian parliament will also go into the hands of Muslim leaders. He said, in Russian press clubs, number of Muslim journalists is increasing steadily. He said, millions of dollars are spent for building mosques and Islamist institutions in different parts of Moscow and other parts in Russia. The Islamist NGOs even operate orphanages, where children from various religions are adopted and later converted to Islam.
- Asian Tribune -
