Local officials blamed for extremist sects in Kyrgyz south

The Kyrgyz Security Council has expressed concern at the religious situation in Osh [a town in Kyrgyzstan's south], the press service of the Kyrgyz State Agency for Affairs of Religions has told the Kabar news agency.

A board meeting has been held in Osh, which was devoted to the religious situation. It was attended by the secretary of the Security Council, Tokon Mamytov; the director of the State Agency for Affairs of Religions, Kanybek Osmonaliyev; the deputy interior minister for the southern region, Jenish Jakypov, and officials of the [Osh] regional state administration.

The meeting noted that processes and trends in the religious sphere was causing more and more concern, which has a negative effect on the development of the social and political situation in the country as a whole.

"The local bodies of power and the official clergy have slackened the educational and explanatory work, which is leading to the development of extremist sects," the director of the State Agency for Affairs of Religions, Kanybek Osmonaliyev, said.

In his speech, Security Council Secretary Tokon Mamytov outlined basic aspects of work for bodies of power on maintaining stability, law and order.

Source: Kabar, Bishkek, in Russian 0601 gmt 26 Apr 08

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