Bridging Gaps in Divided Societies

Welcome to IWPR’s Frontline Update, your go-to source to hear from journalists and local voices at the front lines of conflict.

 THE BIG PICTURE  

Divided societies face constant conflict. Where communities are split, often it is not policy but ethnic, cultural or religious identity on which lines are drawn.

An IWPR project in Kazakhstan is demonstrating how providing basic information about democratic rights can bring people together. Even where religious freedom is formally guaranteed – as it is in this, Central Asia’s largest state – complex bureaucracy compounded by concerns over extremism restrict religious practices in the predominantly Sunni Muslim country. Building trust through information and engagement changes that. 

 VOICES FROM THE FRONTLINE 

Andrei Teteryuk, head of a congregation of Seventh Day Adventists in Atbasar, northern Kazakhstan, had for years endured a tense relationship with local officials who deemed the community to be a cult and accused them of illegal gatherings.

In Kazakhstan, concerns over alternative strains of Islam and other “non-traditional” religions have created a culture of exclusion. Media outlets remain nervous about engaging with religious topics, while journalists and activists are wary of violating legislation on covering sensitive religious issues.

Teteryuk attended IWPR workshops which provided community leaders and officials with reliable information on freedom of religion legislation.   With this support, Teteryuk was able to defuse a dispute when a small congregation faced harassment by authorities, engaging local police directly to explain the community’s legal rights.

“The police’s attitude changed drastically,” he reported. “Before, they behaved so arrogantly. [After] they even said, ‘Is your pastor a lawyer? How does he know such legal terms?’”

Local state and church officials now have a more respectful, cooperative relationship, and Teteryuk is advocating for other religious groups in the area.

“I am now able to assist other church members more professionally and with well-founded advice,” he continued. “The confidence I gained from the training is being passed on to other church members. Ignorance, fear and uncertainty are dissipating.”

 WHY IT MATTERS 

When communities have confidence, they can play a constructive role in public life. Issues can be aired publicly, further building trust.

A dedicated section of IWPR’s satellite news site, CABAR.asia, covers religious issues, with stories including explorations into wearing the hijab in schools and Kazakhstan’s religious history.

Further engagement includes efforts by local groups to develop their own recommendations to improve legislation and a two-day interfaith festival last summer in the capital, bringing together people from various religious communities, from Islamic and Christian to Hindu and Bahai.

“This platform provided a great opportunity to make new friends and reconnect with old ones,” said attendee Amanzhol Urazbayev, chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee NGO. “It’s heartening to see that despite our differences, we are united in our desire to come together.”

 THE BOTTOM LINE 

When communities have a voice, not only can they improve their rights, they can also become active and constructive partners in society.

IWPR has worked in Central Asia for nearly three decades, strengthening local media, building the capacity of civil society and contributing to human rights.

In a challenging environment, local voices are demonstrating that they can stand up for their rights while also building bridges across divided communities.