No interfaith, interethnic problems in Azerbaijan
By Mushvig Mehdiyev
Azerbaijan is not facing any serious interfaith and interethnic problems, according to Mubariz Gurbanli, Head of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations.
"Certain circles in many countries are using religion for political purposes," Gurbanli said, at a conference titled "State-religion relationship and civil society", co-organized by the State Committee and Council of State Support to NGO under the President of Azerbaijan, on December 17.
He rejected as baseless the reports about lack of enough number of mosques in Azerbaijan, saying it is completely far from reality.
"There are 2,500 mosques in Azerbaijan today and about 1,600 of them are functioning," Gurbanli said.
He went on to note that there are people all over the world, who try to reach their political goals under the cover of religion.
"The trend is particularly common in the Islamic world," Gurbanli said.
Gurbanli added that the relationship between the state and religion in Azerbaijan is regulated under the constitution.
Gurbanli also revealed that security systems will be installed within the mosques in Azerbaijan.
Commenting on the attempt to burn the mosque in Garachukhur settlement, he said the accident is under investigation.
"The law enforcement bodies have identified the identity of the arsonists," he noted.
The State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations and Council of State Support to NGO under the President of Azerbaijan signed a Memorandum of Understanding during the conference.
Gurbanli said the conference brought together the religious communities and NGOs for the first time in Azerbaijan, adding that cooperation between them could be fruitful.
"NGOs have great experiences in developing and realizing the projects. The religious communities should make use of the NGO experience and develop projects. Such projects could also be launched together," he noted.
Gurbanli noted that the government allocated a certain amount of money to the State Committee and religious communities for their activities in 2015.
Azay Guliyev, Head of the Council of State Support to NGO under the President of Azerbaijan, said there has been stability and tolerance in religious and ethnic fields in Azerbaijan since the old times.
Nonetheless, there are some forces which attempt to upset that stability, he added.
"Secularity and tolerance in Azerbaijan are our property that we must preserve," he said.
Guliyev stressed the importance of establishing a joint group with the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations for working with ethnic minorities.
"Such groups should work in Azerbaijan's regions where the ethnic minorities live densely, as certain forces of several states are working in these regions," he said.
The Azerbaijani government views the ethnic and religious diversity in the country as its national wealth. The religious conscience in the country is strictly regulated and protected under the legislation.
Azerbaijan was selected as one of the world's top five tolerant countries on the International Day of Tolerance, on November 16 last year. The tolerance model in Azerbaijan is considered as a leading model for the Muslim world.