Only 5,000 permits will be granted for the Haj that starts at the end of the month, although there are 25,000 places available. Young people and those from regions where Islam is prevalent are hindered from going. Even other states in central Asia do not approve of this event; there are fears of a growth in fundamentalism. In 2005, 2,000 Chinese pilgrims went with fake Kyrgyz passports.

Tashkent (AsiaNews/Forum18) – Uzbekistan will allow only 5,000 people to undertake the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca, according to the news agency Forum 18.

Every Muslim adult should undertake the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime, during the period that this year starts at the end of December. Saudi Arabia, as guardian of the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina, sets a quota for pilgrims from every country and Uzbekistan’s possible quota is of 25,000. But the Religious Affairs Committee and Spiritual Administration of Muslims (Muftiate) have said they will give only 5,000 permits. Anyone who wants to go must have permission from the local Mahalla committees and then from the national Haj Commission. To grant permission, the state expects pilgrims to reveal with the national airline.

Local sources told Forum 18: “The authorities are deliberately giving a lower quota in regions where there are more believers, such as Fergana Valley," notorious for the Andijan massacre in May 2005. "In Namangan, for example, lots of people have asked several times to make the pilgrimage, and in Karakalpakstan too.”

The political scientist Alisher Khamidov said that in 2005 the Namangan regional administration only allowed pilgrims aged between 40 and 65 years. He said other regions wanted to implement identical criteria this year. In areas where Islam is most prevalent, pilgrims must be endorsed by the National Security Service, that is, secret police.

Zafar Tursunov, an official of Muftiate, admitted that “we are trying to persuade young Muslims not to use up the quota. It would be better if most Uzbek pilgrims were elderly."

Muslims in other states of central Asia face a similar predicament as permits are obtained only with difficulty. In Turkmenistan, only 188 pilgrims will be permitted to go, as much as in 2005. On 13 December 2005, the Kyrgyz government issued a decree that pilgrims can only make the Haj pilgrimage using the national airline. Other states have made the same condition. But states like Kazakhstan and Tajikistan say the number of those wanting to undertake the pilgrimage is less than the quota granted by Saudi Arabia. The Kyrgyz authorities said that in 2005, around 2,000 places were taken by Chinese Muslims on false passports.States in central Asia fear that a big influx of pilgrims to Mecca – especially of youth – could lead to radicalization of Islam with a consequent increase in fundamentalism.

• UZBEKISTAN
• KIRGHISIZTAN
• RELIGIOUS
• FREEDOM
• ISLAM
• PIRGRIMAGE
• HAJ