NEWS FROM CENTRAL ASIA

Robert Koehler of the Marmot's Hole pointed me to a blog that's written by Nathan Hamm reporting from Central Asia. The Argus details the peoples and politics of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and others. [And, yes, this writer had to consult references to get those names correct.] One story that caught my eye concerned the missionary work various religions are doing in the Central Asian Republics. For example:

The Mormons - or Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - will join Hare Krishnas, Bahais and a number of proselytising Christian groups that have appeared in Kyrgyzstan since the end of the Soviet Union. The State Commission on Religious Affairs estimates that there are currently around 30 of these "new" faiths. The ethnic Kyrgyz are traditionally Muslims, while the large Russian-speaking community is part of the Orthodox Christian world. . . [and] . . .

The Mormons were able to secure a high-level meeting with Prime Minister Nikolai Tanaev on August 27, as part of a delegation from Utah. Church representative Russell Nelson said members of his faith would soon be arriving to do missionary work in Kyrgyzstan. The delegation made it clear that future aid from the state of Utah would depend on whether the Kyrgyz government gave the Mormons legal status in the country.

So, there it is. The Mormons are officially representing the State of Utah in their foreign policy-making and they also will determine the amount of foreign aid the State of Utah dispenses to Kyrgyzstan.

I wonder if the United States Department of State is aware that a religious group is infringing on their turf. Secretary Powell, you might want to check this out.

Thanks to the Institute for War and Peace Reporting.