Moscow proclaims itself defender of Muslims

Press, 4 January 1980, Page 5

Moscow proclaims itself defender of Muslims

NZPA-Reuter Moscow The Soviet Union and the new pro-Moscow rulers in Kabul appear to be mounting a drive to persuade Islamic countries that Soviet forces had saved Muslims in Afghanistan from persecution and death. Both Moscow and Kabul were clearly aiming to lay exclusive blame for excesses in recent months against believers and clergy on the ousted and executed Marxist President Hafizullah Amin.

Tass quoted Abdul Aziz Seddyk, whom it identified as chairman of the Council of Ulems (elders), as saying “honest, simple Muslims" as well as their priests all over the country welcomed Moscow’s action. Tass said Ulem Seddyk had also declared that “all Muslim countries" had greeted with joy the overthrow of Mr Amin whom the religious leader, echoing statements by the new President (Mr Babrak Karmal), described as “a criminal weapon in the hands of American imperialism.” Diplomatic analysts in Moscow said the thrust of explanatory accounts of the coup d’etat, which according to American estimates has now put up to 40,000 Soviet troops in Afghanistan, being issued in Moscow and Kabul

They suggested that he may have been acting on orders from the United States.

This picture emerged from Moscow press commentaries on Afghanistan and Soviet reports on statements by leaders of the Government that came to power after Soviet troop landings last week. The Government newspaper, “Izvestia," declared that Mr Amin had headed a regime of “terror and per: secution of the faith, of Islam.”

The official news agency,] appeared directed mainly toT .ss, meanwhile quoted an wards Iran. Afghan religious leader as The Iranian Government t ying that Soviet aid meant and top religious leaders in Muslims would now be pro- the ruling Revolutionary tected. Council have bitterly con-

demned the Soviet role in the ousting of Mr Amin while militant Muslim students occupying the American Embassy 7 termed the Kremlin move “Eastern imperialism.” The Soviet Union, which has given strong moral support to Iran in its dispute with the United States and has accused Washington of planning to invade the country, has so far ignored the Iranian reaction in an apparent effort to avoid further antagonising the revolutionary leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeiny. Yesterday Tass implicitly praised the Iranian authorities and their “guards of the Islamic revolution” for their part in cutting short a protest by exile Afghans who' broke into the grounds of the Svoiet Embassy in Teheran on New Year’s Day and raised a Muslim flag.