The Kremlin-appointed acting President of Dagestan, Ramazan Abdulatipov, has launched a competition among local youth, to develop the best idea to rebrand the troubled republic.
Ideas discussed include the creation of an organization that will produce souvenirs of Dagestan, under the brand “Only In Dagestan”.
The move comes amid Moscow’s increasing concerns about the ongoing Islamic insurgency in Dagestan, in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains to the east of the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Following decades of fighting in neighboring Chechnya, Dagestan has become a main battleground for the North Caucasus Islamic separatist movement. Ahead of the Sochi Winter Games, Moscow’s fears of North Caucasus terror have increased, particularly after Chechen national Dokku Umarov, who leads the Caucasus Emirate insurgent group, made a video message in July urging insurgents to prevent the Sochi Olympics using “all means permitted by Allah.”
Following that call, Russian authorities have blamed a Dagestani national for an October 21 suicide bombing that killed six people and injured many more in Volgograd, north of Sochi.
Putin’s Man In Dagestan
The Kremlin appointed Abdulatipov as acting President of Dagestan in January, after Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed Magomedsalam Magomedov. Putin was dissatisfied with Magomedov’s relaxation of religious policies, and his moves to seek engagement with local Salafi leaders, and the establishment of a special commission (now disbanded) to rehabilitate insurgents.
Abdulatipov, a former academic and diplomat, worked with the Yeltsin administration after the collapse of the USSR to draft anew Russian Federation Constitution. In 1995, during the war in Chechnya, Adbulatipov drafted a complete nationalities strategy and was appointed as Minister for Nationality Relations.
After Putin appointed him Dagestan’s acting President in January, Abdulatipov said a main goal was to tackle corruption. However, he has also been tasked by the Kremlin to ensure security in Dagestan ahead of the Sochi Winter Games.
An indication of just how much Moscow fears ethnic conflict and insurgency in Dagestan ahead of the Games, and of how much it is backing Abdulatipov, came in September when the Kremlin decided to skip popular elections in Dagestan. Instead, the republic’s lawmakers voted for Abdulatipov.
An Appeal To Dagestan’s Youth To Rebrand The Republic
Abdulatipov made his appeal to young people to help “rebrand” the North Caucasus republic last week, during the first Congress of Youth in Dagestan in the capital Makhachkala.
Over 900 people attended the conference, which ran for two days to allow people from remote villages to attend. During the session, Abdulatipov announced a competition for the best idea to rebrand the region. The winner will receive a cash prize, and state support to implement the idea.
News report of the congress:
Addressing the conference, Abdulatipov said:
“During these two days, you will work on proposals for the development of the country within 10 priority projects, together with specialists and experts. Everything that the Republic’s leadership is doing today is aimed at the revival of Dagestan. First and foremost, we are talking about the formation of a cultural environment in which our children will grow up. The main task of culture and education is to create self-esteem among youth. Young people must learn to respect people of different nationalities, different cultures, and faiths. And every young person in Dagestan, if he wants to live in a normal world, in a normal environment, if he wants his children to live in a normal country, should help in restoring order and purity in the country.”
The congress participants were divided into ten working groups, discussing the following issues, all named as priority projects. Government ministers took part in teh discussions as well as young people:
- Cleaning the economy
- Creating growth areas
- Investments in Dagestan
- New industrialization
- Good governance
- Effective territorial development
- Effective agribusiness
- Branding the new Dagestan
- Human capital
- Law and order and security in Dagestan
Innovations For Combating Corruption
Among the ideas for combating local corruption was a “Youth Patrol”, which could control where salaries are paid to State enterprises, and which Abdulatipov endorsed:
“They could control where taxes go. It’s no secret that only 20 percent of tax goes to the state budget, while the rest goes to individuals, including law enforcement, tax inspectors, local civil servants. And this is despite the fact that wages for policemen have been increased several times. That’s why we need public control – a youth patrol.”
The Word From The Congress Floor
Russian-language news site Kavkazskii Uzel reported that delegates had a positive attitude toward the congress.
One delegate, Omar Kalaev, said, “Such events are the common thread between people and government….At such events, we can communicate directly with the leaders of our country, it’s not every day you can ask something or discuss things with ministers. Bypassing bureaucracy, you can directly approach them and show projects, discuss a particular problem… (It’s) an opportunity to discuss projects and try to find a solution together with guys from other cities and regions, it’s a kind of exchange of experience.”
Congress participant Alissa Samedova also praised the event, saying it helped develop a sense of national identity:
“In his speech, Ramazan Abdulatipov urged everyone to unite and work for the good of the republic, and this in my opinion is the most important thing now in Dagestan. Such events play a huge role in the birth of the national idea and the development of patriotism, and a sense of responsibility for their country and people.”
