Pictured: Journalist Orkhan Dzhemal
Russia’s latest «pivot» to Africa, loudly proclaimed last week, is a grotesque event that provides more fodder for derisive humor and the production of numerous caricatures and memes than for serious analysis.
It’s impossible to take seriously the fact that Russia, one of the last colonial empires in Eurasia, which oppressed its own people under its rule and engaged in colonial struggles against neighboring countries, is now trying to present itself as a champion of anti-colonialism, especially in Africa. Moreover, Russia itself tried and failed to colonize Africa in the past (https://golosislama.com/news.php?id=41817).
However, there are symbolic revelations, clearly sent from above, to set things right — «And say, ‘Truth has come, and falsehood has gone. Indeed, the falsehood is bound to depart.'» (Qur’an, Surah Al-Isra, verse 81). This time, the revelation for those who understand is that the whole farce called «Russia-Africa Summit» coincided with the anniversary of the murder of our brother Orkhan Dzhemal and two of his journalist colleagues in the Central African Republic in 2018. They were investigating the activities of the Wagner PMC (Private Military Company) there.
Why is this symbolism so important?
It’s because Russia’s expansion into Africa began not only with the infiltration of the Wagner PMC, but also with the killing of Russian journalists who were investigating it. The entire Russian state apparatus, from the Russian Embassy in the Central African Republic (where the organizers of this murder were based) and the Russian Foreign Ministry to the Investigative Committee, the Prosecutor General’s Office, and even the Kremlin, was involved in the cover-up.
We have no doubt that this murder was initially sanctioned at the highest levels of this gangster state, in part to silence the Kremlin’s implacable enemy, Orkhan Dzhemal. However, political assassinations in Russia, including of Muslims, are another matter; now we are talking about Africa. But the fact that this crime was committed in Africa by the thugs of Prigozhin (a Russian businessman with close ties to the Kremlin) was intended to stop the investigation of their activities on the continent.
Now the Kremlin not only doesn’t hide its activities in Africa, where one of its main instruments was (and still is — their interests coincide) the Wagner PMC, but it also loudly proclaims them to the world. So why kill Russian journalists who investigated this? And this question allows us to understand the essence of the Kremlin’s policy, including towards Africa.
It is valid to criticize the colonialism of the United States or France towards Third World countries. But the essence of their colonialism was historically to ensure the prosperity of their citizens through these countries.
But it is inconceivable that journalists from these countries who investigate such things would be killed not only by their PMCs, but also with the involvement of embassy personnel, and then the entire state system from top to bottom would cover it up.
And that’s the essence of the Kremlin’s deceptive policy in Africa, and not only there. They use the same methods as the colonial powers, such as organizing military coups or establishing their military bases in the dependent countries. However, they do it not for the prosperity of their own country and its citizens, but exclusively for the interests of a handful of controlling gangsters who kill anyone who stands in their way in Russia and want to do the same worldwide.
As the well-known hadith says, «The best jihad is a word of truth in the face of a tyrant,» and our brother Orkhan Dzhemal chose this path and became a martyr, Insha’Allah. He sacrificed his life not only and not so much to expose the Kremlin gangsters in Africa, which today is presented as «anti-colonialism,» but in the broader struggle against these oppressors and tyrants. His struggle included the defense of Muslims in the Caucasus, Crimea, and against Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Therefore, those who hypocritically remember him and post pictures of «Orkhan — our brother» cannot be those who directly or indirectly work for the system that killed him and promotes the policies he exposed. They are either with the murderers and tyrants or with those who stood against them — there is no way to reconcile the two.