Tajik Islamic Party's Leader Buried
Dushanbe residents mouring Nuri on August 9 (RFE/RL)
Several thousand people attended today's funeral for Nuri, who died on August 9 after a long bout with cancer.
Nuri led the United Tajik Opposition during the 1992-97 Tajik civil war before heading the National Reconciliation Commission that helped guide the country to peace.
Speaking at the ceremony, parliamentary Chairman Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloyev praised Nuri as a "remarkable person" who helped bring peace to Tajikistan.
IRP Deputy Chairman Muhiddin Kabiri told mourners that Nuri had created the party for the benefit of Tajikistan, its people, and the country's future.
Nuri had maintained a low profile in recent years. His IRP is the country's only officially registered Islamic political party.
A Muslim woman (left) watches a Christian procession in Madrid in March (AFP)
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CONFERENCE ON ISLAM: A major international conference on Islam concluded in Vienna in November 2005 with strong appeals from prominent Muslim leaders to recognize international terrorism as simply "terrorism." Political figures from Islamic countries, including the presidents of Iraq and Afghanistan, argued that it should never be labeled "Islamic" or "Muslim" terrorism because Islam is based on peace, dialogue, and tolerance. "Salaam" -- meaning "peace" -- was the key word of the three-day conference, titled "
ISLAM IN A PLURALISTIC WORLD."
Iraqi President Jalal Talibani and Afghan President Hamid Karzai used the word in their remarks to emphasize the peaceful nature of Islam. Other speakers quoted passages from the Koran to the effect that all men and women, regardless of faith, are creatures of God and should live in peace with each other without discrimination
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HAMID KARZAI's complete address to the Vienna conference (in English):
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LAKHDAR BRAHIMI's complete address to the Vienna conference (in English):
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