Lithuanian Muslim scholar says fear-based rhetoric undermines migrant integration

In an interview with LRT.lt, the website of Lithuania's public broadcaster, Paulius Abdulhakimas Bergaudas of Klaipėda discusses the Muslim community in Lithuania and argues that politicians' statements about migrants hinder their integration. Bergaudas converted to Islam while still at school and later earned a PhD in the subject at Cambridge.

Limited knowledge

In his view, understanding of Islam is poor not only in Lithuania but across Europe. He cites a 2020 study by the Lithuanian Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson: 41% of Lithuanians would not want a Muslim as a neighbour, but only 11% would object to a Turk, even though almost all Turks are Muslims. He sees this as a sign of ignorance and notes that most of the world's Muslims live in South-East Asia rather than being Arabs.

He says the "clash of civilisations" theory was developed to justify US dominance in the Middle East and is now used to stir up fear in domestic politics. He names politician Vytautas Sinica as one of those using this rhetoric.

Trust and integration

Bergaudas stresses that successful integration depends on migrants trusting the police, the armed forces and healthcare. Without that trust, he says, people isolate themselves, resolve problems on their own, and ghettos emerge. If politicians do not undermine trust, he argues, integration will succeed.

He says most Muslims who have arrived in the past five to 10 years are in Lithuania temporarily, mostly men earning money for their families. He claims that, proportionately, they commit far fewer crimes than Lithuanian citizens.

Historical context

Bergaudas recalls that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was diverse and its rulers cared about usefulness rather than religion. Vytautas the Great invited the Tatars not for ideological reasons but because he needed loyal soldiers. He ends by hoping Lithuanians will not be frightened by a caricature of Islam.