Countering Violent Extremism. Mohamed A.Younes Future For Advanced Research and Studies

Transcription

1 Countering Violent Extremism Mohamed A.Younes Future For Advanced Research and Studies

2 What are The Common Myths about CVE? 1-Extremists have some unique signs that can be Identified easily. Contrary to popular Perceptions, extremists can be ordinary citizens well-educated, well-off employed, have a family and don t suffer from poverty, marginalization, alienation or psychological disorder. They can blend in society and hide their convictions even from their families and close friends, to cover all signals that security authorities can identify. 2- there is a predictable process through which individuals become terrorists. There is no single Path into Radicalizations, an average person can be radicalized in school, mosque, university, club, prison, Online, by a family member or a friend. The radicalization can happen very fast that no one can notice The transformation in the individual s behavior.

3 Common Myths about CVE 3- CVE must focus only on Violent Extremists. Non violent extremists are potential recruits to Terrorist Groups, and their violent eruption can t be predicted, The extremist convections can motivate violence against society in an unpredictable manner like a Dormant Volcano. 4- CVE Approaches can always succeed in containing Radicalization: Some CVE Measures can be counterproductive and Harmful, security surveillance programs that penetrate families and violates individual privacy can lead to stigmatizing and potentially alienating Muslims. ISIS, for example, has an explicit aim of creating rifts between governments and their people, as well as between Muslims and non-muslims in Western countries. Which they exploit to support their recruitment process.

4 Common Myths about CVE 5- All CVE Programs don t Target The Followers of a single religion. Theoretically all CVE Programs don t identify a particular community to be Targeted, in Reality many CVE Strategies have Muslim communities as Their main target, and this leads to alienation, and hate speech against Muslims, Considering Them The potential suspect for any Terrorist attack. 6- Soft Approaches can be Alternative to Hard Approaches. Soft and Hard Approaches must be integrated and cannot substitute each other, but Soft Approaches must be built on respecting The civil rights of Families and individuals and not to be a tool for Security Law enforcement procedures CVE Programs are designed in some countries as an intelligence Gathering Tools that leads to Prosecution of some suspects, which undermine the trust of Communities in These programs.

5 What are The Causes of Violent Extremism? There are countless possible causes of Violent Extremism, in each case multiple causes can interact to lead to The radicalization of an individual, these causes can be categorized as The Following: Structural causes: are The causes which affect people s lives in ways that may lead to an increasing sense of alienation (demographic imbalances, rapid modernization, transitional societies, relative deprivation, class structure) Motivational causes: the actual grievances that people experience at a personal level, motivating them to act, such as alienation, marginalization, poverty, unemployment, identity Crisis.

6 Causes of Violent Extremism Facilitator (or accelerator) causes make terrorism possible or attractive, without being prime movers. Examples include the evolution of Social media, transportation, weapons technology, weak state control of territory, Instability, Influx of arms, financial Networks etc. Triggering causes are the direct precipitators of terrorist acts. They may be momentous or provocative events, an outrageous act, that call for revenge or action.

7 Push and Pull Factors Push factors: Structural Conditions that propel individuals towards VE Pull Factors: Forces that make individuals attracted to Radicalization (Recruitment- Propaganda) Vulnerability Towards Radicalization

8 Push and Pull Factors Push Factors Weak Governance Corruption Poverty Unemployment Political exclusion Education Systems Intolerance, hatred culture Economic, political instability Facilitators/Accelerators Financial Resources (internal- External) Arms Flux Cyber Space (Social Media) Alliances of Armed Non- State Actors (Criminal- Militias- Terrorist Networks) Personal Networks Transportation, open Routes to Syria and Iraq. Pull Factors Financial Gains. Social Belonging- Identity Belonging to a winning group Emotional fulfillment Peer, Family member Pressure An Inspiring Holy Project. Ideological Convections Adventure Seeking Personal Grievances & Revenge Weakness of Security system Religious Prejudices & Sectarianism Status Seeking.

9 Recommendations to formulate a comprehensive CVE Strategy An effective CVE Strategy must Deal with The following components of Radicalization Process: Contextual- environmental Root Causes. individual Grievances Narratives & Ideas Financing Networks Recruitment Groups Safe Havens of Recruitment Rehabilitation and integration.

10 Suggested CVE Strategy Dismantling Financial Networks: disrupting and dismantling funding flows to Radical groups without undermining support for legitimate, peaceful civil society and charitable actors. Reforming Education: Education systems in MENA Countries can cause Relative Deprivation of Youth, because young people spend at least 15 Years trapped in The Childhood phase, with no opportunities for independence or self achievement. Education also is responsible for shaping world views, promoting citizenship and bridging ethnic and sectarian divides. Prejudices, and stereotypes are often embedded in textbooks and Curricula Programs that enhance understanding of different Religions and cultures and defend Religious freedoms is central in a CVE Strategy

11 Suggested CVE Strategy Developing Local Resilience: investing in social cohesion because extremist Groups capitalize on societal Divisions and tensions Building Trust Networks: Creating collaborative sustained Relationships with credible local actors who can counter extremist narratives and provide alternatives to extremism. Dealing with trust Gap between governments, non governmental organizations and local actors, because of law enforcement malfunctions. Investing in training Imams: Educating and training Credible religious young leaders, because some official imams are often discredited as they are perceived as being coopted by Governments.

12 Suggested CVE Strategy Raising Awareness of local Actors: Parents, Teachers, Religious leaders, should made aware of indicators of Extremism That can lead to radicalization, they should also know the recruitment tactics of Extremism Groups On and Off Line. Developing an Effective Counter-Narrative: Creating an image of inclusive future that cure all past grievances and marginalization. Depending on Credible Messengers Disseminating Success Stories: Providing Opportunities to young people to succeed and achieve themselves Through partnership with Private Sector and encouraging Start-Ups and Entrepreneurial Projects. Partnership with Social Media Companies to evaluate effectiveness of messages and Counternarratives.

13 Suggested CVE Strategy Reforming Penal institutions: Prisons became a safe haven for Extremist Recruitment cells, The interaction between criminal convicts and Terrorists in Prisons can lead to Radicalization of individuals of Criminal background, separating Terrorists from other inmates can be a starting point. Piloting deradicalization programs in prisons, dealing with grievances and social problems of prisoners, rehabilitating them to be reintegrated in society. Adopting proactive approach: engaging at the earliest signs of radicalization, such signs include: Joining a local Extremist group. Threats to civil society activists, moderate religious leaders, journalists. Attacks on Historical and cultural sites. Threats to religious minority groups. Rehabilitation and reintegration: investing in social & Religious programs to rehabilitate & reintegrate non violent extremists into society, granting them an Exit Path from Radical groups.