Building Resilience in the Middle-East Amidst Terror
Many people would argue that the Arab world is facing unprecedented waves of violent extremism. Victims and targets have included ordinary people of all ages – men and women, girls and boys, civil and military personnel and institutions, and foreigners residing in or visiting the region.
In 2015, Syria’s on-going crisis escalated, resulting in a large-scale exodus of Syrians. In addition, countless violent confrontations between religious and ideologically motivated extremist groups, the Syrian Government of Bashar al Assad, and the Syrian Free Army continued.
In Tunisia, the attacks against tourists resulted in a national state of emergency with a huge adverse impact on tourism.
In Egypt, the confrontations between the government and militias in the Sinai are ongoing.
In Lebanon, citizens continue to feel the threat of violent incidents, which highlights the tensions emanating from sectarian politics.
Iraq continues to experience strong waves of ethnic and sectarian violence, and confrontations with Daesh (ISIS) continue over territorial control. More concerning is the treatment of minority groups and attacks on the Azidi and Christian communities which resulted in world condemnation. Little has been done regarding their safety and well being.
In Bahrain, confrontations between the government and segments of the Shiite community over reforms continue and are framed in purely sectarian language. Jordanians feel daily challenges with the competition over jobs and resources from the huge influx of Syrian refugees as well as other Arab nationals escaping violence or seeking economic opportunities.
Yemen is suffering from a dire humanitarian crisis and political divisions including confrontations with and among extremist groups and militias.
In 2015, the bombing of mosques in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen are examples of sectarian attacks that perhaps mask underlying political agendas. In Israel and Palestine, violent extremist attacks from both Israeli and Palestinian populations are on the rise.
Regardless of the sources of the violence, questions continue to be raised as to why it seems to be readily accepted and adopted by certain individuals and or groups. Such acts continue to draw attention to causes that often feel very difficult to understand. The perpetrators are often demanding change in governments and governance models, or arguing for a renunciation of social values perceived to be mostly Western. The general consensus is that the so-called extremists believe that carrying out such violent acts would further their goals and agendas.
Scholars who adopt the “Devoted Actor Hypothesis of Conflict” argue that extreme acts take place when sacred values become embedded and strongly infused in a group’s identity. Members of this identity group become willing to collectively defend and or advance their values through costly sacrifices and extreme violence. Their actions are shaped by a non-negotiable worldview and in defense of such values at any cost.
Though violent means often result in condemnation and resentment by the public, many are interpreted as representing real grievances tied to a genuine sense of discontent in the current state of affairs.
According to a recent study by the World Bank titled Inequalities, Uprisings and Conflict in the Arab World, the major factor for discontent in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) was not economic inequality. Rather, the report identified the continued frustration by the general public regarding their inability to attain equality and happiness in society. The study further cites dissatisfaction with the way things are run, corruption, and the inability of individuals to fulfill their aspirations as the primary mobilizers in the pre-and post-Arab Spring context.
According to the study, measures of wellbeing show discontent with the availability of opportunities between the middle class and the poor and confirm their inability to have equal access to resources and opportunities. More importantly, this discontent is exacerbated when it comes to ethnic and sectarian divisions creating fertile ground for recruitment of individuals by extremists. Though there are no immediate remedies to such violent acts, I offer some thoughts for our shared consideration:
Most responses require the intervention of law enforcement and the engagement of the international community through technical and security support.
The latest bombings in Beiruit and Paris and the spill- over to other European countries demonstrate the clear links between local, regional, and global politics. It is important to call for immediate and long-term responses that respect international human rights law.
Partnering and working with religious institutions is imperative to promote interfaith understanding and collaboration on countering violent extremism. Divisions among the diversity of schools of thought in the Arab world make it difficult for such institutions to run a unified message of peace and acceptance, let alone collaboration. The lack of advancement on youth development and gender equality in the Arab world is uncontested and well documented. As a result, men and women of all ages are falling victim to recruitment by militias, extremists, and human and drug traffickers. In addition, the flow of arms is exponentially on the rise and the economy of war is clashing and getting in the way of any serious resolution to these issues. Internationally coordinated actions are a must as the combination of arms and vulnerable populations seems to create the right recipe for extremist recruitment.
Violence in the Arab world, though rooted in context, is also tied to external factors. Conflict drivers that are leveraged by extremists include past and current traumas, as well as anger and resentment about the on-going demonization and dehumanization of Arab culture by outside actors.
Social cohesion is achieved when all segments of society manage to address intra and inter group conflicts responsibly and when society is able to demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity. Peace engines are effective in addressing drivers of conflict when all members of a society feel valued and acknowledged and when they find venues to participate in shaping their own future. Inclusionary politics are key to countering feelings of alienation.
People in the Arab world are looking for more meaning and for opportunities to dream of a better future in which they can realize their aspirations, feel respect for their traditions and culture, and reaffirm that their identity is valued by others. Theories of change that build on sources of resilience in Arab societies, with all their diversity, may offer and help address internal as well as external factors including structural and cultural sources of violence. Hopefully, future attempts to address violent extremism will build on such sources of resilience, especially those rooted in the values of the various traditions that make the rich mosaic of the region, i.e. those that promote peace, acceptance and inclusion.
### Photo: Do not look away when peace is at risk by Alexander Mueller.