New evidence that religion and ideology aren't the leading drivers of
radicalisation in Somalia
28 September 2014
Pretoria, South Africa – Economics and deprivation were as important, if not
more so, than religious factors in explaining why Somalis joined al-Shabaab.
This is one of the main findings of a new study released on 26 September
that provides empirical data on radicalisation in Somalia.
Finn Church Aid (FCA) in partnership with the Institute for Security Studies
(ISS) conducted the study among 88 former al-Shabaab fighters in Mogadishu
in April 2014. Researchers examined the vulnerability of young people to
being recruited by al-Shabaab, the radicalisation process, and fighters’
perceptions of government, religious identity and external roleplayers. It
is the second in a two-part analysis that began with
<
http://www.issafrica.org/publications/papers/radicalisation-in-kenya-recrui
tment-to-al-shabaab-and-the-mombasa-republican-council> research into
radicalisation in Kenya.
‘The study comes at a time when the entire globe is looking for strategies
to defeat the Islamic State (ISIS) and other terrorist groups’, said FCA
executive director Antti Pentikäinen. ‘We are convening religious leaders
from 10 countries to share their experiences of responding to these threats
as well as providing a platform to engage US policymakers.'
‘In the end it is up to these communities to determine their future. That is
why their voices must be heard and their own responses supported,’
Pentikäinen said.
The need for tailored strategies is at the heart of the Somalia study. ‘To
effectively counter radicalisation, we need to know why people join terror
groups’, said Mahdi Abdile, deputy regional representative for East and
Southern Africa at FCA, and co-author of the study.
‘There’s no shortage of information on the causes of terrorism, but we need
to hear from the individuals concerned because each context in which
radicalisation happens is different.’
The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy says adverse political
and economic circumstances, religious and ethnic discrimination,
heavy-handed counter-terrorism operations, and perceptions about
international injustices are the ‘push factors’ that cause radicalisation.
‘While useful to understand the problem, broad outlines of the conditions
conducive to terrorism are not always helpful to those who must act against
terrorism where it happens’ said Dr Anneli Botha, senior researcher at the
ISS and co-author of the study.
‘Ultimately it is individuals who join terrorist organisations’, said Botha.
‘The key to radicalisation is understanding how individuals in a particular
setting respond to the push factors outlined in the UN strategy’.
This is the crucial question considering al-Shabaab’s successful
radicalisation of young men in Somalia. Over the course of seven years
al-Shabaab has transformed itself from a rag-tag militia trying to overthrow
the Western-backed government and force the withdrawal of African Union
peacekeepers, to a fully-fledged army that has conquered, controlled and
administered most of southern and central Somalia for some time.
Interviewers developed a profile of typical al-Shabaab recruits and
identified specific factors facilitating their recruitment, including
religious, socioeconomic circumstances and the need for a collective
identity and sense of belonging. The results point to specific areas that
counter-terrorism strategies should focus on.
While almost all the fighters interviewed said they believed their religion
(Islam) was under threat, religious leaders played only a limited role in
the recruitment process. And although the government in Somalia faces a
serious legitimacy crisis, as many as 82% of interviewees said they trusted
clan elders.
These findings indicate that religious and traditional leaders can play a
critical role in combating radicalisation and violent extremism in Somalia.
Detailed recommendations are provided for the Somali government and security
forces, regional players especially Kenya, and donors and external
organisations working in Somalia.
For the full results, read the paper
<
http://www.issafrica.org/publications/papers/radicalisation-and-al-shabaab-
recruitment-in-somalia> Radicalisation and al-Shabaab recruitment in
Somalia.
For more information contact:
* Anneli Botha, ISS: +27 82 822 6412 (roaming, US east coast – note
the time difference), <mailto:abotha_at_issafrica.org> abotha_at_issafrica.org
* Mahdi Abdile, FCA: +358 50 44 232 92,
<mailto:Mahdi.Abdile_at_kirkonulkomaanapu.fi> Mahdi.Abdile_at_kirkonulkomaanapu.fi
Read it in PDF below:
Received on Sun Sep 28 2014 - 05:36:24 EDT