Zawaya

The global repercussions of terrorism require a global approach to fight it

By: Saloua Charfi

28 Mauritanian members of AQIM escaped from the Sahara camps to turn themselves over to the authorities. To encourage other young recruits to defect from this organization, a threefold approach is needed, covering the security, psycho-educational and social levels.

Mauritania has already started this battle by enacting a law to encourage Islamist fighters to repent. Whoever surrenders to the authorities before being arrested benefits from special conditions that can go up to obtaining certain monitored freedoms. Both Algeria and Saudi Arabia have already applied this policy and succeeded in convincing many individuals to give up arms.

The defection of Mauritanian AQIM members is also the result of fieldwork, as this terrorist group was infiltrated by members of the Mauritanian army. At the ideological level, Nouakchott organized a forum on terrorism and extremism last month, aiming at encouraging “lost” youth to come to their senses and “re-embrace moderate Islam.”

However, all the above-mentioned are limited measures that only help alleviate the most urgent aspects of the issue. We need to rehabilitate youth, and identify the deep causes that incited them to become outlaws, which probably include unemployment and educational curricula that are often unrelated to moderate Islam. These kids were easily indoctrinated; some of them are 14 years old, and were thought that death leads to heaven.

Nonetheless, once in the camp, the recruits find out that the AQIM “carries out activities that are against Islam”, as stated on national television by Ahmed Ould Weiss who was introduced as the first deserter.

These kids should not be left alone to deal with this situation, as it will be too late for some of them. We must communicate with them at school and through the media, and above all give them hope about the future.

This is a huge mission for a poor country like Mauritania, hence the need for international solidarity. The repercussions of terrorism are global, so the fight against it should be based on global solidarity.

The country needs to share experiences with other nations, carry on targeted trainings for journalists and NGOs, and receive investments to create jobs. Mauritania needs help to restore its youth’s hope.