Combating the extremists' PUBLICITY MACHINE

Countering violent extremism has always been a tough nut to crack. In combating its proliferation in countries across the globe, there remains no one-size-fits-all solution. 

Over the past year the international community has come together to seek ways to tackle this sticky issue. Earlier this year US President Barack Obama hosted a summit in Washington where world leaders gathered to share their experiences, exchange views and develop a common understanding about the challenges of countering extremist violence.

This week Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot followed Obama’s cue by inviting leaders from 25 Asia-Pacific countries along with civic activists for a two-day summit on the same topic in Sydney. 

Understandably, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) dominated discussions yesterday. More than 15,000 foreign fighters are estimated to have travelled to Iraq and Syria to join the jihadist group.

For many summit delegates, the issue had become personal. 

Among them was an American Muslim business leader who had quit her job so she could work on countering the “terrorist narrative”.

Also participating in the event was an Australian Muslim woman who works on combating Islamophobia, a growing problem in countries where Muslims are in the minority.

A community leader from London pointed out that it was misleading to paint ISIS fighters as irrational and mindlessly barbaric. In fact, a closer look reveals that the horrific acts carried out by ISIS are anything but irrational.

Video-recording brutal murders, spreading these images through the social media, and employing a sophisticated recruitment strategy are hallmarks of a high degree of planning.

ISIS has twisted the teachings of Islam to suit its own violent agenda, but moves to counter its interpretation have had little apparent success.

Governments often rely on senior 

 Muslim clerics issuing fatwas condemning the vicious acts carried out by ISIS. But while we might agree with the declarations of these friendly imams, we shouldn’t be fooled into thinking that their messages are registering with the ISIS’ followers.

Delegates at the Sydney summit were in agreement that an effective counter-narrative could only come from persons who carry legitimacy in the eyes of the extremists. This necessitates working with community leaders at the grass-roots level. In his opening remarks, Abbot said: “The only really effective defence against terrorism is persuading people that it’s pointless, persuading people that God does not demand ‘death to the infidel’. Above all, we need idealistic young people to understand that joining this death cult is an ugly, misguided and wrongheaded way to express their desire to sacrifice.”

In other words, the international community’s task is not just to come up with counter-narrative, but to develop an effective communication strategy so that we can deliver our own narrative, one that reflects the views of the vast majority of Muslims around the world.

While public efforts to combat terrorism have enjoyed a measure of success, they require help from another, more private, source.

“Families can be a frontline of defence,” Abbot said. “Those who are closest to us are often the very first to see early or subtle changes in attitude, in behaviour, in social networks, and this means we really need to see some new ways to educate families on how to read and how to act on such early warning signs.”

For a genuinely effective shield against extremism and radicalisation, the family, the community, civic organisations and the government all must play their roles in a coordinated effort. 

The desired outcome would be a counter-narrative to extremism that evolves into a social movement, one that brings together all walks of society, regardless of religious, political and ideological leanings.