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'We see the humanity in others': the youth leaders tackling violent extremism 'We see the humanity in others': the youth leaders tackling violent extremism
(about 5 hours later)
A former Norwegian Islamist extremist told youth leaders gathered at a counter-extremism summit on the sidelines of the UN general assembly in New York that treating militants as “humans, not monsters” would help prevent further radicalisation.A former Norwegian Islamist extremist told youth leaders gathered at a counter-extremism summit on the sidelines of the UN general assembly in New York that treating militants as “humans, not monsters” would help prevent further radicalisation.
Yousef Assidiq, 27, told the Global Youth Summit against Violent Extremism – a day-long event of panels and talks backed by the US State Department at which young activists from countries including from Afghanistan, Jordan, Australia and Norway discussed their experiences of extremism and their ideas for countering it – that communities had to reach out to extremists.Yousef Assidiq, 27, told the Global Youth Summit against Violent Extremism – a day-long event of panels and talks backed by the US State Department at which young activists from countries including from Afghanistan, Jordan, Australia and Norway discussed their experiences of extremism and their ideas for countering it – that communities had to reach out to extremists.
“Our choice is to see the humanity in others even though they are acting like monsters,” Assidiq said. “Seeing their potential is the best way to get [them] out of those groups.”“Our choice is to see the humanity in others even though they are acting like monsters,” Assidiq said. “Seeing their potential is the best way to get [them] out of those groups.”
Assidiq has been working with young people in Norway who intended to go to fight in Syria for Islamic State in the last six months, using his story to help mentor and discourage them.Assidiq has been working with young people in Norway who intended to go to fight in Syria for Islamic State in the last six months, using his story to help mentor and discourage them.
He said he was joined in sharing his experiences on the programme with former rightwing extremists and neo-Nazis, and said that there were parallels between what drove people towards Islamic extremism and what drove them towards far-right extremism – in particular a need to feel a sense of belonging.He said he was joined in sharing his experiences on the programme with former rightwing extremists and neo-Nazis, and said that there were parallels between what drove people towards Islamic extremism and what drove them towards far-right extremism – in particular a need to feel a sense of belonging.
Assidiq – born Per Bartho Hansen in Oslo – was treated with much hostility by his family, friends and Norwegian society at large when he converted to Islam in 2009, he said. “My father and mother screamed, and on the front page of the local newspaper I saw my face with the headline: ‘Norwegian guy converts to Islam – what happens now?’”Assidiq – born Per Bartho Hansen in Oslo – was treated with much hostility by his family, friends and Norwegian society at large when he converted to Islam in 2009, he said. “My father and mother screamed, and on the front page of the local newspaper I saw my face with the headline: ‘Norwegian guy converts to Islam – what happens now?’”
An old woman stood up on a bus and called him a terrorist, he said. “The worst part of it was, everyone else on the bus started clapping.”An old woman stood up on a bus and called him a terrorist, he said. “The worst part of it was, everyone else on the bus started clapping.”
Assidiq said the only person who reached out to him when he had lost all his friends was an al-Qaida supporter, part of a radical group in Oslo called the Prophet’s Ummah.Assidiq said the only person who reached out to him when he had lost all his friends was an al-Qaida supporter, part of a radical group in Oslo called the Prophet’s Ummah.
But Assidiq said he turned his back on the group after its members began to express increasingly extremist views.But Assidiq said he turned his back on the group after its members began to express increasingly extremist views.
After leaving the group, Assidiq said he spent two years condemning his former colleagues. But eventually he decided instead to try to reach out to them in the hope that they might turn their backs on violence if their grievances were listened to.After leaving the group, Assidiq said he spent two years condemning his former colleagues. But eventually he decided instead to try to reach out to them in the hope that they might turn their backs on violence if their grievances were listened to.
“I realised that I was doing to them what my parents did to me,” he said. “I decided I had to talk to them and reach out my hand and show that I cared and knew better than police officers.”“I realised that I was doing to them what my parents did to me,” he said. “I decided I had to talk to them and reach out my hand and show that I cared and knew better than police officers.”
Despite some scepticism around his work and his shift in perspective, Assidiq said, “the community right now is trusting me and see that I’m on the right side [in preventing extremism].” Most recently, Assidiq co-founded the organisation JustUnity, which does de-radicalization work and delivers seminars on the subject. Despite some scepticism around his work and his shift in perspective, Assidiq said, “the community right now is trusting me and see that I’m on the right side [in preventing extremism]”. Most recently, Assidiq co-founded the organisation JustUnity, which does de-radicalization work and delivers seminars on the subject.
His story, among others, contributed towards the recommendations of more than 100 activists around the world at the Global Youth Summit Against Violent Extremism, which was presented on Tuesday at the UN Leaders’ Summit on Countering Isil and Violent Extremism, a session chaired by Barack Obama where world leaders discussed their preventive measures to combat radicalisation and foreign fighters.His story, among others, contributed towards the recommendations of more than 100 activists around the world at the Global Youth Summit Against Violent Extremism, which was presented on Tuesday at the UN Leaders’ Summit on Countering Isil and Violent Extremism, a session chaired by Barack Obama where world leaders discussed their preventive measures to combat radicalisation and foreign fighters.
A key message within the Youth Action Agenda, the document of recommendations of global activists that was agreed to at the youth summit, was that state military force only tackles the results of extremism without addressing the issues driving participation in violence, and sometimes aggravates tensions and rallies further support for violent ideologies.A key message within the Youth Action Agenda, the document of recommendations of global activists that was agreed to at the youth summit, was that state military force only tackles the results of extremism without addressing the issues driving participation in violence, and sometimes aggravates tensions and rallies further support for violent ideologies.
Related: The roots of radicalisation? It’s identity, stupid | Shiraz MaherRelated: The roots of radicalisation? It’s identity, stupid | Shiraz Maher
This approach, the Global Youth Summit writes in its Youth Action Agenda, “often adds to the feeling of exclusion [among young people] and fails to engage youth as key allies in building resilience against violence extremism”.This approach, the Global Youth Summit writes in its Youth Action Agenda, “often adds to the feeling of exclusion [among young people] and fails to engage youth as key allies in building resilience against violence extremism”.
Some of the global preventive measures against violent extremism, proposed by the Global Youth Summit, includes reaching out to former violent extremists and returned fighters and rebuilding relationships with families and communities – as Assidiq is doing in Oslo.Some of the global preventive measures against violent extremism, proposed by the Global Youth Summit, includes reaching out to former violent extremists and returned fighters and rebuilding relationships with families and communities – as Assidiq is doing in Oslo.
Other methods include using social media to counter narratives about violent extremism, although both the US State Department’s “Think again turn away” Twitter account and the UK government’s “UK against Isil” account have been criticised as unlikely to deter those on the brink of joining Islamic State.Other methods include using social media to counter narratives about violent extremism, although both the US State Department’s “Think again turn away” Twitter account and the UK government’s “UK against Isil” account have been criticised as unlikely to deter those on the brink of joining Islamic State.
Lisa Monaco, the US homeland security adviser to the president, said there was no exact formula to what drives violent extremism.Lisa Monaco, the US homeland security adviser to the president, said there was no exact formula to what drives violent extremism.
But she said that young people were important to countering violent extremism: “we need solutions that are not top down but from bottom up,” she said, adding that the “stakes couldn’t be higher”.But she said that young people were important to countering violent extremism: “we need solutions that are not top down but from bottom up,” she said, adding that the “stakes couldn’t be higher”.
Shamil Idriss, the president of Search for Common Ground, a conflict resolution non-governmental organisation, said theories that poverty, the state of the economy and religiosity were reasons for radicalisation had been “debunked” and that instead feelings of powerlessness, isolation and humiliation were more pertinent factors.Shamil Idriss, the president of Search for Common Ground, a conflict resolution non-governmental organisation, said theories that poverty, the state of the economy and religiosity were reasons for radicalisation had been “debunked” and that instead feelings of powerlessness, isolation and humiliation were more pertinent factors.
He added: “The youth are critical leaders in the way society transforms and deals with extremism.”He added: “The youth are critical leaders in the way society transforms and deals with extremism.”
In the last six months, since a three-day White House counter-extremism summit, there had been a shift towards emphasising the need to involve civil society, said Sarah Sewall, the under-secretary for civilian security, democracy and human rights at the US State Department.In the last six months, since a three-day White House counter-extremism summit, there had been a shift towards emphasising the need to involve civil society, said Sarah Sewall, the under-secretary for civilian security, democracy and human rights at the US State Department.
But some community groups have pointed out that counter-extremism programmes – known in the jargon as CVE – such as the US’s do not target other extremists such as white supremacists, and may further stigmatise the Muslim community.But some community groups have pointed out that counter-extremism programmes – known in the jargon as CVE – such as the US’s do not target other extremists such as white supremacists, and may further stigmatise the Muslim community.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Washington-based advocacy group, said in a statement: “CVE is generally driven by news events, that the current program exclusively targets American Muslims.”The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Washington-based advocacy group, said in a statement: “CVE is generally driven by news events, that the current program exclusively targets American Muslims.”
It added that there was a need for the government to “acknowledge and reform its pattern of constitutionally-questionable law enforcement practices targeting the Muslims.” It added that there was a need for the government to “acknowledge and reform its pattern of constitutionally questionable law enforcement practices targeting the Muslims”.
The Muslim Public Affairs Committee, another advocacy group, added in a statement that CVE “formalizes and institutionalizes a program that is vague and lacks transparency”.The Muslim Public Affairs Committee, another advocacy group, added in a statement that CVE “formalizes and institutionalizes a program that is vague and lacks transparency”.
Sewall however said there was not one CVE model to fit each country battling with violent extremism, adding: “The whole point of CVE is that it’s the communities that can best explain what needs to happen.”Sewall however said there was not one CVE model to fit each country battling with violent extremism, adding: “The whole point of CVE is that it’s the communities that can best explain what needs to happen.”
Also at the summit, young people – including those from Australia, Egypt, Iraq, Kenya, Nigeria, and Pakistan – set up stalls to showcase their ideas for ways to engage communities in tackling extremism, including through social media and more traditional methods such as using posters and performing arts. Also at the summit, young people – including those from Australia, Egypt, Iraq, Kenya, Nigeria and Pakistan – set up stalls to showcase their ideas for ways to engage communities in tackling extremism, including through social media and more traditional methods such as using posters and performing arts.
Essma Bengabsia, 18, a college student from New Jersey, said she was campaigning to “counter violence in all its forms”. Standing at her stall flanked by paintings, emojis, a large banner with the words “my community is my priority. What’s yours?” she said she was promoting peace through social media, including hashtags #no2violence and #all4peace, and wanted to create a Snapchat story that people could contribute to with their messages of hope. Essma Bengabsia, 18, a college student from New Jersey, said she was campaigning to “counter violence in all its forms”. Standing at her stall flanked by paintings, emojis and a large banner with the words “My community is my priority. What’s yours?”, she said she was promoting peace through social media, including hashtags #no2violence and #all4peace, and wanted to create a Snapchat story that people could contribute to with their messages of hope.