ABU DHABI — For the past years, I have supported the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy on their programs for peace, security, and development especially in the country and in the region.
PCID, founded by former Sen. Santanina Rasul, is a key actor in these issues as it not only has the knowledge and expertise, it also enjoys the respect of different groups especially those in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Recently, the group in cooperation with the UN, and the support of the governments of Australia, Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland, organized the ASEAN Conference on Peace and Prevention of Violent Extremism.
Days prior, the US Agency for International Development sponsored a pre-conference workshop for the Philippine participants. I was a resource and provided the introductory lecture, as well as conducted an action planning which we hope would enable them to strategically participate in the conference.
One of the points I emphasized during the workshop is the fact that there are multiple, non-linear pathways to radicalization.
In a study, it was found that there is no one risk factor that explained involvement in violent extremism. Rather, it was the interaction of multiple risk factors at multiple levels that accounted for involvement in violent extremism.
Moreover, cases of individuals who have been arrested or indicted on terrorism charges indicate that there is no one-size- fits-all theory of radicalization, or a terrorist profile that can be used to anticipate who will become recruited.
Further, unlike before when women who engage in violent extremism were related to auxiliary roles, women today increasingly have combat roles.
Another important point is that modern-day terrorists actually have a better understanding of the youth than do the practitioners of preventing violent extremism. Messages and narratives are tailored to the young people, and the platforms they use like Twitter and Facebook.
It is important to keep abreast of developments in the security architecture, as well the methods employed by extremists to expand their base.
Scholars from S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies contend that what happened in Marawi was not an intelligence failure but an operational failure.
They asserted that what happened was a lapse of government to act on the intelligence that was already available.
Interesting to note that in the past, a representative from the Office of the National Security Adviser claimed there was no threat of ISIS and ISIL in the Philippines. The current situation now shows the opposite, and what’s more is that the techniques have changed.
What we need then is a consolidated effort from government, civil society, the security sector, and even the business sector to come up with a coordinated approach not only to counter extremism but first of all, to prevent it.
This means creating an enabling environment for people to equally prosper and to co-exist harmoniously.
The presentations from the Department of Interior & Local Government and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process today show great promise. But it can only be sustained if they have the support of the communities not only on the ground but the discussions and activity in cyberspace.
Further, it is a collective rejection of violence that is needed, intertwined with a space for healing and reconciliation.
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Author’s email: [email protected]
