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mojatu .com
Prejudices about migrants’ nationality, race and religion
create tenuous ties to terror. - By Ottalia Anna Maunganidze
Two themes have been central to global security
debates over the past few years: migration and violent
extremism. These two phenomena are happening at
the same time and are consequently often conflated,
but are they really related?
In East Africa, there is yet no empirical evidence that
confirms any direct link between migration and violent
extremism, says Dr Simon Nyambura, director of the
Intergovernmental Agency on Development’s Center
of Excellence for Preventing and Countering Violent
Extremism. He says when taken within the context of
the masses of people migrating, ‘those who engage in
violent extremism are statistically insignificant’.
This assertion, at a time when populist discourse
attempts to suggest that any and all migrants from
communities affected by terrorism are themselves
terrorists, is important. It doesn’t deny that some
migrants may engage in activities relating to violent
extremism, but it clarifies that the actions of a few
individuals should not be conflated with the whole.
Nyambura was speaking at a recent technical workshop
on migration and countering violent extremism
convened by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS). The
workshop is part of ongoing applied policy research
being carried out by the ISS that aims to improve
policies and practices on both issues.
Anti-immigrant sentiments suggesting that the recent
rise in forced migration is, at least partly, responsible for
violent extremism are not being effectively countered by
facts, research has shown. A lot of these sentiments are
rooted in stereotypes and prejudice. Effective responses
need to move away from these generalisations, and focus
on the facts that explain these dynamics.
The actual relationship between migration and violent
extremism remains largely unexplored. Attempts to
understand both migration and violent extremism
through a global lens have largely ignored issues
relating to xenophobia and racism, losing sight of key
facts and nuances needed to guide action. However,
some critical conversations have begun to confront the
emerging realities of migration and violent extremism.
These must be guided by evidence over rhetoric.
What we know so far is that conflict, instability and
repression are driving many people away from their
communities. Dr Khalid Koser, executive director of the
Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund,
notes that it is critical to understand ‘migration as a
consequence, not a cause, of fragility’.
Indeed, in Africa – from Northern Nigeria across
the continent to Somalia – some people, dreading
continued insecurity and terrorism, are leaving their
homes to seek (and hopefully find) refuge elsewhere.
The majority of Africans forced to move are internally
displaced and/or settle in neighbouring countries,
while others travel further afield, to other parts of
Africa, to Europe, the Middle East and the Americas.
This is not unique to Africa. Indeed, over the past six
years, with increasing instability in the Syrian peninsula
and the rise of Daesh (commonly dubbed the Islamic
State of Iraq and Syria, ISIS or just the Islamic State),
there has been a mass exodus from Syria.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
estimates that about 5.1 million Syrians have fled
the country and are now refugees. The majority
of Syrian refugees are currently in neighbouring
countries (specifically Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and
Turkey), while just over one 10th have fled to Europe.
Approximately 6.5 million are internally displaced.
Attempts to understand migration and extremism
haven’t taken xenophobia and racism into account. At
the same time, there has been significant migration
within and out of Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan, owing,
in part, to volatility in some parts of those countries.
The people moving include victims and witnesses
to atrocities and acts of terrorism in search of peace,
stability and a better future – for many, just a future.
However, beyond this, and without detailed studies
that include interviews with migrants on their reasons
for leaving, the actual relationship between migration
and violent extremism, particularly from a causal point
of view, remains largely unexplored.
There is also a dearth of research into links between
migrating communities and their involvement in violent
extremism. It is this latter issue that is most contentious
and has been used in populist and nationalist rhetoric
geared to rejecting inward migration.
The best policies and practices are ones rooted in evidence
and informed by experience. Building that evidence
base is key. Mass migration and violent extremism must
be examined separately and in conjunction. Both are
important, and both require careful thought and action.
Ottilia Anna Maunganidze, Head, Special Projects,
ISS Pretoria