Now thats a dialog
Talking to young people about terrorism. Kudos to HOOD. It kind of reminds me of the gang prevention programs in the US. Or the DARE classes in US middle schools (Drug Use Resistance Education) which teach life skills, critical thinking and tactics kids can take to avoid using drugs. Its an important discussion that has to take place way before anyone is incarerated. Rehabilitation is important, but helping young people avoid a destructive lifestyle is a critical issue as well.
YO: How do you envision a terrorist? Such was the question posed by Khaled al-Ansi, the executive manager of the Hood organization for freedom and liberty, to his young students, members of a new committee of young people dedicated to fighting terrorism and extremism. A terrorist is a man who abuses his children, offered Abdul-Wahab Fadhel, one of the students. Anyone in authority who persecutes his people is a terrorist, added Jalal al-Baddai.
Saleem al-Ghailani, 23, a student in the Sana’a University law school, said that he cannot draw an image of a terrorist, but he has one in his mind. “If I was a painter, I would draw a picture of an ordinary person, whose mind and heart has been changed and snakes came out of his mouth.”
Alaa’ al-Aghbari, 24, also imagined an ordinary person, but with a gun. All of these definitions are correct, said al-Ansi, because terrorism is the act of frightening people with acts of violence. One student asked, “But why do they blame us for killing people if their countries invade ours?” Al-Ansi replied that it is illegal according to Islam to kill any person. “Why are we happy when we see a train in America destroyed and not when the same thing occurs in Egypt,” al-Ansi asked. “The ones who revealed the scandal of Abu Ghraib prison were free Americans.”
These seven youths are part of a committee dedicated to fighting terrorism and extremism; they will be responsible for raising awareness among the youth in the future. The committee was organized by the Democracy School, which trains youths to serve in various committees. The training course started by identifying terrorism on etymological and ideological grounds. Al-Ansi hopes that simply making his students aware of the issue of terrorism, and what motivates terrorists, can help prevent the spread of terrorism.
The students then in turn will work on new ways to spread awareness to others. “I tried first to make the trainees discuss their own vision, in order to get the right picture of them;” said al-Ansi.” How can you implant ideas in people’s minds unless you know what they are thinking?” Then the instructor discussed the various forms that terrorism could take, as well as the motivations behind it. It was generally acknowledged by the group that it is feelings of inferiority and persecution that remain the main reason people turn to terrorism.
“A highly intelligent young man, without any opportunities in life, is likely to enroll in such groups to feel worthy.” “The terrorist presents a troubling problem.” al-Ansi told his pupils. “If you kill him, he becomes a martyr. And if you leave him, he continues to be a threat. You have to investigate their psychology in order to change their minds,” he said. Bias against people of different ethnicities also is at the root of many terrorist attacks.
“It is sad to see what is happening now in Iraq; the Shiites kill the Sunnis, and visa versa, because each sect thinks of itself as the better group,” he said. Sometimes, terrorists are mere puppets that the authorities use to achieve their own goals, said al-Ansi. “Actually, terrorism is nurtured under the wing of the authority like what happened to al-Houthi, when he was labeled a terrorist, or to Al-Qaeda, which was encouraged by America when fighting Russia,” the instructor said. The terrorist, he said, is known to have many qualities, including intelligence and wits.
“It is said of the perpetrators of the September 11 attacks on the U.S., that they were out dancing to distract the authorities, a very smart move,” he said. Terrorists could better help themselves and their countries by putting these wits to more constructive tasks. Al-Ansi concluded by insisting that we not lose hope for a more peaceful future; losing hope for change only helps cultivate the environment for terrorism. “The Saudi and the Yemeni environment are similar in many respects, and although Saudi Arabia is economically more advanced, terrorism is more common there, due to the prevalence repression of freedom.”
When a terrorist is captured in Saudi Arabia, he knows he is as good as dead, because neither his family nor human rights activists will plead for him,” he said. “So many kill themselves, whereas here in Yemen, we feel there is a hope for change.” Al-Aghbari, 24, a member in the committee, was hesitant to discuss the reasons behind him joining this committee. “I have my own reason that pushed me to enroll here,” he said. “At a personal level, I am longing to change the misconceptions about the religion.” Al-Ghailani, who is blind, said that he is becoming a lawyer in part so that he can help solve the issue of terrorism.
“We all suffer from the stereotypical idea that every Muslim is a terrorist,” he said. “I also want to enrich myself, because I am interested in this topic. It will be beneficial for my studies, because I will have to research the question.”
Copyright (c) 2002 - 2006, Yemen Observer Newspaper
