Alastair Reed about preventing violent extremism in post-siege recovery
Alastair Reed, Assistant professor at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs (ISGA) is interviewed by Devex, the media platform for the global development community.
According to Reed ideological groups like the Islamic State (IS) strengthen their position with the “say-do” gap. This is the disconnection between what governments say about creating an inclusive identity and equal citizenship for all, and what they actually do in practice. IS says that the government has failed to deliver on its social contract with the Muslim population, particularly with youth.
Case Study: Philippine Island Mindanao
Alastair Reed gives as example of the popularity of these narratives the Philippine Island Mindanao ”In 2017, the IS-affiliated Maute Group garnered support with a narrative that focused on unequal resource sharing by the central government, unclear land titling that incites disputes and worsens poverty, and the historic marginalization of Muslim Filipinos by the government of the Philippines. These grievances had already driven decades of conflict that killed perhaps 120,000 people and displaced millions”.
Solutions
In order to win the public back, Reed says that “the government of the Philippines should sustain and increase its investments in public infrastructure rehabilitation and restoration of agricultural lands that form the backbone of the livelihoods of many communities”.
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