US President Barack Obama has insisted that not only has Islam been a part of America since its founding, but it is also a religion of peace, and one that is not at odds with the West, as extremist groups have suggested. Obama made the remarks late on Wednesday, at the closing session on day two of the Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) summit at the White House, and stressed that "those of us outside Muslim communities need to reject the terrorist narrative that the West and Islam are in conflict or modern life and Islam are in conflict." "ISIL presumes to declare itself the Islamic State and they propagate the notion that America, and the West generally, is at war with Islam. That's how they recruit. That's how they try to radicalize young people," he said.
"We must never accept the premise that they put forward, because it is a lie, nor should we grant these terrorists the religious legitimacy that they seek. They are not religious leaders; they're terrorists," he added. "And we are not at war with Islam." The president noted that the summit is not just directed at curbing violent acts - but also dismantling "the ideologies, the infrastructure of extremists, the propagandists, the recruiters, [and] the funders who radicalize and recruit or incite people to violence." "The terrorists do not speak for a billion Muslims who reject their ideology," he continued. "They no more represent Islam than any madman who kills innocents in the name of God, represents Christianity or Judaism or Buddhism or Hinduism. No religion is responsible for terrorism; people are responsible for violence and terrorism." Obama noted, however, that Muslim communities "have a responsibility" to watch out for their brothers and sisters, and to prevent the rise of what he called "twisted" ideas about their religion. "Al-Qaeda and ISIL do draw selectively from the Islamic texts. They do depend upon the misperception around the world that they speak in some fashion for people of the Muslim faith, that Islam is somehow inherently violent, that there is some sort of clash of civilizations," he said.
But "there are respected Muslim clerics and scholars, not just here in the United States but around the world, who push back this twisted interpretation of their faith. They want to make very clear what Islam stands for. We're joined by some of those leaders today," said the president, referring to Muslim community leaders in attendance from Boston, Minneapolis-St Paul, and Los Angeles, where pilot programs between local leaders and government have been launched to address the conditions that could radicalize Muslims. "These religious leaders and scholars preach that Islam calls for peace and for justice and tolerance towards others. That terrorism is prohibited," Obama added. "The Quran says whoever kills an innocent, it is as if he has killed all mankind. Those are the voices that represent over a billion people around the world." He then acknowledged that some of the narratives and imagery promoted by ISIL - which push the notion of Western imperialism - are widely held beliefs, even among moderate Muslims. "The reality, which, again, many Muslim leaders have spoken to, is that there's a strain of thought that doesn't embrace ISIL's tactics, doesn't embrace violence, but does buy into the notion that the Muslim world has suffered historic grievances, sometimes that's accurate," Obama said.
"It does buy into the belief that so many of the ills in the Middle East flow from a history of colonialism or conspiracy. It does buy into the idea that Islam is incompatible with modernity or tolerance, or that it's been polluted by Western values. So, those beliefs exist. In some communities around the world, they are widespread," he admitted. "It makes individuals, especially young people who already may be disaffected or alienated, more ripe for radicalization." Obama insisted the US and the West be "much more clear about how we're rejecting certain ideas," but so too should Muslim leaders "do more than discredit the notion that our nations are determined to suppress Islam." In addressing the economic factors that lead to radicalization, Obama explained that "when millions of people, especially youth, are impoverished and have no hope for the future, when corruption inflicts daily humiliations on people, when there are no outlets by which people can express their concerns, resentments fester. The risk of instability and extremism grow." He also added that with a lack of education, young people "are more vulnerable to conspiracy theories and radical ideas because it's not tested against anything else." Turning to nation-states, Obama pushed for democracy and civil liberties as means to preventing extremism.
"When governments oppress their people, deny human rights, stifle dissent, or marginalize ethnic and religious groups, or favor certain religious groups over others, it sews the seeds of extremism and violence. It makes those communities more vulnerable to recruitment," he said. "Terrorist groups claim that change can only come through violence, and peaceful change is impossible. That plays into extremist propaganda," he explained. "So, the essential ingredient to real and lasting stability and progress is not less democracy, it's more democracy." Looking at the historically tight-knit Muslim communities, Obama said, "We have to recognize that our best partners in all these efforts -- the best people to help protect individuals from falling victim to extremist ideologies are their own communities, their family members. They want to help save their loved ones and friends, and prevent them from taking a wrong turn." However "communities don't always know the signs to look for, or have the tools to intervene, or know what works best. And that's where government can play a role if government is serving as a trusted partner," he added. The president also dispelled fears that more government outreach with Muslim communities means more spying.
"Engagement with communities can't be a cover for surveillance. It can't securitize our relationship with Muslim Americans, dealing with them solely through the prism of law enforcement," he said. "We're going to step up our efforts to engage with partners and raise awareness so more communities understand how to protect their loved ones from becoming radicalized." Day three of the CVE summit will get underway Thursday, when the US hosts "ministers, senior officials from the UN - including UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon - and other multilateral organizations, and private sector and civil society representatives to develop an action agenda against violent extremism," the Department of State confirmed in its agenda. Secretary of State John Kerry will kick off the final day with early morning remarks.
Source: KUNA