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Tunisia's counter-terrorism jungle

June 15, 2015 at 11:50 am

As Tunisia steps up its counter-terrorism measures, including increasing security measures, some students and teachers are also calling for a more open debate and discussion around the issue.

Despite its democratic success, the small Mediterranean country is the biggest per capita jihadist contributor to the Iraq and Syria conflict, with an estimated 3,000 Tunisians believed to be fighting in the war. This is often attributed to the fact that radical Islamists quickly took advantage of the country’s new freedoms, leading to the growth of Ansar al-Sharia, which preached a strategy of “dawa at home, jihad abroad“.

Targeting the youth

Since the revolution, Sidi Bouzid, like many other parts of the country, has battled an increasingly threatening phenomenon: youth radicalisation. “Before the revolution life was normal here,” explains Chokri Ahmed, who grew up in the small town of about 120, 000 inhabitants which is mostly known today for being the birthplace of the Arab Spring. But after the revolution, which awoke a culture of protesting and reassured freedom of expression, religious movements gained ground. “It started as nothing but became a big phenomenon,” described Ahmed.

“I know one person who went to Syria,” explains Firas Hamdruni, a 17-year-old student. He fears he is dead now. “They associate it with Palestine, but jihad to Syria is not real jihad,” says Hamdruni. That’s why there should be a more open discussion about the concept of jihad, teach people about what the concept really means, he argues. Many young people in Sidi Bouzid know of at least someone who has left the country to fight, yet there is little open dialogue. “We should try to talk about it,” says Firas Tarki, “It’s a job for the family, school, government and television.” The 18-year-old also points out that many young are disappointed after the revolution. Without hope for the future, they have become easy targets for influential preachers.

“We have to teach people about jihad”

“Sometimes we talk about it in the neighbourhood,” adds Tarki. Seventeen-year-old Mohamed Mansuri agrees with him. “There should be more education and awareness within both family and school,” says Mansuri. But the teachers are not allowed to talk about the issue as it is considered politics, which is not to be discussed in the class rooms, explains a worried Eyman Effi, one of the city’s teachers. “But there should be more focus on critical thinking,” he argues. He explains: “If you haven’t read a book when you are 20-years-old and the first book you read is about Salafist ideology, you will be affected.” There should also be more conversations about future opportunities, he adds, noting that many of the youth in the city and beyond are disillusioned.

“Targeting root causes”

During the recent G-7 summit Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi told journalists that Tunisia lacked the culture and the means to combat terrorism. It’s a new phenomenon to the society, he said, emphasising the need for international support. “We should also fight this scourge by addressing its causes, such as unemployment, and by finding solutions to the problems of poverty and regional marginalisation,” the President declared.

After the revolution there have been numerous attacks on the country’s security forces, culminating in the terrorist attack on the Bardo museum which killed 22 people earlier this year. The Tunisian state is stepping up its counter terrorism offensive. Along with tighter security measures, the government is pushing to silence radical preachers at the helm of some of the mosques believed to be responsible for inciting violence. The Ministry of Religious Affairs has declared the establishment of a central register of imams, as well as rules to control the activities of “Maintenance Commissions” believed to raise money for militant activities. There are also reports of religious re-education schemes aimed at combatting radicalisation among the many Islamists in the country’s prisons.

“Now there are almost 1,500 jihadists in prison, I think these are fathers of future terrorists. How do we convince these young people in prison to drop their violent approach?” asked Hedi Yahmed, researcher and author of the book “Beneath the black flag: Tunisia’s Salafists“, in an interview. “It needs to be done politically, religiously and socially. There should be religious lessons in the prisons about the fact that Islam says people should be at peace with their society.”

“It’s a process of haemorrhage and it just keeps attracting more and more people,” says one of Sidi Bouzid’s police officers who has worked for most of his life in the area. Sitting behind his office desk, he explains how it’s a new issue in Tunisian society. He also describes how he has witnessed a development since the revolution of children playing war games involving the idea of jihad. “They use the vocabulary of Daesh and jihad,” he says. The officer is concerned but determined to continue to fight these radical groups. “It’s a war of survival,” he says.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.