Again, the Interior Ministry achieves a victory against local terrorists. In its statement 431 Daesh (so-called IS) operatives, who were about to attack seven mosques in Riyadh and the Eastern Province, and 144 supporters were apprehended.
A reporter thought the number was high. I don't think so. In fact, I believe that those operatives and supporters are the just the tip of the iceberg. Behind them are many, many more supporters, believers, and operatives. What we are doing is catching mosquitos. They will keep coming and we will keep catching them. In the process some of them may get through our nets.
We will never be able to catch them all. And it is a given that terror and extremism cannot be eradicated. Since the first crime in history, when one of Adam sons killed another, people have been using violence to enforce their point of view, interests or authority.
Still, this doesn't mean we cannot fight back. Like cancer and other diehard diseases, we do have options. The first of which is to find and deal with the source and cause.
In the case of Daesh, we need to find clandestine and not so secretive network of support. Documenting, researching and studying the phenomenon require open and honest admission of responsibility. We did let hate literature and speech prosper for ages. Maybe, because we thought no harm would come out of it.
References and scholars in every sect have been discussing differences and divisions for 1400 years. Ugly history of wars and bloody competition deserves to be academically studied and discussed, goes the thinking. I would say, Americans still study the Civil War, and Europe will forever research the Religious Wars. The difference is in the Why and What. In our case, scholars are doing so not to learn new truths and how to avoid repetition of historical mistakes.
Many are using these lessons to take us back to them. They take it as a way to explain what is happening today and what is coming. If you continue to accuse the others of what you expect them to do, they won't disappoint you. It will become like fulfilling a prophecy.
We should start by taking solid steps to outlaw and punish the misuse of religion and historic events. It is a huge undertaking, but it is not impossible. Lots need to be done by many.
During the last National Dialogue, in Jeddah, the conference approved my proposed law to criminalize hate speech. I suggested a judicial committee in the Justice Ministry to deal with such cases that includes a representative of the Interior Ministry.
We already have the Electronic Crimes Law, and we need it to be part of the Hate Speech Law. The mechanism used by the Interior Ministry to find the cowards hiding behind nicknames in Twitter and Facebook, should be utilized to serve the proposed committee.
A clear and detailed law would help the committee quickly and efficiently find, judge and execute offenders. Otherwise, cases would linger in general courts for ages. Islam and the Saudi Constitution outlaw discrimination and hate speech, but those are general frames of references.
We need detailed laws and guidelines that can be used to deal with modern and specific cases, like electronic crimes. We also need efficient mechanism to execute judgments.
Only the Interior Ministry could help in that department. Once an offender is found guilty, the judgment should be published. This will help in spreading the word that no hate speech would be tolerated in the Kingdom of Humanity.
Other ministries would need to be in line with the Justice and Interior Ministry to reach deeper into the reservoir of hate education. The Education Ministry should teach our new generation the basic laws of Islam regarding tolerance, equality and freedom of conscious.
Educators who do not adhere to such principles have to be reeducated, and, if they failed to do so, they should be shunted away from our schools and children. The General Presidency of Youth Welfare must use its resources to help in this regard.
The Islamic Affairs Ministry should do the same regarding imams, educators and preachers. It is not enough to tell them what not to say or teach. We need to make sure they are convinced and follow the guidelines. Those who don't would have to be reassigned, if not punished.
The Information Ministry must advocate the closing of all extremist TV channels and media outlets in the Muslim world. Working with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League, hate speech laws should be exercised in every country and our satellite and cyberspace should be cleaned of “fitnah” viruses.
Media, academic and civic institutions should be involved and lend a hand. Only with such cooperation among all concerned parties we would be able to fight the culture of extremism and terrorism.
— Dr. Khaled M. Batarfi is a Saudi writer based in Jeddah. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him at Twitter:@kbatarfi
