On Thursday 2nd April 2015, in the wee
hours of the morning at around 5.30 am, Moi University Garissa campus in Kenya was
attacked by Al-shabaab terrorists who killed innocent students while they were
asleep and others in morning prayers. According to the survivors, the
terrorists targeted Christian students; they were separated and shot point
blank on the head execution style. The death toll reached 147 victims by the
end of the attack. There were issues with the security’s response to avert the
attack and use of intelligence provided. As such Hekima University College organized
a Public Forum to dialogue on Lessons Learnt after the attack. The forum which
was held on 8th May 2015 at the College’s Riara Campus brought
together Civil Societies, Faith Based Organizations and Non-Governmental
Organizations.
Sheikh Ibrahim an
Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and one of the key speakers during the
Forum reiterated that the April 2nd 2015 Moi University attack in Garrisa
that left 147 innocent students dead and several others injured was not only
brutal but inhuman too and that it left majority of Kenyans feeling insecure,
vulnerable and traumatized as well as straining the delicate interreligious
coexistence relationship.
According to Sheikh
Ibrahim, the viable options that needs to be addressed includes appreciation of
the magnitude of the problem at hand, uncover the drivers leading the youth to
radicalization such as push and pull forces which make the youth easy targets.
He reiterated the need for interfaith dialogue with a view of coming up with a
solution and reason out the best way of tackling terrorism.
Mr. Nahashion Kariuki a
Researcher and Coordinator Research, learning and Policy programme Nairobi
Peace Initiative- Africa and who was also a key speaker in the Forum says terrorist
is a criminal act fueled by fanatic ideologies and one does not need to
subscribe to Islamic faith to be a terrorist. He cited Historical Injustices as
one of the drivers leading to terrorism by the youth. Adding that time to act
is before radicalization and the reaction should not be emotional. He also said
that viable solutions can be found through proactive means.
“We cannot defeat an
unconventional force with military intervention.” This was said by another Key
speaker Professor PLO Lumumba. According to him, people have Islamized
terrorism thus seeing every Muslim as a potential terrorist. Professor Lumumba
who is the director of Kenya School of Law and an advocate of High Court of
Kenya and Tanzania believes that more laws are not solutions; vigils and
prayers cannot solve the menace; more intra and inter religious seminars and
workshops cannot solve the problem rather the battle can be only be won in the
minds and hearts of the people.
To ensure that the
incident of Garrisa University attack is not repeated, Professor Lumumba
recommends engagement of the youth to find out what are their grievances,
engage religious formation, and learn how other nations have countered the
terrorism. According to him, closing of institutions in Garrisa or building a
wall at the Kenya Somalia Border is not the solution.
It was generally
established that to effectively deal with radicalization and terrorism, there
must be tolerance among religions, have structures that make people feel they
belong and have a sense of belonging. Deal decisively with rampant corruption
in the heart of the security apparatus, rehabilitation of radicalized youth and
get information from them, have a forum for mothers to share information about
their sons who they suspect to be radicalized and try to help them because
parents know when their sons are radicalized or in bad company.
The
relationship between the police and civilians needs to be reconsidered as many
civilians fear contacting the police to give vital information for fear of
being accused of being a terrorist or sympathizer.
The general public should desist from referring to the terrorists as Jihadists as this
terminology makes them to have a mass following of youth who perceive and
associate them with being martyrs, but rather they should just be called
criminals or terrorists who are out to cause havoc and mayhem.
Radicalization and
terrorism are ideological wars and as such there is need to forge ideas which
are superior to overcome them. The Catholic Church needs to upscale its
activities i.e. use of Pastoral letters and the country need to listen, and
accord religious leaders the respect they command. This will lead to an
effective narrative which will be able to counter the menace of radicalization
and terrorism.
