SAVE breaks through the barriers of nationalism, religion, and ethnicity to create a global network of women dedicated to creating a united front against violent extremism
While Malala Yousufzai’s condition is stabilizing, details on the attack
last week are slowly emerging. According to Reuters, one of the two
gunmen involved in the shooting has been identified by his first name.
Attaullah, a young man, was arrested in 2009 during the Pakistani military
campaign that pushed the Taliban out of the Swat Valley. Due to a lack
of evidence of connections to terrorist groups, he was released after
only three months. However, a senior security official is refuting this
statement, indicating that authorities reputedly did gather enough
evidence to arrest Attaullah when they raided his house in the Swat
Valley. According to officials, Attaullah organized the attack on Malala
on orders of one of the Taliban's most feared commanders, Maulana
Fazlullah, who operated from Afghanistan after the 2009 military raid
before returning the Pakistan this past June. Critics say Pakistan's low
conviction rate of militants, even high-profile individuals who carried
out major attacks, is one reason why extremism has spread in the South
Asian nation. Public fury over the shooting has increased pressure on
the Pakistani military to mount a major offensive against the Taliban,
which has close allegiances to Al Qaeda and a host of other militant
groups. The Taliban, fighting to topple the government and impose a
radical theocracy, have blown up hundreds of girls’ schools in recent
years in Swat and other areas to further their opposition to the
education of women.
Does the image of a female terrorist leave you glued to the TV? Don’t let it—that’s what they want.
Terrorist organizations often use the shock
value of a female violent extremist to capture the attention of the
international media, tactfully playing upon the public’s bias that those
with two-X chromosomes are unwilling or unable to commit an act of
terrorism.
Yet, women have a long history of taking
hostages, hijacking aircrafts, planting bombs, conducting
assassinations, driving explosive-laden vehicles, and committing suicide
attacks, not to mention performing the endless back-office tasks
required to maintain an extremist organization.
In an evolving security environment, where
responding to the latest threat can lead to short-term memory loss, many
have forgotten the female-perpetrated, high-profile attacks that have
stolen the lives of senior government officials and countless
civilians. To provide a statistical snapshot, women perpetrated an
estimated 15% of total suicide attacks between 1980 and 2003 and, in
certain organizations, like the PKK and Chechen Separatists, were
responsible for the majority. Given the numbers, why do we continue to be surprised each time a Jihad Jane ends up on the evening news?
Two assumptions likely contribute to our reluctance to acknowledge the dark side of women’s power.
One explanation is the belief that those who would advocate for
restrictive roles for women in society would forbid them from carrying
out terrorist activities that require both operational and intellectual
facility. These very organizations exploit our assumption, however, and
look at women as a tactical advantage. To the delight of violent
extremists, security officers often perceive females as less suspicious
and allow them to evade male-dominated checkpoints, particularly in
conservative environments. When wearing an abaya, women are able to hide
bulky explosives from the eyes of the public, presenting a unique
security threat to even the most observant. Terrorist organizations
also strategically leverage women to recruit other men, arguing that if a
woman is willing to sacrifice her life or time for the cause, so, too,
should a man.
Special efforts are often made to recruit
female participants. Al-Qaida has produced a glossy magazine,
Al-Shamikha, specifically designed for women, while others, like
Al-Shabaab, purportedly use abduction to bolster enlistment. Despite
this, the vast majority of these women are knowingly volunteering their
services.
This dynamic contradicts a second pervasive
notion—that women are inherently more peaceful and therefore less likely
to choose violence to achieve political ends. The relative
peacefulness of women versus men is not an unfounded argument, but tends
to evolve into the mistaken belief that no women are violent.
An honest assessment suggests a more complex reality, in which some
women actively lobby against violence; some remain silent on the issue;
and others actively propagate its use.
The wife of Al-Qaeda’s new leader, Ayman
Al-Zawahiri, for example, famously called on women to “to raise [their]
children in the cult of jihad and martyrdom and to instill in them a
love for religion and death”. Open source
intelligence also reflects instances of mothers pressuring their
husbands and sons to take up arms for the honor of their family, nation,
or religion, or to enact revenge on warring tribes.
Given the not uncommon practice of women
selling their daughters into prostitution, promoting child marriage, or
even running brothels staffed by trafficked girls (a topic for a future
blog post), we would be naive to presume that women lack the agency to
use their brains and brawn for the advancement of malevolent causes.
Perhaps we are so busy advocating for the
involvement of women in productive security processes that we have
discounted when they are destructive. While the vast majority of women
(like men) are constructive citizens, ignoring the bad actors,
regardless of their gender, creates very real and dangerous security
consequences. Downplaying the dark side of women’s power has
perceptional consequences, as well, as it distracts from the facts that
women do impact peace and security, both for good and for bad.
Until we can accept both sides of the coin, our stereotypical responses
will continue to endanger the lives of our military, government, and
civilian populations.
Jane Mosbacher Morris is the Director of Humanitarian Action for the newly-formed McCain Institute for International Leadership,
where she is developing the Institute’s efforts to fight trafficking in
persons, among other issues. Prior to joining the McCain Institute, she
spent over five years at the United States Department of State working
in the Bureau of Counterterrorism and the Secretary’s Office of Global
Women’s Issues. While there, she drafted the Department’s first Women and Counterterrorism Strategy. She graduated from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and holds a MBA from Columbia Business School.
Source: Robert Pape, Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of SuicideTerrorism, Random House, 2005. P. 208-209.
Thousands will gather today in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania to mark the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in a number of low key ceremonies.
The main ceremony will be the ritual reading at New York’s Ground Zero of the names of the 2,983 people who died both on 9/11 and during the 1993 car bombing of the World Trade Center.
The New York skyline has been lit up with twin lights, filling the hole left after the collapse of the twin towers.
President Obama and his wife Michelle will observe the anniversary with a moment of silence outside the White House.
It has been more than two years since Osama Bin Laden was killed at his Abbottabad compound in Pakistan. Even though the Al Qaeda movement was largely weakened by their leader’s death, terrorist attacks are still occurring every day in Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia and many other countries in the name of Al Qaeda and its affiliate organizations. Recent hate crimes, shootings and terrorist attacks in Europe and the US have also shed light on rising sentiments of intolerance towards different cultures and religions in the West.
Sisters Against Violent extremism believes that now more than ever, women around the world must take the lead in the fight against violent extremism in their communities. It is true that in times of war and insecurity women often pay the highest price, nonetheless, SAVE strongly believes that women are also driven to protect their families and best-placed to be a creative force for stability in their households, neighborhoods and cities. Women hold key strategic positions as wives, mothers, educators, social workers and community leaders and are therefore better positioned to prevent the spread of violence by advocating for peace, tolerance and non-violence.
SAVE is launching a brand new film entitled Your Mother that addresses the issue of violent extremism and its impact on mothers around the world. Find out more on our website.
On the occasion of the 11th anniversary of 9/11, SAVE will run the very first Women of One Fabric workshop in Irvington, NY, in partnership with Tuesday’s Children. The workshop will be the primary stage of a global solidarity campaign for women dedicated to creating a united front against violent extremism.
Women of One Fabric uses dialogue to highlight the commonalities of loss and tragedy that result from acts of violent extremism, and will help to create understanding for the role that women must play in order to counteract the rhetoric of revenge and terror. The international workshops form the basis of a global campaign that will attract attention to the universal threat of violent extremism and the painful human aftermath of such acts.
The participants of the Women of One Fabric workshop, New York 2012
Hosted by the Eileen Fisher Leadership Institute at the Company Headquarters in Irvington, a group of women impacted by 9/11 will include pieces of a personal belonging of their loved one in the creation of beautiful sheets of hand-made paper. After the paper has dried, participants will embellish the paper under the guidance of a local artist to depict their emotions of loss, and hope for a future without violent extremism. During the workshop there will be opportunity to foster conversation, mentorship, and outreach opportunities, and subsequently the exhibit will be displayed in Atlanta, Georgia, Washington D.C., New York, and around the world.
With similar workshops in the US, Indonesia, Nigeria, Somalia, India, Pakistan and Northern Ireland, culminating in an international art exhibition, Women of One Fabric will work to create a new narrative of unity and agency instead of division and victimhood.
Arshi Saleem Hashmi
SAVE Chapter Leader in Pakistan
By Arshi Saleem Hashmi with input from Nafeesa Rahman & Husna Ihsan
Project Common Bond is an initiative by Tuesday’s Children, a partner organization of SAVE/Sister against Violent Extremism that provides support for individuals affected by the tragic events of 9/11. Launched in 2008, Project Common Bond brings together teenagers from around the world who share a 'common bond'--the loss of a family member due to an act of violence or terrorism.
Every year, teens gather for an eight-day healing and peace-building symposium where they engage in dialogue and community-building activities that acknowledge and respect their differences while promoting friendship and understanding.
Arshi Saleem Hashmi, SAVE’s Chapter Leader in Pakistan, attended this year’s event with two outstanding young women from Swat, a region that was taken hostage by Taliban fighters for many years. Nafeesa Rahman and Husna Ihsan lost their uncle to a terrorist attack and were relocated to IDP camps after their families’ were forced to leave their homes. When they returned to their village, everything was destroyed, but the girls were determined to go back to school and take on an active role in the rebuilding of their community.
Photo by Project Common Bond
It was an outstanding initiative on part of Tuesday’s Children to invite 75 young girls and boys from 15 countries to share a common bond of humanity with each other. From Pakistan, Nafeesa Rahman and Husna Ihsan took part in Project Common Bond (PCB) 2012 that was held in Boston from July 12-20. The eight-day conference was a great opportunity to meet young people from around the world and learn to better understand different cultures.
The participants were victims of war, conflict, violence and terrorism; and PCB was an opportunity not only to share their pain and grief with one another, but also moments of joy and healing. They all shared the common goal of working towards building a peaceful and secure world through participation in various activities and training sessions on conflict resolution and peace.
Young participants learned to work together in a number of ways: they conducted needs assessments, proposed ideas for projects, thought of creative ways to fundraise and designed their very own program. Some of the main themes discussed were social awareness, responsiveness, flexibility, empathy, caring, communication, humor and having a sense of purpose for the future, including having healthy expectations, goals, and orientation towards success. The participants also stressed on the crucial importance of young people’s involvement in the development of programs that shape policies affecting their future.
Sharing the common goal of rejecting violence and violent extremism encourages young people to stand united against forces that induce chaos, distrust and hostility to safeguard their vested interest. Most of the violence that occurs around us is due to misunderstanding and lack of trust, but this can change if we take the time to get to know other cultures, and hold on to the common goal of building a more peaceful world for future generations.
Edit Schlaffer, Founder and
Executive Director of WWB/SAVE
By Edit Schlaffer
Although Pakistan has become a household name in the West, what do we actually know about the country? Military strategists as well as political and social analysts all agree that there is a steady, dangerous downward spiral at every level of society. Pakistan is considered a safe haven for Taliban insurgents, and the country's nuclear capabilities are great cause for concern. Corruption is prevalent; rule of law is the exception and lack of electricity the norm. The majority of the country goes without power for close to 20 hours a day. And "without power" is an apt metaphor for the political system - there is no people's power. The military rules with an iron fist, and violent extremists terrorize vast parts of the country including the capital.
Last week I traveled to Pakistan and witnessed firsthand its security challenges. Equally alarming is the growing intolerance of America and the West.
Swat Woman
Copyright Women without Borders
Our partner in Islamabad arranged for a group of seven women from the Swat valley - formerly the touristic hope of the country, the so-called "Switzerland" of Pakistan before the Taliban established a stronghold in the area - to travel to Islamabad so that I could speak with them personally and privately. The women, all illiterate housewives with multiple children, told me how they reacted when Fazlullah, locally known as the "Radio Mullah," first arrived in Swat 10 years ago. Fazlullah strategically recognized the power women can wield over their families and communities in the region and was the first to address women directly and call for their support "to fight for their faith and country" through radio sermons. In the Swat Valley, an extremely impoverished region, a woman's most valuable belongings are her wedding jewelry, which also ensures her status in the community. Women must be married to gain legitimacy within the society. After hearing Fazlullah's fiery addresses, the women of Swat donated their gold wedding bands and necklaces to support his cause, resulting in over two kilograms of gold to finance his jihad. Some even encouraged their sons and husbands to join his group, to supposedly pay their tribute to Islam and Fazlullah's struggle. Soon, however, the women realized that Fazlullah only brought violence and misery. Family members who refused to join or publicly disagreed with his ideologies and methods were symbolically and brutally murdered in the street as a bloody warning to others.
Even in the face of such gruesome threats, the women of Swat are now determined to defeat Fazlullah and the death and destruction he represents. Halda, one of my interview partners, insists: "If Fazlullah comes to our area again and the men fail to stop him, then we women will take up the fight against him."
It is ironic that it was a Talib who first recognized the potential and power of women in the Swat Valley and to directly and explicitly call on them to support a cause. He tried to use them. But the women soon saw through him when they recognized how his "jihad" was negatively impacting their families, and they demystified the dangers of his ideologies and consequent actions.
It is now high time for policy makers and strategists to tap into the incredible power of women around the world and to connect with civil society as the primary driver in daily life.
Ahmed Rashid, the acclaimed expert on Pakistani affairs and the Taliban, entitled his last book "Pakistan on the Brink," with a very interesting subtitle - "The Future of Afghanistan, Pakistan and the West." Our futures are interconnected. Radicalization in distant areas such as the Swat Valley will certainly have global consequences and affect the safety and security of our world.
These women, who were willing to share their stories with me, are on a mission. They all brought with them pictures of their missing husbands or sons. Their men were generally lured into the terrorist network, and when they tried to escape they were imprisoned by the military. Now they are missing, either dead or in an unknown military prison, and the women are struggling to find even the smallest indication of their whereabouts. In an extremely volatile region, they are looking for certainty.
Children of Swat Valley
Copyright Women without Borders
The women were accompanied by male guardians on their trip to Islamabad. One was 17 years old and a former Talib; he had been recruited at the age of 12. He has been able to escape the grip of Fazlullah's forces, and his dream is now to study - to learn something and to become somebody, but it will be difficult. He is now solely responsible for feeding, clothing and protecting his female family members, as his older brother and father disappeared - captured either by the military or the Taliban shortly after he returned home.
Another guardian is an old man, frail with a long beard. When he talks about his five sons who have all disappeared, he starts crying. Showing such emotion is very unusual for a man in his cultural context. He apologizes and says, "I am crying my eyes out. Soon I will be blind. Can blind people cry?" He has accompanied three of his five daughters-in-law to Islamabad, for whom he is the only source of support now. The women brought along six young children between them - of course, how could I forget that this could happen? We rush to the market to get a few toys - cars for the boys and princess crowns for the girls, anticipating that this would not be the moment to challenge gender stereotypes. The women were pleased. One woman said to me, "My daughter will wear this on her wedding day." The girl is nine years-old. This article was originally posted on the Womenetics website on 24 July 2012.
"A teacher comforts a school child as they
observe a minute of silence at a Jewish school in Paris to pay tribute
to the four victims killed by a gunman at a Jewish school in Toulouse,
March 20, 2012." Photo Credit: Reuters.
By killing seven French citizens, the suspect in
the tragic Toulouse murders, Mohamed Merah, has sought—in his own
words—to “bring France to its knees.” Merah reportedly joined the
Islamist group Forsane Alizza (Knights of Pride), whose primary goal is to “protect the honor of Muslim women.” Now that the suspect has been
killed, the central point will not be whether Al Qaeda or any other
terrorist group claim responsibility for the attack—this is now about
our responsibility as global civil society. We, non-Muslims and Muslims
across ethnic, religious, and ideological divides, must stand up and
speak out against terrorism. We cannot afford to be silent bystanders—a
self-styled jihadist cannot be allowed to question our values that
create a common bond of humanity. As Elie Wiesel, the Nobel Laureate and
Holocaust survivor, once said, there are only two categories of people:
good and evil. Now is the moment not only to choose where we belong,
but also to take action and to defend our values and beliefs. Earlier on
Wednesday, President Sarkozy called on his fellow citizens "to
unite together to show that terrorism will not be able to fracture our
national community." We must extend this call to action beyond national
boundaries to all of humanity.
The
question “who was Mohamed Merah,” whom experts describe as a lone wolf
and an Al Qaeda jihadi, the nice young next-door-neighbor who turned
into an ideologically-driven killing machine, will occupy police and
terrorism analysts for many years to come. We at Women without
Borders/SAVE believe we have to broaden the analytical spectrum of
community and family-based approaches to prevention.
The attacks in Norway are a wake-up call for all of us. Social polarization among Europe`s diverse ethnic and religious communities has the potential to challenge the fundaments of social cohesion which is the fabric that holds open societies together. Stereotypical assumptions about “the other” rather than robust bridgebuilding efforts have set the stage for the ideologies of hate, social polarization and exclusion.
Multiculturalism is not a promise and not a threat, but always a work in progress, and its success is based on open communication, participation and fairness from and for all parties involved. Our daily observations will certainly confirm research findings showing that interactions across communities have not been established except for high-level dialogue efforts which have tended to take place between elites, while prejudice, real and projected problems and mutual suspicion in society at large have persisted. Systematic people-to-people contact across community divides at all levels need to be encouraged. The function that women can play in this regard is significant. Their role as educators of the next generation and key players of civil society is often under-estimated or overlooked.
SAVE is currently reaching out particularly to mothers to build their self-confidence and political awareness, and sensitize them to currents of radicalization in their communities in order to position them as key allies in the creation of the social cohesion needed to ensure a stable future for all of us.
Please read the perspectives of SAVE Sisters and leading women from around the globe on how Europe and the wider world can move towards a future where we are able to live together peacefully.
Farah Pandith, Special Representative to Muslim Communities, U.S. State Department
In my role as Special Representative to Muslim Communities, I have traveled all over the world -- to every region -- and I see firsthand the impact lexicon and actions have to communities. How we talk about each other, treat each other, and talk with each other matters. It is important that people of every faith, ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic group treat each other with dignity and respect. Knowledge of “the other” is immensely important. If you can learn about someone who is different, you can form the foundation for a relationship and increased understanding. One way to build respect is to work on projects or issues that are of mutual interest to distinct communities. By working together on challenges like health, childhood education, or the environment, bonds can be formed that are stronger than the differences between people. At the U.S. State Department we are mobilizing President Obama’s call to action for mutual interest and mutual respect. This year, Secretary Clinton launched the 2011 Hours Against Hate campaign (www.facebook.com/2011hoursagainsthate), which asks young people around the world to volunteer their time for someone who doesn’t look like them, live like them, pray like them. Bigotry and hate-language is increasing around the world, while at the same time I see young people across the planet talking about the world they want to live in—a world where old barriers are broken and people can come together to work on common challenges. This campaign is one small step toward creating stronger communities that embrace and celebrate diversity. We all must do our part.
Anita Pratap, Indian journalist living in Oslo
This tragedy is so deep it has wounded Norway's soul. Not even in their wildest nightmares could Norwegians conceive that a disaster of such epic proportions would strike them. A shocked and bereaved nation stands united. They are united not only in their grief, but also in their shared values. This tragedy is a wake up call to remind us that serpents lurk even in Eden. For, if there is a paradise on earth, it is indeed Norway - not only for its spectacular natural landscape but also in epitomizing the best human values of tolerance, peace, egalitariaism, gender rights, transparency, ethics and rule of law. While they could not prevent this tragedy, Norwegians have also shown us how to move forward - with the silent majority strongly reaffirming multiculturalism as well as these cherished universal human values that Norway epitomizes. Muslim immigrants and ethnic Christian Norwegians mourned together - for among the dead were young Muslims who had integrated with the democratic political mainstream. Despite the national outrage against the perpetrator, Norwegian citizenry defended his legal rights. It is by exercising our cherished human values and reaffirming our faith in multiculturalism during times of gravest provocation that we defeat violent extremists who are the real enemies of peace and tolerance.
Sasha Havlicek, CEO/Director, Institute for Strategic Dialogue, London
What we have seen with the tragic events in Norway is how certain narratives that have regained mainstream momentum across Europe can provide a sense of moral justification to those that would do harm. With such painful evidence of how dangerous extremist ideology is in all its guises, we must also tackle the subtler, widespread narratives that serve to part-justify those views. We must stand together across communities to be successful. Women who have been directly affected by extremism are doing just that through SAVE. Whether extremisms lead to violence or just to fuelling suspicion and division, they are a problem that weaken our society and that we have to address together.
Hibaaq Osman, SAVE Board Member, Cairo
This tragedy has touched me in a very personal way. I have children the same age and I send them to camps and just to think that these kids were shot at close range is despicable. The Islamophobia in Europe and the US has been of the utmost concern to us, politically and otherwise, and this tragedy should be blamed on all the political parties, media, bloggers and radio programs that are encouraging these right wing groups and campaigning on this issue. The hatred is now focused on the Muslims but soon it could be on everyone who looks different and thinks different. We should fight together against terrorism, racism and extremism by remembering and taking to heart Pastor Martin Niemöller’s courageous words:
First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.
Fahmia Al-Fotih, SAVE Yemen
We have not recovered yet from the heinous terrorist acts that hit Bombay recently. An now the mass killings in Norway have strongly shaken the world specially as the act happened in a place known for peace and a country that annually presents Noble Prize for peace! The heinous act has also shaken some common concepts and stereotypes related to terrorism and extremism in which Muslims are always the first suspect. That has also reassured the world that terrorism knows no religion, no culture and no specific place. It is a threat for all and which rings the alarm for all of us that we should work collectively and look for serious actions and ways to prevent more massacres.
Carla Goldstein, Director of the Women’s Institute of the Omega Institute, New York
The Norway tragedy could happen anywhere - no place or people are immune from terrorist violence. The ending of extreme violence will not happen solely by traditional law enforcement, military, or retributive responses, so we must take up the extraordinary effort of building a new way of living on the planet together. Globalization connected us through transportation and information superhighways, and now we must build a new kind of superhighway – an empathy superhighway -- based on the understanding that the well-being of every individual is deeply connected to the well-being of all people and all living things. This empathy superhighway will connect us through compassionate and loving relationships, and will provide the networks and mechanisms to reconcile our differences, heal past traumas, and find ways to share the world’s precious resources more equitably and sustainably. The good news is that this work is well underway, and women are taking a leadership role in communities around the globe. Women who have suffered from losing their loved ones through violence, or who themselves have suffered from rape or domestic violence, are joining a global anti-violence movement and saying “enough is enough.” They are risking everything to reach across enemy lines and build a more peaceful world. Throughout history there has been a call to the women of the world to join together to end the bloodshed of war -- and the profound grief from Norway raises again the urgency of that call.
Norma Shearer, CEO of Training for Women Network, Research Partner of Women without Borders, Belfast
I stand in solidarity with Norwegian women and the people of Norway following the unacceptable violent attacks on 22 July 2011. This violence is an assault on democracy itself and young people attempting to engage with democratic processes. We in Northern Ireland know something of the grief which accompanies these horrendous and indiscriminate acts of violence and our thoughts and prayers are with the surviving victims and the many grieving families who are left so devastated. Of note in the wake of the attack was the speculation that those responsible were Islamic extremists which brings to light the anti-Muslim ‘tendencies’ that are attempting to embed themselves into Western Europe. There needs to be a policy debate and action from all state actors over whether governments are too ‘tunnel-visioned’ when it comes to combating extremist violence. There is the danger that by focussing solely on Islamic militants it contributes and encourages greater anti-Muslim sentiments as well as detracting from the threat of home-grown radicals not associated with Islam. Combating radical extremism requires dealing with these embedded ‘tendencies’ which in so many cases are learnt in the home, highlighting the important role of the mother in educating the next generation as either radical extremists or tolerant accepters of the “other”. My prayers and thoughts go out to all those in Oslo who have lost innocent loved ones and friends who are the very fabric of the future of society. It will take many years for the grief and hurt to heal and if any good can come of such a tragedy it will require courage, vision and education in order to allow us all to live in peace, understanding and tolerance.”
Siham Abu Awwad, SAVE Palestine
As a human being and especially as a woman, I believe we can always solve our problems through non-violent actions. I believe that Islam is always the religion of peace so I am sending my support to the Norwegian people in the hope that it’s the last violent action in Norway. I live in a crazy country full of violence and daily I meet mothers who are full of pain. As a member of SAVE, I, my organization and my nation are against all the faces of terror.
Pamela Philipose, Senior Journalist and Director of Women's Feature Service, Delhi
I remember reading somewhere (I think it was in Rushdie's Midnight's Children), that on the day Gandhi was shot dead, the one thought running through the minds of Muslims in India was this: "God, let it not be a Muslim." The presence of terrorism inspired by Islam is without doubt undeniable, but the Norway tragedy reminds us how untenable and dangerous are facile positions like "All terrorists are Muslims". In fact it is precisely such attitudes that contribute towards creating the horrifyingly delusional world of killers like Breivek. The Norwegian tragedy reminds us that geographical stereotyping doesn't work in a world connected by rapid travel, the internet and hatreds of various kinds. The bomb attack and shooting exposed the fact that reality is always far more complex than the human imagination can comprehend. This attack should be seized as a moment to build bridges between Europe's diverse communities in ways that are imaginative, humane and non-bureaucratic. The main vehicle for this is education, education and more education. Not just in schools but also in neighbourhoods and government apparatuses. Women are largely absent in conflict resolution. Their voices and experiences must inform policy discussions at all levels.
Beatriz Abril Alegre, who lost her brother Óscar in the 2004 Madrid train bombings
We have just come to realize how dangerous racism is. Maybe some people thought that the threats in Europe come from the outside; however, now we see that this is not a question of nationality or religion, but a question of extremism, whichever form it may take, all of them with fatal consequences. I send my condolences to all those families who have lost their loved ones, whose life has changed forever. I encourage them to fight their grief not with hatred or revenge, but with tolerance and peace: the only way to a better world.
Yesterday, SAVE Sisters and women leaders from around the world sent in their statements of solidarity with the families of victims of Wednesday's bombings in Mumbai. Further statements continue to flow in, showing the strength of international support.
Arshi Saleem Hashmi, Assistant Professor, Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, National Defence University (NDU), Karachi, Pakistan
It is indeed sad to see innocent people becoming the target of those who define humans as mere objects of their cruelty and means to achieve their goals. People dying in Pakistan or India, in Afghanistan or Israel or Palestine - it is not just those who lose their lives but hundreds of associated human lives that suffer every day. The only way to counter these acts of cowardliness is to defy their goal; that is, instead of surrendering to this game of death, we must continue to move forward, and women, more than men, need to take the family forward in defeating them through their resolve. Terrorism succeeds when the other side gives up the fight. Just like Pakistani women who, after every act of terrorism, come out and convince their families to continue their life and not to give up, Indian women are a source of strength and we Pakistanis admire Indian women who challenge and resist any act of injustice and violence. I am sure that this time as well, Indian women will encourage their families to fight violent extremism through collective efforts.
Phyllis Rodriguez, Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, USA
As the mother of a victim of the attacks on the World Trade Center in NYC on 9/11/01, I am deeply saddened by this attack in Mumbai. The rich and long tradition of nonviolence in India makes it all the more disturbing. Re-evaluation of domestic and international policies, plus negotiation, diplomacy and intelligence work are the only meaningful ways to lessen the incidence of such extremist acts. Women can be leaders in this.
Saba Naqvi, Senior Writer, Outlook News Magazine, Delhi
We have been mostly free of the terror and communal debate for the last few years. An event like this is not just tragic because of the horror and the lives lost and damaged, but because it opens the fault lines for communal mobilization. We should not ignore the fact that in recent years Hindu terror groups were found responsible for strikes that were originally blamed on Muslim terrorists. As far as the terror paradigm goes we must keep an open mind. Whoever is behind this it is a great tragedy for a great city like Mumbai to again face this. Mumbai will again endure, survive, and rise above small passions to get down to business. Samia Al-Haddad, Yemeni Organization for Development and Rehabilitation
The Yemen Organization strongly condemns the outrageous attacks in Mumbai, which took place Wednesday evening, killing 21 people and injuring 113 others. We call upon all regional and international organizations and all the decent people and governments of the world in the East and the West to support Indian efforts to overcome these deplorable terrorist attacks, and to support all countries that are a target to such crimes, mass murders and human rights violations.
Juliann Campbell, Journalist, Derry Journal, Northern Ireland
Obviously this is a tragedy for all concerned and the widespread devastation and fear caused by these latest blasts will last much longer than any clean up operation or police investigation. The international community should unite in condemnation against these terrorists and support the people of Mumbai as much as they possibly can. Violence solves nothing. Discussion and a shared sense of compromise can solve many problems.
Catherine Cooke, Foyle Womens Information Network, Northern Ireland I am sad and disgusted to hear of the blasts in Mumbai on Wednesday the 13th July 2011 – I send my heartfelt wishes of love, sympathy and sincerity to all those affected by the blasts - We all suffer when freedom is threatened and we are resigned to look over our shoulders again – I would like the women of the world to say enough is enough and we need to double our efforts in building the peace globally!
Yesterday, three bombs exploded in Mumbai, India, killing at least 18 people and injuring more than 100, in the fourth terrorist attacks on India’s financial capital since 2003. Two and a half years ago, on 26 November 2008, 164 people lost their lives as terrorists invaded the city in a series of coordinated bombing and shooting attacks. For SAVE, Mumbai has a special significance, because it was on that day in 2008 that we held our first international conference, bringing 33 women from around the world together to strategize on new ways to counter violent extremism.
Yesterday’s attacks are a reminder of the importance of the SAVE mission. Mumbai unfortunately seems to be just as vulnerable today as during the fateful days of 26/11. We must recognize the need for smart security that does not rely solely on military or police responses. Prevention of terrorism begins at the community level, where frustrations, anger and disillusion take root. Women can be key allies in educating the next generation to take the non-violent response and to bridge divides rather than exacerbate them. SAVE is currently running the Mothers for Change! Confidence and Computer training workshop in Mumbai with women whose relatives were on duty as police officers during the 26/11 terror attacks. The workshop is an integrated confidence-building, peace education and income-generation program. The program allows women to bring something to the table, therefore increasing their decision-making power in the home, while also teaching them mediation techniques and encouraging them to intervene when youth show signs of radicalization. This pilot program is a first step in the step-by-step process of changing attitudes.
SAVE Sisters and women leaders around the world raise their voices against violent extremism and the latest attacks in Mumbai.
Archana Kapoor, SAVE India
Archana Kapoor, SAVE India
Archana Kapoor was in Mumbai yesterday coordinating the SAVE Mothers for Change! Confidence and Computer Training workshop.
I or any of the women I work with could have been a victim of the 13/7 terror attack in Mumbai. I am so glad that my trainees, trainers and I are safe. But what about those 18 casualties and their families? The 150 injured? On July 12, the day before the attacks, I spent a lot of time thinking about how to commemorate the anniversary of 26/11. A lot of people I talked to were not convinced about doing another event. It seemed that many more people were losing their lives in accidents. But this attack on a normal day, on an otherwise peaceful day, has made us all sit up and think again. Acts of terror and extremism confront us every day, and we cannot just sit back and thank God for keeping us and our close ones safe. SAVE India works towards empowering women to say NO to extremism. It is in this spirit that SAVE started the Mothers for Change! Confidence and Computer Training. The resilience of the women of Mumbai is apparent through the 100% attendance in all three of our classes today.
Dr. Kanchana Mahadevan, Reader, Department of Philosophy, University of Mumbai
These blasts are reminders of how our lives are fragile and deeply interconnected. Like the previous instances, yesterday's violent acts too are perhaps skewed ways of settling scores for not getting justice in courts of law. The people who have died and who have been hurt are suffering for the wrongs that have been perpetuated by others. Our responses have to be empathetic and balanced. Besides helping the victims, what we also need are efforts to build confidence amidst diverse communities, so that such violence is abandoned. For this we need the courts of law to deliver justice, we need jobs, we need cultures that cut across communal lines. Mumbai has risen to such confidence-building in the past - it did so yesterday, it will continue to do so in the future. Citizens- women in particular- have taken the lead in constructing such multiple spaces. All of us have to continue with these measures, and keep our resilience and compassion alive.
Seema Mustafa, Journalist and Television Presenter, Delhi
The government has to be commended for not making wild guesses, as politicians usually do, as to who is behind the attack. But one can say with almost total certainty that once the wails of the victims and their relatives subside, the planted stories aimed at dividing society will start appearing in the media. It is important now for the Opposition to be responsible and not make statements that polarize sentiment along communal lines. Who did it is of course an important question, more so as no organization has claimed responsibility. But given the fact that the Indian investigating agencies have chased shadows for years before realizing entirely different organizations for responsible for attacks such as the Mecca Masjid blasts, the Samjhauta train blasts, it is important for the authorities to establish facts before addressing the media. Scores of innocent persons were arrested, tortured and maimed in custody for crimes they had not committed. This creates tensions that cut into the secular fabric of the country, and this must be avoided. The aftermath of a terror attack, if badly handled, can have long term repercussions as devastating for a wounded country as the blast itself. Professor Anuradha M. Chenoy, Professor of International Relations at Jawharlal University and Author of Militarism and Women in South Asia, Delhi
The bomb blasts in Mumbai, last evening, have traumatized the city and India once again. The purpose of the terrorists remains the same: To create public fear in communities against each other, so that people retreat from secular public spaces into primary identity groups that extract their loyalty and obedience. Fundamentalists use terror for mind control. Controlling the autonomy of women, liberal ideas and peace activists is a critical part of their agenda. It should come as no surprise that India-Pakistan foreign secretary peace talks are to be held next week. Fundamentalist are scared of peace, because it decreases their power and role. State responses should not be the only counter to non-state terrorist groups, because binaries exclude other voices. Rakshanda Jalil, Author, Delhi
This mindlessness has to stop. We have to pluck ourselves off the downward spiral that leads to violence and more violence.
Pamela Philipose, Senior Journalist and Director of Women’s Feature Service (WFS), Delhi
Every time the residents of Mumbai emerge from the trauma of multiple attacks, they are laid low yet again in a pattern that has now become horribly familiar. The attempt now, as always, is to terrorize and demoralize people, pit community against community, create a general climate of fear and undermine the well-being of millions of women and men who want nothing but to carry on with their lives in their chosen city. Such moments demand the coming together of all those committed to human security. They need to speak out against such heinous attacks and condemn terrorism of all kinds, whether by individuals, criminal groups, political outfits or state actors. The region needs to hear their voices as they continue in their efforts to build peace – not in the abstract but as a force that can transform ordinary lives and defeat projects based on spreading fear and hatred.
Shobhaa De, Author of the Column “Politically Incorrect” in The Times of India, Bestselling Novelist and Journalist, Mumbai
I am convinced there is something seriously wrong with us, the people of Mumbai. We are the ‘most attacked’ city on earth… and we accept this dubious ‘honor’ passively, like it is a part of our collective destiny to be frequently bombed. This is not stoicism, it is not resignation, and it most certainly isn’t resilience. So what is it? We think we are being heroic when we react like this when, in fact, we are being foolish. We do nothing about this sorry state of affairs and carry on like blasts are ‘normal’. And they are going to keep bombing us. You know why? Because they can. We refuse to hold anybody responsible. We refuse to make anybody answerable. We refuse to protest. What do we do instead? We show off! We get back to business as usual within hours of an attack and boast about it to the world. As if it’s something to be deliriously proud of. The facts are slightly different. Mumbai is attacked over and over again for the simple reason that it is POSSIBLE!
Mossarat Qadeem, SAVE Pakistan
Mossarat Qadeem, SAVE
Pakistan
We in Pakistan share our solidarity and sympathy with those who lost loved ones yesterday. Pakistan is affected by terrorism daily, and we do not want anyone to suffer the way we suffer. Women are the most affected by conflict and violence, and it is time for the women of India and Pakistan to come together and make a pledge to address violent extremism. Women must start working on their home ground through advocacy, education and creation of awareness for peaceful resolutions. We must build trust between our countries. The international community should come forward and pressure the governments of South Asia to deal with these incidents with maturity. India and Pakistan must join hands and understand the roots of the problem to try to resolve it together, rather than blaming one another. Maureen Fox, SAVE Northern Ireland
Maureen Fox, SAVE Northern Ireland
Fellow Survivors, I am disgusted and appalled by the blasts in Mumbai on Wednesday 13 July 2011, happening in a week that already marks the fifth anniversary of the Mumbai Train Blasts. I send my love and thoughts to ALL who have been affected by this tragedy; the mothers who have lost their sons or husbands, the daughters who have lost their father or brother or sister. You are not alone! I am sad - I am sad because I am neither shocked or surprised. Is this what we have become? Is this our 'normal' existence? This language of bombs, hurt and death is a 'disease' in our world. Who is next? Is it you? or your family? What choices can we make to change this violence, this mindset, this way of life?
This, my sisters is OUR world, when our child is sick we want to cure them, when our family is hungry we want to feed them, when our friends are in need we want to help them, and we can! Let's help our world to rid itself of this global disease. Use our voices and lead by example. When we educate our children, we educate our family, when we educate our family, we educate a community. Educate a community and you can educate a nation. Educate a nation? Well, that's where we go global! Together we WILL be heard.
Anne Carr, Dialogue Practioner, SAVE Northern Ireland
My heart goes out to the wonderful people of Mumbai in the aftermath of another senseless, brutal attack on their people. I was so privileged to spend a very special week with women and children who had been bereaved and injured in the previous attacks on Mumbai, helping them to share their stories and learn with, care with, understand with one another whatever their background, whatever their faith, women so brave and so violated through violence. I stand close to you all today and to those families again having to come to terms with this latest vicious attack on humanity. Women of the world will continue to work together tirelessly and with absolute resolve to build a global community with a special place for everyone, where there is ease with difference and where our children can grow up free from the disastrous realities of violence in all its forms.
Shaimaa Abdel Fattah, SAVE Egypt
Shaimaa Abdel Fattah, SAVE Egypt
Such attacks are only the result of ignorance and ruthlessness. There is no justification whatsoever for murdering innocent citizens. None of the religious sects support violence per se. It's our role now, to fight terrorism in all its forms and condemn those guilty of it. I take this chance to extend my condolences to the crisis-stricken families and promise to be a part of making this world a better place for us to live in. Shahira Amin, Journalist, Egypt
I was deeply shocked to hear about the blasts in Mumbai. We have seen the power of peaceful protests, so no one can condone this kind of violence. I am sure that it won’t realize the goals of whatever these terrorists were trying to achieve. Violence only breeds more violence. It’s really regrettable that some people are still resorting to violence, for the killing of innocent civilians will never succeed in achieving any goals. I feel very strongly about this because we have seen the power of peaceful protests.
Dina Sadek, Journalist, Egypt
Those people [who carried out the attacks] are programmed to believe that what they are doing is the right thing, and that is the real problem here. They justify their terrorism attacks as “for the sake of God”, but God himself said in the Quran “God never changes the condition of a people until they change within themselves”. Nothing will change unless those people understand religion the way it is supposed to be, rather than their messy interpretation of it. Hibaaq Osman, SAVE Board Member, Egypt
There is absolutely no justification for killing innocent people. Everyone should make a strong statement against such acts. Acts of terrorism do not only occur in India or Afghanistan, they could happen anywhere. No one is safe. This was not an act of justice; it was an act of murder. We need to call it what it is.
Robi Damelin, SAVE Israel
How many more people must die, how many more bombs must explode, how many more bereaved families need to be created before we all recognize that the nonviolent way is the only way to achieve a goal? It is time for women from every corner of the world to say enough. We all must say enough.
From June 6-8, 13 inspirational women came together in Vienna to share their experiences as activists and mothers in countering violent extremism. The Mothers MOVE conference gave participants from Yemen, Northern Ireland, Egypt, Pakistan, Indonesia, Nigeria, Israel and Palestine the opportunity to hear from women from different cultural contexts, with the aim of learning from each other’s experiences, sharing best practices and comparing the similarities and differences of mothers’ role in the security arena between cultures.
Our good friends at the US-European Media Hub in Brussels captured these women's voices in a short film that captures the essence of the discussions over the three day conference. This video is dedicated to the memory of Werner Ertel, the cameraman who filmed the conference and many other Women without Borders events. Werner was truly a brother to our cause, and he will be deeply missed.
Consultant Mehru Jaffer and film-maker Ali Hasnain also filmed the event, capturing the activists' statements about how women as mothers can combat violent extremism.
By Arshi Saleem Hashmi, Assistant Professor, National Defence University, Member SAVE Pakistan
How does an eight-year-old child react to the so-called injustices by the West against the “Muslim world”? Most probably by doing nothing, for it is beyond the capacity of a child of this age to comprehend and interpret justice and injustice. So when a group of women and men kidnapped and forced a girl of 8 years of age to wear a suicide jacket, she resisted. In her own little world, God is beautiful, caring and very loving. Dying to please that God is not something that fits well in her world. This is what happens when kids are kidnapped or taken from their parents by so-called religious groups and used as human bombs.
Women suicide bombers are not a new thing in Pakistan, although they are rare. The first case of a woman suicide bomber was in 2009 when a woman killed many in Peshawar. Then in December 2010, a woman killed 45 people who were queuing for food in the Bajur area in a suicide attack. In February 2011, again in the Bajur area, a woman suicide bomber was arrested. Though the number of women suicide bombers is very low, it is certainly a dangerous trend. According to the figures of the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies, more than 52 would-be female suicide bombers were arrested by the police and other law-enforcement agencies across Pakistan in 2010.
A girl captured in 2010 revealed on TV that she and her younger sister were told by her father and brother to give their life for God and in return they will go to heaven. The younger sister detonated the bomb, but the elder couldn’t do it and got arrested. In October 2004,a member of Lashkar-e-Jhanghvi,(LeJ) Gul Hasan, was arrested over suicide attacks against two Shiite mosques in Karachi. During investigations, he revealed that LeJ was planning to launch suicide attacks using female bombers. According to media reports, Hasan had reportedly trained two of his nieces, both students at a school in Karachi, to carry out suicide attacks without the consent of their parents. Gul’s wife, who is also said to have been a member of LeJ, made the girls leave their home for the “holy mission.” Their father searched for them and even filed a case with the police regarding their disappearance. The girls were arrested in Swat in June 2005.
Former female religious teachers of Lal Masjid, (Red mosque in Islamabad) have also been reported to have trained women to avenge the Lal Masjid operation. Bomber recruiters brainwashed female and male seminarians, below six to seven years of age, for jihad. Their families are generally told that they would undergo training, but those from the outskirts of Islamabad and Rawalpindi are generally kidnapped as their parents are not convinced that they should send their children for jihad. Religious groups like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipah-e-Sahaba and a network of women working under the banner of Tehreek-e-Islami are all involved in using women as suicide bombers. Sometimes the target is military and sometimes it is against other sectarian groups.
Most of the time the young girls are forced to obey family elders, be it father, brother, or any other male family elder. They are supposed to accept what they are being told. Such women and young girls are unfortunate members of families who are sympathetic towards militants or are actively involved in militancy. The women have no choice of their own. Contrary to other parts of the world, militancy in Pakistani women is not an independent phenomenon. They do not “decide” to become a terrorist but are forced to obey. This does not mean that every woman in Pakistan is forced to obey their families. Many urban educated families in particular have a different attitude. It is mostly in tribal areas that women are supposed to follow what they are told.
The gloomy scenario however does not mean that Pakistani women have surrendered to extremism and militancy. In fact they have been reacting against it whichever way it was possible. The girl who refused to wear the suicide jacket is an indication that religious extremism is unacceptable and it is mostly forced and not willingly approved. Last year in October, when Meera, a girl whose father and brother forced her to become suicide bomber, she not only refused, she came out in public and exposed the situation in front of the media. Women in urban and also rural areas have rejected the notion of Jihad through violent means. Those who are influenced are in the minority and despite their organized efforts they have not been able to actually recruit young girls and women in large numbers. Usually it is coercion or violence that made these girls follow the footsteps of male militants.
The struggle against violent extremism is obvious among women of all classes and regions in Pakistan. The school girls in Swat whose schools were destroyed by the Taliban came out with more enthusiasm despite the threat, and reminded the government that more than anything they needed their schools back. School class rooms are the best places to teach young minds about peaceful coexistence, tolerance and religious harmony. A rigorous revision of school syllabus for public schools will help in encouraging young children to be more tolerant towards other faiths. Mothers in these affected areas are now more vigilant of their children by keeping an eye on their association with any such group or people who could influence their young minds. Rather than long speeches which do not make sense to a common woman, small meetings in cities, town, and villages to discuss personal experiences would help women to take this message to hundreds of other women in their families and towns. This one step helps to create a chain of likeminded women who reject extremism not only for themselves but for their men as well as their children. Women have a powerful role to play. Their role in deterring violent extremism is even more powerful then the role of being an extremist. This is what SAVE believes and its “Mothers for Change” project essentially targets that. Once women are convinced that violent extremism is self destructive, they will be the best source to influence their children which will eventually contain militancy.
The social, political and security situation has not deterred the Pakistani women, they have never endorsed violent extremism and they will never support it. The more women become a target of violent extremism, the more they will react against it. Fortunately Pakistani media and civil society are backing the women who are challenging and questioning the dictates of the religious extremists.
Pakistani women do not “Decide” to become suicide bomber but they certainly have the courage to say NO to dying in the name of religion. They have decided that come what may, they will not surrender to violent extremism.
