Poverty and Terrorism
By Ahmed Khan
Terrorism is a disease that has afflicted all nations, and civilized nations
have done their best to eradicate it. However, there are factors that promote
terrorism, and the desperation that begets terrorism-- poverty, suffering, and
lack of fundamental services. The linkage of poverty with terrorism and violence
seems to exist in all places, whether developed or under-developed, and it is
easy to see why: people who might not have too much to live for are more willing
to take up arms and fight for causes that seem unjust to many, than those of
us who live comfortable lives with access to basic services such as healthcare,
housing, and steady supply of food and clean water. In addition, some of those
in lower socio-economic positions might also feel more committed to fundamental
ideologies fostered by lack of education; and more willing to hold on to the
ideologies which provide an enemy to target, rather than learn about the teachings
of tolerance and peace.
The notion is certainly not a novel one that poverty, disease and the hopelessness
of life in much of the world are the root causes of terrorism. But it also deserves
mention that the same factors might also influence seemingly "normal"
people to commit acts of terror, as they feel they are left with no other choice-
i.e., when we feel we are at risk, we take action in our own ways, regardless
of country or socio-economic status. The current “War on Terrorism”
is a good example of how people who are otherwise untouched by terrorism, all
of a sudden are thrust into the middle of a global conflict because of a single
act of violence. This same reaction can be attributed to acts of violence and
counter-violence prevalent in any conflict. At the World Summit on Poverty held
in Monterrey, Mexico in March of this year, the very goal of world leaders was
to stamp out poverty as a motivation for terrorism. United Nations Secretary
General said "No-one in this world can feel comfortable, or safe, while
so many are suffering and deprived." And it is easy to understand these
sentiments when you look at the fact the most crime-ridden areas of any major
city are those that are also inhabited by the poorest of the city. The world's
poorest countries or those areas of a country that are under constant threat
can easily be considered breeding grounds for terrorists. However, it also remains
the responsibility of an increasingly global society to promote well-being in
such areas; for now, we can claim to want to do so not just on humanitarian
grounds but also for self-preservation.
Poverty can lead to terrorism very simply because of the lack of options presented
to the terrorist. If someone has nothing to lose because that person can claim
nothing but ideas, then it is easy to stand up and fight. However, give that
person a home, land, and education, the ideals may still remain, but the means
by which the person will fight for them will change. And this is the problem
facing people today. Lots of people that enter terrorist training camps, join
fanatic religious organizations, or extremist political parties, have often
times been left with no other option. They are ignorant to the ways of the world,
and indeed the ways of their own fellow human beings, but because of their situation,
feel they have no other option but to take up arms and fight the ones whom they
feel have done them wrong and created that environment in the first place. This
is where the industrialized nations of the world need to assist governments
to a much greater degree in preventing these havens of instability from forming.
It is imperative that civil society become proactive in eradicating disease,
famine, and poverty from all corners of the globe. For if there is genuine concern,
followed by action, shown by everyone as opposed to a general lack of empathy,
there will be less left to fight for, resulting in fewer amounts of conflicts.
This is perhaps the greatest responsibility on the world’s shoulders.
However, it is not only the wallet that has to be opened up in order to stem
the rot of growing terrorism. People need to also start thinking about the root
causes of conflicts and how they started, instead of just trying to end the
problem once it looms large. For if the problem has not really been addressed,
then a solution can only last as long as people's memories, and history will
repeat itself. Whether the conflict is taking place in Kashmir or Northern Ireland,
Palestine or Sri Lanka, the problems have to be dealt with swiftly and fairly
so these same problems are not only resolved, but also do not boil over and
evolve into more severe troubles that cause conflicts in other countries. Now,
more than ever before, the world has indeed gotten smaller. With the advances
in technology and the widespread use of the Internet, problems that arise in
remote areas have the potential to bring about international consequences. For
even a purely selfish reason, it behooves everyone to try and prevent the conflict
from growing. Ignorance begets conflict, and a major opportunity is thus presented
for education programs and on learning about outside cultures. It is easy to
only see one side when that is all that is being presented in the school, the
media and the government. It remains the duty of not just the so-called developed
countries but the educated segments of society to serve their country by improving
it at the grassroots level.
Recent arguments about terrorism and war have generated more heat than light.
However, we must adopt a more sustainable approach if we are to be in control
of our destinies, and avoid the ignorance and desperation that has led so many
to commit violent acts. The opportunity has clearly presented itself: if any
good can possibly come out of the violent acts of the past year, whether the
9/11 attack or the subsequent protracted war, it will be a direct result of
our willingness to invest in poverty alleviation, disease prevention, and basic
education- the cornerstones of human development.
Date/Time Last Modified: 9/9/2002 2:50:39 AM
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