What drives terrorism

The Iraqi delegation to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights that arrived in Geneva Tuesday for the consideration of Iraq’s fourth periodic report on the extent of the country’s adherence to the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights took issue with the committee on the proposition that there is a link between the rise of terrorism, and the level of poverty and unemployment in Iraq.

The leader of the delegation flatly rejected the notion that there is such a link in Iraq’s case, bringing, as argument, the fact that some 25,000 Europeans joined the ranks of the extremists in his country even though they were not poor, unemployed or economically disadvantaged.

The committee raised the issue against the backdrop of repeated UN reports suggesting that poverty and unemployment create an environment conducive to the rise of terrorism.

The Iraqi team members said that in the case of their country, there were other factors that led to increased radicalism, factors that have nothing to do with poverty.

They suggested, for example, that false indoctrination and wrong interpretation of religion is what lures so many Europeans to fight alongside Daesh.

While it is true that a lethal combination of factors contributed to the dismantling of Iraq and the radicalisation of much of its population, there is no denying that poverty and unemployment have a big role in fostering disenchantment that can easily lead to violence, social unrest and, in extreme cases, to terrorism.

Poverty is indeed a prime contributor to the growth of terrorism in many parts of our region. Desperation often drives people to extreme positions.

In the case of Iraq, Syria and other countries of the Middle East, individual characteristics no doubt combine with poverty to make terrorism and radicalism even more complex issues.

Therefore, in order to address this scourge, all the elements that contribute to its manifestation need to be recognised and addressed. Short of that, the fight against it will be futile.