Olivia Cassandro

The United Nations and Religious Extremist Conflict

1. When seeking causes of conflict, both individual states and the United Nations appear to approach conflict superficially. Governments and the United Nations focus on the physical, immediate consequences: food, clothing, shelter, ceasefire, avoiding root causes in analysis and policy. When looking to root causes, an important element in many conflicts is religion. Upon evaluating the current UN structure and their history managing religious conflict, one can conclude that the religious dimension of conflict is complex, a matter that governments and the UN are not yet fully equipped to manage.

The United Nations’ Structure and Religious Extremist Conflict

2. Why does the UN fail to address the obvious need to include religion when analyzing conflict? One answer lies in the United Nations structure. Unfortunately, the UN lacks even one body devoted to religion. On the other hand, disarmament for example has at least three.1 Not only does the UN’s first General Assembly committee handles disarmament and international security affairs, but organs such as the Disarmament Commission, and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) also handle matters regarding military and security— plus of course the all powerful Security Council itself. Since religious issues have no UN committee to call their own, the Third Committee of the General Assembly (Social, Humanitarian, Cultural affairs) often debates religious-related contents. An example of a solution to religious-related contents produced by the Third Committee is Resolution 65/224, which states “terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion.”2 While yes, governments should not blame only, or particular religions for violence, but what contributes to religious extremism’s prevalence? How does the UN set out to integrate this reality into its analysis and policy? If we ever are to live in a world of enduring peace, the United Nations must be able to deal with and investigate religious differences as a cause of conflict just as much as it investigates all secular elements in conflict. How can we break the cycle of religiously motivated violence, if we refuse even to acknowledge it exists?

5. According to Henry Wilson’s Terrorism and Religions, individuals turn to “religion for solace” and to their state to “provide material and physical security.” The United Nations' brief to “cater to the welfare and the interest of nation states,” often leaves ordinary people feeling not at all connected to the UN.3 In this gap, non-government organizations (NGOs)’s grow to play ever more influential roles. Several NGOs do in fact express or take up religious perspectives and their relations to political affairs. Recent studies however point out need for reform even among these extra-institutional groups. According to the University of Kent’s Department of Religious

1 Directory of united nations system organizations. http://www.unsceb.org/directory

2 United Nations General Assembly, Third Committee. (2011). 65/224. Combating the defamation of religions (A/RES/65/224). http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/65/224

3 Wilson, H. Terrorism and religions. http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=2457

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Studies, “70% of religious non-government organizations (NGOs) at the UN are Christian.” The study also revealed that faiths “such as Hinduism and Buddhism, are under-represented.” Although NGO presence within the United Nations represents progress towards emphasizing the importance of religious matters into the organization, their overall status with the body reveals inconsistency. For example, Catholicism receives representation not only through NGOs, but also through the Holy See’s historical privilege as a special observer. The study also mentions that Islam, “is represented more significantly through a collective of states,” known as the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). In light of the study, Professor Jeremy Carette calls for “global goodwill…[and] for religions to follow and share equally [the] UN goals for peace and justice.” Religions need to “establish a new pluralistic contract for equal access for all religious to the UN system.”4

6. In 2006, the United Nations took a major step by recognizing religion, particularly extremism, as a cause of conflict. The General Assembly adopted Resolution 60/288, titled The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Unanimously adopted, the Resolution represents the international community’s unwavering devotion to combating terrorism once and for all.5 Though many resolutions and reports on counter-terrorism precede 60/288, what’s particularly remarkable about this resolution lies in its address of extremism. 60/288 outlines eight different intents of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The sixth clause states that the Strategy will “pursue and reinforce development and social inclusion agendas at every level as goals in themselves” to hopefully “reduce marginalization and the subsequent sense of victimization that propels extremism and the recruitment of terrorists.” Helping carry out these clauses lays one of nine Working Groups of the Counter-terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF), the Working Group on “Addressing Radicalisation and Extremism that Lead to Terrorism.” Fortunately, the Working Group contributes to the United Nations understanding of “what makes a terrorist a terrorist,”6 helping to bring issues related to the gun and issues related to the gunman on a level stage. Expanding this Working Group to work in conjunction under a future commission, similar to the proposed recommendation above, would create an extremely effective approach to defeating extremist conflict.

9/11 and Religious Extremism

7. Perhaps the greatest example in the post-modern world of conflict rooted in religious tension lies in the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks. While many consider the attacks the first of its kind, the United States is no stranger to terrorism, as shown historically by the 1993 World Trade Center Bombing and the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Nairobi, Kenya. In 1999,

4 United nations too Christian, claims report. (2014, January 1). The Guardian. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/01/united-nations-too-christian-report

5 Counter- Terrorism Implementation Task Force, First report of the working group on radicalisation and extremism that lead to terrorism: Inventory of state programmes. http://www.un.org/en/terrorism/pdfs/radicalization.pdf

6 Counter- Terrorism Implementation Task Force, First report of the working group on radicalisation and extremism that lead to terrorism: Inventory of state programmes. http://www.un.org/en/terrorism/pdfs/radicalization.pdf

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the UN issued Resolution 1269. The resolution “unequivocally condemns all acts, methods, and practices of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation” placing much emphasis on “cooperation and coordination.”7 The resolution limits counter-terrorism methods to ceasing funding and aligning with already existing international anti-terrorist conventions. Not only does the resolution fail to point out any innovative solutions in light of then-current events, but not once does the resolution use the word investigation, let alone extremism. Vague diction from the Security Council helped pave the United States’ towards ill preparation against the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks.

8. Immediately following the 9/11 attack, the United Nations Security Council issued Resolution 1368, where the committee “unequivocally condemn[ed] in the strongest terms the horrifying terrorist attacks which took place on 11 September 2001 in New York, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania.”8 The document places a great emphasis on bringing “justice [to] the perpetrators” while calling upon “the international community to redouble their efforts to prevent and suppress terrorist acts,” the document doesn’t put equal emphasis on investigating the attack’s causes as much as they do the effects. Language like that of Resolution 1368 encourages states to beef up their military and security technology more than it encourages dialogue on how and why the attack happened. Sixteen days later, the Security Council adopted Resolution 1373. Elaborating on Resolution 1373, the document outlines more with regards to how to conduct an investigation on a terrorist group or terrorist-related incident, but not enough. For example, when addressing any sort of “exchange of operational information,” the Security Council placed an emphasis on the “actions or movements of terrorist persons or networks; forged or falsified travel documents; traffic in arms; explosives and materials; use of communications technologies…and the threat posed by the possession of weapons of massive destruction by terrorist groups.”9 These specifications limit so much of what needs to take place to investigate a terrorist attack. Once again, the United Nations Security Council’s language fails to completely address what instigates a terrorist attack, which in 9/11’s case, was religion.

Extremist Elements in Syria

9. Nearly thirteen years since the September 11th attacks, religious strife still lies at the root of one of the international community’s most pressing conflicts, the Syrian Civil War. From the outside looking in, the war merely appears as a battle of rebels versus an oppressive dictator looking to retain power. However, a great deal of the conflict’s core comprises of sectarian religious conflict. Most rebels identify under Sunni Islam, whereas al-Assad aligns with the minority Alawite sect, associated with Shia Islam.10 Entangling the conflict, some rebel groups show ties with the same terrorist organization responsible for 9/11, al-Qaeda. Syria’s al-Qaeda

7 United Nations Security Council, (1999). Resolution 1269 (S/RES/1269). http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N99/303/92/PDF/N9930392.pdf?OpenElement

8 United Nations Security Council, (2001). Resolution 1368 (S/RES/1368). http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N01/533/82/PDF/N0153382.pdf?OpenElement

9 United Nations Security Council , (2001). Resolution 1373 (S/RES/1373). http://www.un.org/en/sc/ctc/specialmeetings/2012/docs/United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001).pdf

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branch, referred to as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), has been reported by the CNN as “the most effective force fighting al-Assad.”11 On al-Assad’s side, terrorist groups appear active as well. According to the Guardian, Hezbollah plays “a significant role” in supporting the Syrian Army. The Hezbollah leader, who withheld his identity, stated that “the role of the group is underwritten by Islamic teachings.” His men are stationed around the country with no sign of withdrawal any time soon.12

10. Any and all peacemakers facilitating Syrian negotiations cannot move forward without fully understanding the religious implications involved. Fortunately, it appears as if the UN is coming to see the important role religion sometimes plays in conflict. In January 2014, both parties in the Syrian Civil War sat down for the first time in Geneva to negotiate an end to the violence. Yet what represents how the UN’s developed knowledge on the necessity in recognizing religion as a potential instigator lies in the man overseeing the negotiations, Lakhdar Brahimi.13 Appointed by the UN as the special envoy to Syria, he has a number of missions under his belt, but what makes his presence especially important is his religious background. Before he was specifically appointed as the envoy to Syria, Brahimi called for a ceasefire to the Civil War in 2012 during the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha.14 Since Syria’s conflict has a strong root in sectarian Muslim tension, utilizing a man with a Muslim background serves as a unifying force between the opposing parties. Though the first round of the Geneva II peace talks did not produce too much, sitting both parties face-to-face with one another represented a progress in and of itself, a step in the right direction.15 Unfortunately, Brahimi has since resigned from his position after two rounds of the Geneva II talks. However, his legacy in the Syrian peace process proves how effective religious knowledge can be in making small steps towards a huge wave of change.

11. To meet this call for “equitable access to the UN among the world’s great many faiths” the United Nations should establish a commission on religious matters, matters which would include such issues as equality, conflict, and combating extremism (among many others). The commission would be open to any and all UN member states, debating matters that if

10 Shoichet, C. (2013, September 6). Syria's rebels: 20 things you need to know. CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/06/world/meast/syria-

rebels/

11 Bergen, P. (2013, August 30). Al qaeda's potent force in syria. CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/29/opinion/bergen-al-qaeda-power-syria/index.html

12 Chulov , M. (2013, December 31). Syria conflict pits shia against sunni as hezbollah says this is 'war we must win'. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/01/syria-shia-sunni-hezbollah-war

13 Barnard, A. (2014, January 27). Syria talks appear deadlocked as sides disagree over goals. The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/28/world/middleeast/syria.html?_r=1

14 UN envoy urges Syria cease-fire for Muslim holiday. (2012, October 15). Associated Press. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/un-envoy-urges-syria-cease-fire-muslim-holiday

15 Syria crisis: Geneva peace talks end in recriminations. (2014, January 31). BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25983181

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addressed properly, could mitigate conflict, and engage religion's positive potential to uplift society. This UN commission, like all others would be open to any and all UN member states. This commission could initiate a substantive response to the University of Kent’s findings on under-representation of some religions. Each delegate would represent all religions from their state, which in turn would require these delegates be properly advised from their national representatives, as well as having access to an Advisory Council similar to the one established at the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders. This commission would introduce greater balance with regards to peace and conflict resolution, reducing debilitating and excessive attention to disarmament and security matters, ensuring instead that the world’s leaders focus not only on short-term concerns, but more importantly arrive at policy that includes consideration of long-term implications as well, most especially whenever religiously motivated conflict is part of the equation.

12. By creating this commission, the United Nations will finally begin to generate an interfaith environment in which it would be possible to address religious issues in constructive and effective ways. How reasonable and evident is this need, as religious adherence, especially when it takes on extremist manifestations is so obviously the cause far too many conflicts. As affirmed by Michael Lerner,

“The greatest security will not come through armies or counter-violence, not through revenge or hatred, but through building a world of love and open-heartedness, a world in which the recognition of the sanctity of everyone on the planet shapes every economic, political, and social institution. We choose hope over fear not only because it is more consistent with who we really are as embodiments of the sacred, but also because it is the path that will lead to greatest security.”

13. When individuals see their respective religious leaders represented in this commission’s meetings, whether on behalf of their state or on the Advisory Council, they will feel encouraged to echo their sentiments. In return, this spreads mutual respect among faiths using a top to bottom approach. Once this message of mutual respect spreads, the international community will become ever less diminished and threatened by extremism, for through these influences, every institution will obtain the necessary capabilities and guidelines to mitigate these conflicts once and for all.

14. Each religion can fully uphold and celebrate its uniqueness, but can do so under the universal commitment to unite under the Golden Rule, sharing what the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Angela Kane calls “a common respect for values of non-violence, the sanctity of human life, and the dignity of the individual person— our common humanity.” If religious leaders unite under a commission embodying these values and leading by example, how could the United Nations go wrong?

Moving Forward

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15. Evaluations of the September 11th 2001 tragedies and the ongoing civil war cannot avoid religious extremist elements. However, when assessing the United Nations’ structure, an imbalance between the short-term and long-term effects of religious conflict comes forth. If we are to ever live in a world free of religious conflict, we must live in an international community where our largest multinational organization, the United Nations, progresses to place a more concerning eye towards extremism. This body must learn from their past failures to completely recognize religion as a factor in light of future religious conflicts, for if we do not learn from history, we will inevitably repeat its course.

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