联合国研究:政府行动是导致非洲极端主义的首因

UN Study: Government Action a Main Cause of Extremism in Africa

Several African leaders recently spoke¹ to the United Nations General Assembly about the growing threat of violent extremism in Africa.

The leaders called on the international community to help better support anti-terror forces across Africa.

They noted³ the importance of strengthening such forces at a time when the Islamic State, or IS, group has been losing strength and territory in the Middle East. They predicted that many defeated IS fighters will return to their home countries in Africa.

“We want an Africa in peace and security,” said Macky Sall, president of Senegal. Sall told the General Assembly last week that the goal is “an Africa that does not serve as a sanctuary⁴ for terrorist groups fought and defeated elsewhere.”

But a new study has found that measures taken by African governments to prevent terrorism may actually make more people join violent groups.

The United Nations’ Development Program, or UNDP, organized the two-year long study. It is called Journey to Extremism.

More than 700 people were questioned for the study. Nearly 600 of them were voluntary or forced recruits of extremist groups in six African countries. The countries are Kenya, Somalia, Nigeria, Sudan, Cameroon and Niger.

The study noted a lack of a strong family structure, lack of education and poverty as reasons why people turn to violence and extremism.

State violence and abuse of power provide, what the study called, a “final tipping point” for the people to join extremist groups.

The report noted that many African countries have used anti-terror measures to limit political opposition⁵ and to suppress civil society and the media.

The study suggests that good governance by African governments will be a more effective tool for stopping terrorism and extremism.

Religion not a reason

The U.N. study found that religion was less important than other reasons for joining an extremist group. It said that more than average religious schooling⁶ appeared to create opposition to extremism.

The report said, “These findings challenge rising Islamophobic rhetoric⁷ that has intensified⁸ in response to violent extremism globally.”

The report went on to say that creating “greater understanding of religion, through methods that enable students to question and engage critically with teachings, is a key resource for [preventing violent extremism].”

The 2016 Global Terrorism Index suggests that the areas most affected⁹ by terrorist groups are the Middle East, North Africa and countries south of the Sahara Desert.

The report identified the most active extremist groups in Africa as Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM); the Movement for the Unity² and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO); Boko Haram, in Nigeria; Al-Shabab, in East Africa; and the Lord’s Resistance Army, in Central Africa.

Those groups are reportedly spreading their activities across national borders. They are also urging more groups and people to support their ideology¹⁰ and carry out violent attacks.

The U.N. estimates that violent extremism has killed more than 33,000 people in Africa over the past six years

In northeast Nigeria, an estimated 20,000 people have been killed since 2009, the year when Boko Haram became active. More than 2.6 million people have been displaced during this period.

Threat to development

The U.N. has said the terror threat could overturn development gains made in sub-Saharan Africa and harm development for years to come. It said insecurity caused by terror groups has affected tourism and trade in countries such as Nigeria and Kenya.

The threat has persuaded some countries to strengthen their anti-terrorism efforts at home and cooperate on stopping cross-border violence.

Earlier this year, five African countries established an international force of about 5,000 troops with the help of France and the United Nations. The five are Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad.

Yet, human rights organizations have criticized some governments for using severe measures to fight terrorism.

Amnesty International has accused the Nigerian military of torture, harsh military detention¹¹ and forcibly expelling people from their homes in its fight against Boko Haram.

And Human Right Watch noted the killing¹², disappearances¹³, torture and beating of individuals suspected of links with Al-Shabab has worsened in Kenya.

Words in This Story

sanctuary – n. a place of refuge or protection

recruit – n. a newcomer to an activity

challenge – n. a difficult test or problem

Islamophobic – adj. relating to a fear or discrimination against Islam or followers¹⁴ of Islam

rhetoric – n. the art of speaking or writing effectively

resource – n. a supply of something; an object or place that proves useful

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 sanctuary   

n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区

参考例句：

• There was a sanctuary of political refugees behind the hospital.医院后面有一个政治难民的避难所。
• Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。

5 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

6 schooling   

n.教育；正规学校教育

参考例句：

• A child's access to schooling varies greatly from area to area.孩子获得学校教育的机会因地区不同而大相径庭。
• Backward children need a special kind of schooling.天赋差的孩子需要特殊的教育。

7 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

8 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

10 ideology   

n.意识形态，(政治或社会的)思想意识

参考例句：

• The ideology has great influence in the world.这种思想体系在世界上有很大的影响。
• The ideal is to strike a medium between ideology and inspiration.我的理想是在意识思想和灵感鼓动之间找到一个折衷。

11 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

12 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

13 disappearances   

n.消失( disappearance的名词复数 )；丢失；失踪；失踪案

参考例句：

• Most disappearances are the result of the terrorist activity. 大多数的失踪案都是恐怖分子造成的。 来自辞典例句
• The espionage, the betrayals, the arrests, the tortures, the executions, the disappearances will never cease. 间谍活动、叛党卖国、逮捕拷打、处决灭迹，这种事情永远不会完。 来自英汉文学

14 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。