"One Must Develop the Capacity to Think Critically"
How important are nongovernmental organizations in dealing with extremism and violent Islamist acts in Egypt?
Dina Shahata: It's my impression that the organizations active in Egypt are not directly involved in tackling the phenomena of violence and religious extremism. Most of the initiatives and organizations founded in the last five years have charitable aims. For example, they support the poor and needy. They try to create jobs or to provide young couples financial support so that they can marry; there are associations working toward improving conditions in the slums, offering financial assistance or educational opportunities such as language and computer courses.
Most organizations are dedicated to alleviating poverty, which they see as the driving force causing youth to turn to violence and religious extremism. But there are other societies in the world struggling with poverty and underdevelopment, and this does not necessarily have to lead to extremism and a readiness to resort to violence.
The problem is really in people's minds, or, to put it more precisely, it can be traced to the circulation of legal opinions by a number of extremist religious scholars, who are allowed to issue their fatwas at will. Most Egyptians accept the truth of these fatwas without really thinking about their implications.
We need a more liberal social climate, so that people feel motivated to start up and join citizens' initiatives and organizations, of which there are simply too few at the moment. It is in the regime's own best interest to give the people more freedom, in order to counteract these destructive forces, and to refrain from exerting control through censorship and security troops.
How is it possible to strengthen the power of civil society to stand up against violence and terror, especially in the wake of the attacks in Sharm al-Sheikh?
Shahata: I believe that there are three levels on which society can play an important role in fighting violence and extremism. The first is engagement in the field of human rights and the explicit refusal to accept the security forces' current practice of torture and mass arrests, in particular following terrorist acts.
Many Egyptians are convinced that the violence and extremism in today's society can be attributed to the torture and mass arrests of innocent people that are commonplace after every terrorist attack. Human rights organizations have now begun to fight against this mechanism.
The second level consists of promoting development, especially in outlying areas that have not been the focus of much public attention, for example the Sinai. There are a whole series of underdeveloped regions in Egypt in which the structures of civil society are not yet in place.
People living there must first be familiarized with today's civilization. Many people view the slums and the region of Upper Egypt to be most in need of comprehensive support. Therefore, the aid provided by domestic and foreign charitable institutions tends to concentrate on these areas.
The Sinai has been neglected for so many years that the Bedouins of the Sinai actually live outside of Egyptian society, and even see themselves as independent and not as belonging to the Egyptian social world.
A study conducted by the association "Nahdet El Mahrousa" following the attacks in Sharm al-Sheikh showed to what extent the Bedouins of the Sinai are economically and socially underprivileged. In their own opinion, they have been suffering from an economic crisis ever since the Egyptians occupied the Sinai. They were much better off under the Israeli occupation.
The organizations must take action on site to develop stable livelihoods for the Bedouins of the Sinai. Expressive outlets must be created for youth everywhere in Egypt, so that they can communicate their views in a peaceful manner without having to resort to violence. I'm talking here about setting up Internet forums, for example, in which young people can share what's bothering them, freely and without censorship.
The Bedouin in the Sinai must be made aware of their rights and they must be offered support in marketing their handmade goods. "Nahdet El Mahrousa" has been working with the Bedouins for some time now to more effectively market the fine handicrafts for which they are known.
Finally, the third level is education. The Egyptians should be confronted with and prompted to reflect upon those ideologies that would make heretics of everyone who thinks differently, and then familiarized with contrasting patterns of thought.
We must enlist all forms of media in the effort to spread a more moderate and tolerant, rational ideology. The educational system must be developed further and, through it, young generations encouraged to develop the ability to think critically, in order to immunize them against the danger of brainwashing that is omnipresent in Egyptian society.
This is no wonder, by the way, as long as the instruction at Egyptian schools remains based on obedience and drills, turning young people into easy prey for preachers of extremist ideologies that glorify violence.
It is important to work together with the propagandists of a moderate Islam to transform the contemporary religious discourse, which, ranging as it does between extremism and simplification of religious concepts, veritably opens the door to the ideology of al-Qaida. This creates the danger that these confined organizations could come together to form a mass movement of youth throughout the Arab world.
The government must give young Egyptians the chance to actively participate in politics, and not simply use them, as it has to date, as décor for the parties, associations and unions, or for various demonstrations.
Civil society cannot do all of this on its own. It will take the concerted efforts of governmental organizations, NGOs, entrepreneurs and many others.
Interview: Nelly Youssef
Translated from German by Jennifer Taylor-Gaida
© Qantara.de 2005
Dina Shahata is a research associate at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies and is studying political science at the American University of Cairo. She is co-founder of the association "Nahdet El Mahrousa" ("Nahda" means "Renaissance", "al-Mahrousa" means "those protected by God" and is a common Egyptian last name).
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