Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Australia and ISIS in the region

By Bruce Haigh - posted Thursday, 8 June 2017


Australian foreign policy should be just that, Australian, not American, Chinese or European.

Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader, Bill Shorten, need to do a bit of lateral and original thinking. They need to consider which part of the world they live in and the dynamics of what is unfolding on our doorstep. They should seek to embrace the region more fully. They should show and undertake leadership.

At the end of May foreign IS fighters joined with local militants in besieging the southern Philippines city of Marawi on the island of Mindanao. Eye witnesses said a number of the IS fighters had pale skin and long noses. A media report said they included men from Saudi Arabia, Chechen, Yemen, Malaysia and Indonesia. President Duterte has placed Mindanao under martial law.

Advertisement

The Philippines army and police continue to try and break the siege in which IS fighters, soldiers and a number of civilians have so far been killed. The IS fighters have gratuitously and viciously murdered a number of Christian men; women and children have been killed in the fighting.

The only way IS militants can get to the Philippines is by boat. I argued in an earlier article that Australia should be conducting joint patrols with regional navies to interdict these terrorists. Joint naval patrols should also seek to prevent Local Abu Sayyaf rebels raising funds by on water kidnappings.

IS militants and other radical Islamists are on the move between Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, they are also moving arms and money.

The Philippines, Thailand and Myanmar have separatist Muslim movements. In the former these are beeing taken over by radical extremists. However it is the infiltration and possible control of them by IS that is of concern. Minimising their influence if not eradicating them should be a foreign policy objective of regional governments including the Australian government.

The separatist movements have a legitimate basis, much as the Tamils in Sri Lanka do - through religious belief, the absence of educational opportunities and poverty. Addressing the latter might take some of the appeal away from the strident proponents of separatism.

Increasing militancy within these separatists' movements will cause the displacement of people, the creation of refugees and undermine economic activity, causing further poverty and lack of opportunity.

Advertisement

The Rohingya of Rakhine State in Myanmar are not radicalised but with ongoing repression from the state it is only a matter of time. In the southern Thailand provinces of Satun, Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat a separatist insurgency has been waged for some time. Hard line jihadis who are funded from overseas have marginalised the moderates. These jihadis like their counterparts in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines are influenced by hardline Sunni Wahabi teaching which emanates from Saudi Arabia.

The Saudis actively push Wahabism through the funding of Mosques and Madrassas, religious schools. Schools funded by the Saudis teach within a Wahabi framework. Paradoxically the Saudis are funding radical Islam. Many of the IS proponents of direct action or terrorism appear mentally unstable, charged with the same motivation as mercenaries, soldiers of fortune and the French Foreign Legion. They are social outcasts and misfits, seeking fortune and fame and enjoy killing and cruelty as part of the package.

Around 500 IS fighters are from Indonesia and between 200-250 from Malaysia which has a population of 31 million, eight times smaller than Indonesia with 263 million; perhaps indicating a greater radicalisation of Muslims in Malaysia than was previously thought. Radicalisation has been aided by the powerful Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM) and the National Civics Bureau (BTN) which fall under the Prime Minister's office.

  1. Pages:
  2. Page 1
  3. 2
  4. All


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

7 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Bruce Haigh is a political commentator and retired diplomat who served in Pakistan and Afghanistan in 1972-73 and 1986-88, and in South Africa from 1976-1979

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Bruce Haigh

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Photo of Bruce Haigh
Article Tools
Comment 7 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy