Deradicalisation in refugee camps and beyond

Previous waves of Muslim immigrants who settled in London, Brussels, Paris, and other European cities provide stark examples of such insular communities. Whereas families should stay together, the host countries must not create a situation where they prevent the integration process, which is central to deradicalization.

Learning from past experiences, host countries should focus on the youth by integrating them into the local communities through activities in which their indigenous counterparts are involved.

Most important is teaching the language of the host country to enable them to enroll in the school system, providing counseling for those who appear to need it, and offering opportunities for professional training.

In addition, instead of indoctrination, the youth should be provided with holistic educational experiences that draw on cognitive, affective, and performative modes of learning to help them restore their sense of self-worth.

Another important activity is to familiarize the youth in particular with the rest of the country by organizing trips, joined by native peer groups, to explore their new country first-hand. This activity allows young men and women to develop a sense of belonging.

Non-governmental organizations should also play a constructive role in accelerating the process of absorption and integration by offering, for example, internships and other office work that utilizes the talents these youth have while learning and adapting to a new work environment.

Host countries must ensure that prisons do not become incubators for radicalization. Violent extremism will persist for a long time, and could dramatically increase the number of extremists within the prison population at a prohibitive cost.

To counter this, the authorities should develop a comprehensive rehabilitation program, as reformed prisoners would best serve as role models to deradicalize other individuals, especially at-risk youth.

Finally, it is of the utmost importance to engage communities of refugees in sustainable development projects of their own choice, initially funded by the government. These types of projects allow the refugees to develop a sense of pride and achievement, provide job opportunities, and build the foundation for self-sufficiency and productivity.

Participatory projects require trainers, facilitators, and organizers, which host countries can initially appoint, but they will ultimately be run by members of the community itself, empowered by their own creative resources.

Needless to say, it is easier said than done to adopt the measures outlined above, but given that violent extremism will otherwise only fester, host countries have little choice but to invest time and resources to mitigate the plight of the refugees, starting with the refugee camps and continuing throughout their resettlement process.

Host countries cannot be long on talking and short on funding. Any government committed to deradicalizing young men and women must invest, along with private donors and foundations, as much as needed to address the epidemic of violent extremism.

There will be no decisive victory over deradicalization as the root causes behind violent extremism are deeply rooted in many Arab and Muslim states, where millions of youth are despairing with no prospect of a better future, and blame Western powers in part for their plight.

Moreover, whereas violent extremism can be contained or even defeated by Western countries by taking the measures briefly outlined above, the ideology of groups such as ISIS cannot be defeated any time in the foreseeable future.

We must bear in mind, however, that as we address the radicalization phenomenon, we cannot allow ourselves to be possessed by it or permit it to undermine our social and political values, which are the strongest weapons we have to defeat violent extremism.