Hiiraan Online
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Istanbul, Turkey (HOL) - A three day conference on tackling extremism and tribalism began in Istanbul yesterday. The conference organised by Anti-Tribalism Movement, a London based Somali education and advocacy civil society organisation, brought together participants came from all over the world and every sector of Somali society. Among these participants were scholars, religious leaders, women and young people.
On the opening day of the conference many topics such as Jihad in Islam and Alshabaab's misguided portrayals, history of alShabaab, The legacy of Alshabaab from victim's prospective, the role of artists in confronting radicalisation and the birth of religious extremism and their Ideology were discussed and debated. Among the speakers who presented on these wide ranging topics were Sheikh Bashir Ahmed Salad, the head of Somali religious umbrella, Sheikh Abdirazak Mohamud Takar and Muhammad Idd Muhammad , Sheikh Mohamed Idris Ahmed, Sheikh Noor Baruud, Abwaan Said Salah, Abwaan Abdi Shire Jama and Yusuf Garad Omar
"This conference aims to bring together credible voices of the Somali communities from all over the world to discuss tribalism and extremisim and get recommendations. We hope that these recommendations will have impact and tint the image of Al-shabaab" said the Exective Directive of ATM Mr. Adam Matan.
The impact of AlShabaab’s terror and violence against the population was presented by two of their victims who travelled directly from Mogadishu to participate. Both told painful stories of which moved the audience and in the words of one of them, “should strengthen the Somali governments fight against these misguided killers.”