ISIS and Terrorism
The brutality exposed by
ISIS involving the killings, beheadings,
mutilations and crucifixions of civilians particularly Christians and
journalists by ISIS have shaken and alarmed us all. Many have also expressed
their thoughts and have acted against it to stop the violence and brutal acts
of terrorism. Targets were civilians who are against their ideologies.
ISIS, as the group has been identified by ABC
News and other news organizations, refers to the Islamic State of Iraq and
Syria. Different translations of the Arabic name al-Baghdadi gave his
organization have spawned other English-language versions such as the Islamic
State of Iraq and al-Sham (also ISIS) or the Islamic State of Iraq and the
Levant (ISIL). It is also known as Daesh, based on an Arabic acronym.[1]
This ISIS has evolved into an organized and
structured extremist organization that is in the process of consolidating its
power as a government within the Islamic Caliphate. The ISIS controlled areas
are managed by a hierarchy of governance structures that manage the day to day
life of residents, collect income, maintain law and order and enforces its
ideology of Islamic Extremism. The ISIS also relies on localized
alliances and foreign fighters that support defensive and offensive military
sustainability. The transformation of the ISIS represents: An organization
incomparable to al Qaeda in terms of structure, tactics and financial resources
has been able to integrate the best of a formal hierarchy with loose networking
"self-starters"; A shared ideology with al Qaeda (formation and
consolidation of an Islamic Caliphate), though much more brutal in its
interpretation than bin Laden ever envisioned.[2]
Western
officials only have rough estimates on ISIS’s total fighting force, but in late
2014, the CIA said the group was believed to be up to 30,000 fighters strong
including local supporters, and growing.[3]
Recently, US claimed among 6,000 ISIS leaders and members were killed by the
airstrikes they launched against ISIS after many were as hostages and killed as
shown from videos they have uploaded.
The ISIS group is considered a destabilizing factor in the balance of the Middle East region. Unfortunately the group is acquiring popularity and is attracting a growing number of followers, many of them from Western countries. Another worrying element is
the economic capability of
ISIS. Many experts consider it one of the richest Jihadist group in the world.[4]
The direct effects of war in
the region are, sadly, therefore an understatement of the real economic costs
of civil war and the spread of ISIS. Because the war has disrupted the
growth of strong intra-regional trade and plans for deep trade integration, one
must include the foregone benefits of further trade integration in order to
provide an accurate assessment of the economic costs of war.[5] These effects trigger ISIS
to continue pursuing their goals to fight against their opponents by inflicting
violence to people including innocent civilians.
Through the unanimous
adoption of resolution 2170 (2014), under the binding
Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Council condemned in the
strongest terms what it called “gross, systematic and widespread abuse” of
human rights by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as
ISIS) and Al-Nusra Front. Through the resolution, the Council demanded
that ISIL, Al-Nusra Front and all other entities associated with Al-Qaida cease
all violence and terrorist acts, and immediately disarm and disband.
Recalling that their attacks against civilians on the basis of ethnic or
religious identity might constitute crimes against humanity, it stressed the
need to bring those perpetrators, including foreign fighters, to justice.[6]
ISIS way of expressing their grievances and opposition
to US and other nations involving conflict with their ideologies and
philosophies cannot be used as an excuse to outrage and kill innocent people,
conquer and destruction of peaceful localities. Inflicting violence, massive
killings, mutilations in exchange of ransom or demand and rebellion in all
aspect is against the law whether local or global including public order and
morality. Despite
efforts and condemnations made by different nations particularly United State
of America and other neighboring countries, compromise seems to be elusive.
Laws and treaties were disregarded and violated therefore ISIS must face the
consequence otherwise must consider diplomatic solutions to end this.
These indeed are human
rights violations. While we have all different ideologies of certain things,
human rights should take precedence.
[1] ISIS Trail of Terror, http://abcnews.go.com/WN/fullpage/isis-trail-terror-isis-threat-us-25053190.
Last visited March 5, 2015.
[2] Islamic State of Iraq and ash
Sham / Islamic State (Islamic State of Iraq, ISIS or ISIL, IS) Summary, http://www.trackingterrorism.org/group/islamic-state-iraq-and-ash-sham-islamic-state-islamic-state-iraq-isis-or-isil.
Last visited March 5, 2015.
[3] Id.
No comments:
Post a Comment