Barbadians watched in abhorrence last week as three terrorists linked to the most violent extremist Muslim groups created havoc in France. The brutal murder of 17 innocent people was rightly condemned worldwide.
In Nigeria, thousands of people have been killed and hundreds more, mainly young women, have been kidnapped, raped and “married off” by another group of Muslim fundamentalists. Unfortunately, the worldwide response in this instance has not been what it should be.
That these incidents have taken place thousands of miles away from the safety of our island haven is unimportant. Even though they come at a time when many Barbadians are struggling with, and concerned about, daily bread and butter issues, the significance of these events should not be lost on us.
At the heart of what took place in France and what is happening in Nigeria is the matter of intolerance; the threat to free expression and the determined effort by a minority to restrict people having differing beliefs. Those extremists wherever they operate are a threat to all mankind and the very basic tenets of a free society which we cherish.
Barbados and other CARICOM nations should not see themselves as being immune from the criminal intent of marauding extremists whose prime focus is to cause death and destruction. While the Caribbean may not have active al Qaeda and Islamic State (IS) cells, there must be vigilance in a changing world where linkages, whether by travel or technology, so very easily make us an interconnected community.
Giving the number of Trinidadians reportedly joining IS in Syria, we must all be concerned. It means that regional security services will need to be even more guarded and proactive in tracking those whose design is purely to create turmoil.
Thankfully, Muslims in Barbados have made it clear consistently that they do not support the extremism of the misguided in their faith. More importantly, they have also embraced the diversity of views.
Barbados and its CARICOM neighbours must not turn their backs on what is happening in Nigeria at the hands of the fanatics who make up Boko Haram. What has been happening in this African nation is mind-boggling and must be condemned, but it also needs an active response to neutralise the terrorists. The response of President Goodluck Jonathan to the slaughter of civilians by these militants is not only muted but downright disturbing.
The start of the United Nations-sponsored International Decade For People of African Descent should be a genuine opportunity to meaningfully advance the fortunes of Africans. We must show interest and let the world know where we stand on these international events. They can have a direct impact on us and the freedom we enjoy.
