Prevention of Radicalisation : Special Meeting In The House Of Lords, UK

Prevention of Radicalisation : Special Meeting In The House Of Lords, UK

R.K.Upadhyay

A special discussion and meeting was held on June 28th, on ‘ Prevention of Radicalisation ‘, in the house of Lords ,under the auspices of Universal Peace Fedration and International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace . The meeting was hosted and presided over by Baroness Sandip Verma . Distinguished speakers and Representatives of several major communities from several nationalities in UK including hindus , sikhs , muslims etc.from India , Pakistan , Bangladesh , Iraq , Syria etc. participated in the meeting . The meeting had become more  relevant in view of the major terrorist attacks in Manchester , London Bridge and Borouh Market .

Humphrey Hawksley , a BBC corrospondent having vast experience in covering terror , emphasised that a young boy , not cared by society, finds it adventurous to join such radical groups . He wondered while UK and Europe had around nine thousand soldiers fighting for ISIS , only fifty soldiers were there from a vast country like India . He felt it needed special attention to identify how India was able to prevent radicalisation of youth . However he added that it would be wrong to single out Islam for terror as in past LTTE , IRA , UNITA have been equally brutal terrorists.

Sheikh Dr Hozzat Ramzey , founder Director of Oxford Islamic Information Centre , stated while Koran had some paragraphs which could be misconstrued , it also emphasised that killing one innocent person is like killing a nation . There is need for correct interpretation of Koran .

Keith Best , a former member of Parliament, mentioned increased immigarnt population in Britain but felt that there is need to minimise the feeling of alienation and assuring and bringing immigrants in the main stream through dialogue and increased community interaction .

Dr.Afzal Ashraf , a Visting Fellow of Centre for Conflict , Security and Terrorism , giving a wider perspective stated that it is not radicalisation per se but accompanying violence which needs to be abhorred .He mentioned Bolshevism which ultimately took so many lives as a radical concept in its times . Similarly there have been so many violent campaigns in Europe and elsewhere . He too felt that Islamophobia is not the answer and there is need to review the foreign policy also .

Emmanuel Duppuy, President of l Institút of Prospective et Securíte en Europe was another prominent speaker. Davinder Prasad , Secretary General /BOPA/UK

assured audience that BOPA will continue to strive for integration and  maintainenace of peace amongst all communities  in UK.

Dr. Robin Marsh , Secreatray General of UK / UFP summed up re emphasising the need for greater dialogue and understanding amongst communities . He had given a detailed presentation in the monthly meeting held on 27 th June at Lancaster Gate office.

The meeting indicated the determination of United Kingdom in Preventing radicalisation by its now famed humanitarian approach of promoting multiculturism and greater integration and understanding between communities .