We shouldn’t wage poorly planned war on terror by isolating others

By Makau Mutua

I know Kenyans – and their true friends – are very angry about the Al Shabaab terror attacks. I am very angry myself – steaming hot. There can be no justification – in any religion or moral code – for killing innocents. Never! Nyet! It particularly shocks the human conscience when congregants, including toddlers, are massacred in churches.

Such gruesome attacks bring out the primeval in us. Naturally, we want pitiless revenge – and not a moment too soon. But yet our response to those who would terrorise us is a reflection of our soul as a nation. I’m not wielding the Bible, but remember this – do unto others as you would they do unto you. That’s why we shouldn’t wage a dumb war against terror.

Let me get some cold – unarguable – facts out. Fact – virtually all Al Shabaab terrorists are male. Fact – virtually all Al Shabaab terrorists profess Islamic faith. Fact – most Al Shabaab terrorists are ethnic Somalis. Fact – the vast, overwhelming majority of Somalis and Muslims are not terrorists; they don’t subscribe to Al Shabaab and practice Islam as a religion of peace. Fact – you can’t argue with these facts. Conclusion – a war on terror that doesn’t accept this empirical evidence is doomed to fail.

It’s boneheaded and simply stupid to criminalise every Somali and Muslim. Which begs the question – given these indisputable facts, how can Kenya wage a “smart war” on terror?

First, let’s call a spade by its name. Terror is an evil practice. But to root out evil in any community requires brains, not brawn. I agree that Eastleigh, known by wisecracks as Little Somalia, is an Al Shabaab hotspot. There’s no doubt that many undocumented Somalis, also known as illegal aliens, hide in Eastleigh.

Bomb-making, grenade, and weapons caches can be found there. Parts of the Coast and the former Northern Frontier District are also hotbeds for terrorists. This means that Kenya’s search for terrorists and their wares must focus on these regions. The question is how to do so without criminalising and alienating Somalis and Muslims. Take this to the bank – extra-judicial executions aren’t the answer.

The government must guard against the perception that state security agencies are persecuting Somalis and Muslims. If that impression takes hold, the state will lose the war on terror even before it starts. The government needs the co-operation of Somalis and Muslims to win the war against Al Shabaab terrorists.

I was shocked to hear Majority Leader Aden Duale – who is two heartbeats away from the presidency – accuse the government in Eastleigh of targeting “his people.” I thought Mr Duale’s “people” are Kenyans and not just Muslims or Somalis.

It’s such careless and inflammatory talk from the top that could turn the war against terror into a civil war.

President Uhuru Kenyatta needs to have a candid conversation with Mr Duale.

Second, let’s realise that looking for terrorists among Somalis and Muslims is akin to searching for a needle in a haystack. You can’t storm the haystack to look for the needle. You need patience and painstaking work. That’s why it’s not smart for the police and other armed security forces to storm Eastleigh in a Mau Mau-like era sweep and dragnet to “catch terrorists”.

Believe me – such show of brutal force will get you zilch. It only turns the community against you. Like everyone else, Somalis and Muslims want to rid the country of terrorists.

The police and security forces should treat them as allies, not terrorists. They know the terror suspects among them – Kenya needs their help.

Third, only good intelligence can win the war on terror. Kenya’s spy services, working with allies conversant with terror, must gather impeccable and actionable intelligence. It can’t be that difficult to infiltrate terror cells in Eastleigh, the Coast, and the Northern Frontier District. That’s the only way to find the needle in the haystack.

The indiscriminate arrests and brutality visited on Somalis and Muslims in Eastleigh is a failure of intelligence. It shows little imagination. President Kenyatta may have to overhaul the intelligence services. If the General Julius Karangi-led KDF helped rout Al Shabaab in Somalia, why can’t the spy agencies do a professional and credible job in Kenya?

Finally, we need to take seriously Al Shabaab’s goal of provoking a religious conflict in Kenya. Let’s learn something from what Boko Haram has done in Nigeria. Attacks in places of worship can drive folks over the edge very quickly and lead to retaliatory massacres.

That’s what Al Shabaab wants.

But the ball here is in the court of Muslim clerics and politicians. I have a lot of respect for Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar, and ask him to stand up and lead us in fighting terror – take the reins, Senator!