NAN – The U.S. President, Mr Barrack Obama, has identified measures that would eliminate terrorist activities in countries susceptible to its dangers and threats.
Obama said in statement by Africa Regional Media Hub of the U.S. Department of State that it was imperative for governments to urgently address the grievances of terrorists.
The statement said the U.S. president made the remarks at the closing of the Summit on Countering Violent Extremism which had 60 nations in attendance.
The summit, according to the statement highlighted domestic and international efforts at preventing violent extremists and their supporters from radicalising or recruiting individuals to commit acts of violence globally.
“Countries have to truly invest in the education and skills and job training that our extraordinary young people need.
“We do have to address the grievances that terrorists exploit, including economic grievances.
“Just as we address economic grievances, we need to face this challenge — and that’s addressing the political grievances that are exploited by terrorists.
“Poverty alone does not cause a person to become a terrorist any more than poverty alone causes somebody to become a criminal.
“When governments oppress their people, deny human rights, stifle dissent, marginalise ethnic and religious groups or favor certain religious groups, it sows the seeds of extremism and violence,’’ it said.
The statement added that it was easy for terrorist groups to step into any void.
According to the statement, terrorists are sometimes offered social services that governments cannot provide for their people.
It expressed the U.S. government’s commitment to supporting people to provide for their families.
“So, if we’re going to prevent people from being susceptible to the false promises of extremism, then the international community has to offer something better.
“We will keep promoting development and growth that is broadly shared, so, more people can provide for their families.
“We’ll keep leading a global effort against corruption because the culture of the bribe has to be replaced by good governance that doesn’t favor certain groups over others,’’ it said.
