Nicholas Hopton
By Nicholas Hopton
The so-called Islamic State has already lost the battle for Muslim hearts and minds, and, together, we will defeat it.
As 2014 draws to a close, and we reflect on the events of the past year, the actions of the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria have shocked many.
This vicious organisation, neither Islamic nor state-like, distorts the Muslim faith — which is peacefully practised by over one billion people every day — to justify barbaric acts of murder, torture, rape and slavery.
It has targeted people of all faiths and ethnicities: Muslims, Christians, Yezidis, Arabs and Kurds. This is no Holy War for the sake of Islam, but a twisted death cult that misleads vulnerable people into a life of barbarity.
Across the globe, Sunni and Shia Muslims have come together to defend their religion. They are adamant that IS’s poisonous ideology will not go unchallenged.
The scale of the international response, a coalition of over
60 countries, shows that the world will not tolerate these horrific acts.
Bahrain, Kuwait and Belgium have all hosted conferences to look at different aspects of the coalition’s work; and air forces from across the region have joined European, North American and Australian planes in attacking IS from the air.
The UK is committed to playing a key role. At the request of the Iraqi government, we are conducting military strikes and providing training and equipment to the Iraqi armed forces, including the Peshmerga to halt IS’s advance.
But military efforts alone are not enough. There needs to be a comprehensive solution to this problem. That is why in recent months we have championed UN Security Council resolutions to stop the flow of arms and fighters to IS and other extremist groups.
In Iraq, we have supported efforts to promote inclusive and accountable governance.
In the UK, we have banned preachers of hate and those who incite terrorism in our schools, universities and prisons, and cracked down on abuses of our charities; and we have removed terrorist material from the Internet.
New domestic anti-terror legislation enables us to seize passports to stop would-be fighters from travelling from the UK, and to prosecute acts of terror committed by UK citizens anywhere in the world.
We must not forget that IS’s atrocities occur at a time when millions of people are displaced across the region.
According to the UN Refugee Agency, there are more displaced people in 2014 than at any time since the end of the Second World War. Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey are shouldering most of the burden, despite the huge impact on their societies and public services. The international community must continue to support the resilience of these countries.
The UK is now the second largest bilateral donor to the Syrian refugee crisis. We are providing over £700m in humanitarian aid to support people in need across Syria and the region with food, fresh water, healthcare, shelter and other basic services. This is the largest humanitarian response in British history, and evidence of our continued commitment to the people of the region.
The events of the past year show that, in this interconnected world, a threat to peace and stability anywhere impacts us all. That is why we must face down IS together, and together we will succeed.
The writer is British Ambassador to Qatar.
By Nicholas Hopton
The so-called Islamic State has already lost the battle for Muslim hearts and minds, and, together, we will defeat it.
As 2014 draws to a close, and we reflect on the events of the past year, the actions of the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria have shocked many.
This vicious organisation, neither Islamic nor state-like, distorts the Muslim faith — which is peacefully practised by over one billion people every day — to justify barbaric acts of murder, torture, rape and slavery.
It has targeted people of all faiths and ethnicities: Muslims, Christians, Yezidis, Arabs and Kurds. This is no Holy War for the sake of Islam, but a twisted death cult that misleads vulnerable people into a life of barbarity.
Across the globe, Sunni and Shia Muslims have come together to defend their religion. They are adamant that IS’s poisonous ideology will not go unchallenged.
The scale of the international response, a coalition of over
60 countries, shows that the world will not tolerate these horrific acts.
Bahrain, Kuwait and Belgium have all hosted conferences to look at different aspects of the coalition’s work; and air forces from across the region have joined European, North American and Australian planes in attacking IS from the air.
The UK is committed to playing a key role. At the request of the Iraqi government, we are conducting military strikes and providing training and equipment to the Iraqi armed forces, including the Peshmerga to halt IS’s advance.
But military efforts alone are not enough. There needs to be a comprehensive solution to this problem. That is why in recent months we have championed UN Security Council resolutions to stop the flow of arms and fighters to IS and other extremist groups.
In Iraq, we have supported efforts to promote inclusive and accountable governance.
In the UK, we have banned preachers of hate and those who incite terrorism in our schools, universities and prisons, and cracked down on abuses of our charities; and we have removed terrorist material from the Internet.
New domestic anti-terror legislation enables us to seize passports to stop would-be fighters from travelling from the UK, and to prosecute acts of terror committed by UK citizens anywhere in the world.
We must not forget that IS’s atrocities occur at a time when millions of people are displaced across the region.
According to the UN Refugee Agency, there are more displaced people in 2014 than at any time since the end of the Second World War. Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey are shouldering most of the burden, despite the huge impact on their societies and public services. The international community must continue to support the resilience of these countries.
The UK is now the second largest bilateral donor to the Syrian refugee crisis. We are providing over £700m in humanitarian aid to support people in need across Syria and the region with food, fresh water, healthcare, shelter and other basic services. This is the largest humanitarian response in British history, and evidence of our continued commitment to the people of the region.
The events of the past year show that, in this interconnected world, a threat to peace and stability anywhere impacts us all. That is why we must face down IS together, and together we will succeed.
The writer is British Ambassador to Qatar.
