L’Union des Tunisiens de Québec (UTQ) a participé le 28 juillet 2015 à une table ronde portant sur la prévention et la lutte contre l’extrémisme violent. Cet événement était organisé par le Consulat Général des États-Unis à Québec et en présence de la Ministre-Conseillère des Affaires Publiques à Ottawa. Lors de cet événement, le président de l’UTQ a fait l’allocution suivante:

Fist of all, I would like to welcome to our city, Ms. Kay Mayfield, Minister Counsellor for Public Affairs of the US Embassy in Canada. I would like also to thank Mr. Hale VanKoughnett, Consul General of the United States in Quebec, and his staff for this invitation and I hope that our ideas will contribute to prevent violent extremism.

In our opinion, the best way to fight violent extremism is to build trust between Muslims and the government of the United States. It is important and urgent to correct the negative perception that many Muslims have towards the United States. The United States is not the enemy of Islam. The best evidence is that American Muslims enjoy personal fulfillment in their country.

The best ambassadors capable of improving the image of the United States before Muslims and defending the values of their country are American Muslims themselves. Thus, it is necessary to support this community to build itself through strong institutions and to have credible representatives. In order to be able to play this role, they must feel entirely Americans and that they belong to the country as any other American.

It is also necessary that American government representatives stand up for the American Muslim community when it is assaulted or soiled.

On the International level, support the right causes can also strengthen these bonds of trust. Respect people’s choice and accept to do business with democratically elected governments even if they have an Islamic ideology which can strengthen these bonds of trust. This action will encourage the Islamists to accept the rules of democracy and to organize themselves in political parties instead of violent groups. If we are reluctant to do business with democratic political parties that have an Islamic ideology, this will give an unjustified reason for violence and this will be an excellent recruiting argument for terrorists.

Regarding the conflict between Israel and the Muslim world, the International Community should make choices and must accept the consequences.

Last but not least, military action is certainly necessary, but not sufficient. Thus, it is important and urgent to adopt a preventive strategy. In fact, violent extremism is not only due to economic and social problems, but mainly because of a strong ideology based on a strict interpretation of some religious texts and a solid logic that can convince some Muslims to justify violence, hence the need to acquire the intellectual tools to fight this ideology and destroy its logic.

An international forum that brings together government representatives, credible public figures, researchers and intellectuals in order to develop a much needed international strategy to fight violent extremism is for us the best solution.

Thank you very much for your attention.

Souheil Hassine, President of Union des Tunisiens de Québec