Sub-saharan Africa Facing Political Islam: The Rising Of Islamists

Islamism is one of the many faces of political Islam. Insecurity caused by the rising of fundamentalism, among others, is the main challenge to sub-Saharan African communities'need for the managements of their stability. The cases of Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Somalia, and Sudan are the best known examples. But the threat is extended to the entire continent particularly in the East and West regions where there are growing important Muslim population. Socio-economic and political weaknesses are the main causes of these states for their collapse and the rise radical Islam that claims another type of society.This thesis includes five chapters:The first chapter explains the main definitions and objectives of this research;The second chapter analyses the phenomenon of the rising of Islamism in sub-Saharan Africa within the theoretical framework of the field of international relations. Though, however, these theories do not make clear the sensitive issues involved in this religious-related topics. We will try, as some predecessors, to be more objective in order to find a balanced assessment which appears for us as a requirement for better understanding and peaceful co-existence.The third chapter shows how Islam was introduced in sub-Saharan Africa and how it grew from foreign and minority religion, to a majority of much of the continent's regions. This trajectory is necessary for understanding the phenomenon and its different steps such as the politization of Islamic ideology in Africa from the wake of independence of African states in the 1950s and 1960s? Since that time peaceful political Islam appears hard trends destabilizing the basic principles of African communities and states organization. It is important to know the path which Islam went through till it now associated with threats from Islamists.Chapter four explains the causes of Islamic rising. Some are inherent within Islam itself such as the internal organization of Muslims cult. Those are relative to the continent. It is believed that Sub Saharan Africa is a background of conflicts which serves as a background to its insecurity, especially ethno-religious as well genocide, secession, drug traffic, terrorism, etc. To find these causes (internal and external to Africa) we should learn Africa's socio-political history from the period of the Slave Trade, colonization, independence, to the present day characterized by globalization to understand how Islamist movements emerged on the continent. Foreign intrusions in Africa in the past and the present are harmful to issues such as religious mattes. It is important to note that the two biggest monotheist religions (Christianity and Islam) presents in Africa came from outside.Chapter five is a response to Islamic threat. Human security should be more important in African socio-political organization. We believe in an African response to African problems. Therefore we claim for appropriate state able to correspond and responsible communities in mutual respect. Even some scholars disagree with the idea that poverty is not linked to radicalism and terrorism; it appears for us in the African case there is a connection between sub Saharan ethno-religious crisis and people's material and moral desparity.To counter the rising of Islamists and other non-traditional threat we suggest that at the first level to African countries to bring more good governance (well community management), development, emancipation, empowerment, human rights, cleans water, food, health care, job, shelter and education to their population than the abusive use of military and judiciary actions.At the regional and sub-regional levels, facing the threat within their state frontiers Africans should do more to integrate their norms and Institutions. Besides, it is important that they solicit the support of outside powers. Acting alone, any country facing the challenge of transnational threat may find it difficult to succeed in overcoming the crisis. Therefore the assistance of the international community such as developed countries and institutions is very crucialThe so-called"War on Terrorism"which the US and its allies claim to be pursuing is faulty and could cause problems for sub-Saharan Africa. Samuel M Makinda comments that"Terrorism and counter-terrorism measures have undermined the norms, rules and institutions that underpin security in Africa. Through the use of indiscriminate violence, terrorism has maimed and killed innocent people, threatened jobs and various social activities, and dented democratic processes of resolving conflict in society. Similarly, military and legislative counter-terrorism measures have caused the deaths of innocent people, undetermined democratic governance and eroded civil liberties. In the face of these problems, African states need creative approaches to combat terrorism. A sustainable counter-terrorism strategy should focus on institutions, development and social justice."The last section of the chapter five will pay attention on to China's minority management one hand and especially toward the Muslims community. Biggest par area (9, 6 million km2), populations (1, 3 billion) and particularly the presence of around 56 minorities, how China deal with this diversity?Regarding the relative calm among Chinese communities, the politico-economic stability of the country is the basis of its development; Africa should take example from the Chinese experience. We don't call for complete copy as African leaders did in the past from western in political matters (constitution and administrative organization); but to appropriate Chinese experience to Africa. Yet China is different from sub-Saharan Africa; but the human need, such as in ethno-religious matters, they have many things in common.The chapter six will conclude this thesis by recommending principles and wishes that properly applied will lift Africa in general and the threatened countries from the rise of fundamentalist religious conflict and initiate a new development issue.As another threat for Africa, the lack of appropriate documentation done by African authors about Africa problems in general and particularly in ethno-religious matters; the sensibility of the subject of our study links to believers and faiths, the anonymity required by Muslims personalities during interviews, the absence of African traditional script, the oral tradition of Africans knowledge constitute the main problems of this research.