Deradicalization of Islamism: Case of Yemen

Abstract

The ongoing armed conflict in Yemen between the forces of ousted President M. Hadi, supported by the coalition units of the Gulf monarchies led by Saudi Arabia and the Houthi group Ansar Allah, has a destabilizing effect on the entire Arabian Peninsula as a whole. In this regard, the creation of a deradicalization program and its implementation will help to solve several main tasks. First, to change the worldview of members of Islamist groups and movements from radical to moderate. Secondly, it will significantly reduce the level of instability in the Middle East region, where the majority of armed conflicts is conducted under religious slogans. The main focus of this study is on measures to counter radical Islamism, which were taken by the Yemeni authorities before and after the events of the Arab Spring. At the initial stage, the Yemeni administration’s use of the de-radicalization program showed impressive results. However, the ongoing fighting, as well as the reluctance of the Yemeni elite to Fund the deradicalization programme, led to its closure. The subsequent events of the Arab Spring brought additional instability to the domestic political situation in Yemen. Attempts to revive the program of deradicalization by the new Yemeni administration have failed. In general, the work done by the Yemeni authorities to deradicalize Islamism has demonstrated the ability to use non-violent methods of struggle, but their use is associated with serious financial investments, which the Yemeni state is not yet able to make due to the difficult financial situation caused by the prolonged armed conflict.