2023-09-01 20:28:50
How do the people of Benin perceive terrorism? More than two years after the first terrorist attack in Benin, a group of researchers looked into the question. The results of their investigations have been recorded in a book which has just been published thanks to the support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Benin.
Nine chapters organized in two parts contained in 274 pages. This is how Terrorism in Benin presents itself: perceptions, actions and perspectives (Editions Christon), the book presented to the public this Thursday, August 31, 2023 in Cotonou. On the occasion, the authors of the book presented the results of their research to an audience made up of political figures, civil society actors, representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Benin, media professionals, etc.
For the co-director of the book, the need to write the work proved to be in the light of the evolution of the scourge in Benin. “The terrorist phenomenon is progressing through the multiplication of attacks both against individuals and the defense and security forces, which add to the often deadly conflicts between farmers and herders”, explained Dr Thierry Bidouzo, co-director of the work.
From this alarming observation, the authors of the book wondered about the changes induced by the terrorist phenomenon in the daily lives of Beninese and the way in which they adapt to the increasingly significant threat. “More specifically, it was a question of answering the questions ‘what are the perceptions and actions induced by violent extremism and terrorism in Benin? What are the political, economic, social and security implications of this phenomenon? How to improve the actions carried out by the different actors to obtain effective and efficient results?”detailed Dr. Thierry Bidouzo.
Teachings
It took nine months of field research for the authors of the work to collect the data used to formulate the answers to the various questions raised by the problematic of the work. A quest during which the five researchers traveled nine departments out of the twelve of Benin. It was essential for the authors to get as close as possible to the populations experiencing the phenomenon in order to collect empirical and raw data. “Because the Friedrich Ebert Foundation demanded, from the outset, that it not be a work of literature review or theoretical flights”, indicated Dr Expédit Ologou, the other co-director of the book.
On arrival, several lessons emerge from the information collected by Vincent Agué, Estelle Djanato and Emmanuel Odilon Koukoubou, the other contributors to the work. Thus, with regard to citizens’ perceptions of terrorism in Benin, it appears that they vary according to the geographical location of the citizen questioned. “The Beninese, in the north, told us that violent extremism and terrorism are now a reality, that they experience it on a daily basis and that it is no longer possible to deny it (…) In the south, the Beninese have told us that the threat is remote that they fear more for their brothers in the north than they fear for themselves”reported Emmanuel Odilon Koukoubou.
While on the ground the State resorts to a policy that combines military intervention and socio-economic measures, the populations rely above all on providence to save Benin from the terrorist scourge. Moreover, women, often considered victims of terrorism, could be one of the essential bulwarks in the fight against the phenomenon.
The book, whose writing was supported by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, is available free of charge at the organization’s headquarters in Cotonou.
Read also: Terrorism in Benin: recommendations for better information management
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