Why do ethnicities clash?

Ethnic competition to dominate nationality Ethnic competition in the Horn of Africa Ethnic competition in Lebanon Dividing ethnicities among more than one state Dividing ethnicities in South Asia Dividing Sri Lanka among ethnicities

Often result from one of two situations: 1. Two or more ethnicities in one state vying for power 2. The division of an ethnicity between or among different countries

When you have more than one ethnicity living in a country, they might (for the most part) peacefully co- exist as in the US and many European countries They might also vie for government control and to dominate the nationality of that country It can result in divisions in society, partitions in a country (think Belgium), or even civil war

Sub-Saharan Africa and the Horn of Africa have been particularly affected by this Many of the political boundaries of the countries were drawn up by European colonial powers and did not pay much attention to the different ethnic groups/social regions already there The result has been that since given independence many of these countries have seen a great deal of turmoil

Fig. 7-14: There have been numerous inter-ethnic civil conflicts in the countries of the Horn of Africa (including the Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia).

The Horn of Africa includes Dijibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia The latter three and the Sudan have had major problems with ethnic competition

Eritrea: Italian colony 1890 Ethiopia: Independent over 2000 years- captured by Italy during the 1930s After WWII, Ethiopia regained independence and was given Eritrea Ethiopia dissolved Eritrean government and banned the use of Tigrinya, their major local language

The Eritreans rebelled- starting a 30 year fight for independence : civil war 665,000 Eritrean refugees fled to Sudan Eritrean rebels defeated the Ethiopian army in 1991 and became independent in 1993 War flared up in squabbles over borders 2000, Ethiopia won the disputed area

Eritrea: 5 million people- around ½ Christians, ½ Muslims 9 major ethnic groups- multi-ethnic Nationalism was high during the first years

Ethiopia: multi-ethnic too Amhara (Christian) control until the 1990s Then passed to a combination of Amhara, Oromo, and Tigre control Oromo (Muslim) are the largest ethnic group today (40% of the population) Tigres (Ethiopian Orthodox Christians) Languages and religions and culture of Oromo and Tigres had been limited or banned until the 1990s changed

Fig. 7-14: There have been numerous inter-ethnic civil conflicts in the countries of the Horn of Africa (including the Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia).

Sudan: more than 40 million people, civil war since the 1980s between black Christians along with animist rebels in the southern provinces and the Arab-Muslim government forces in the north Government is trying to convert the country from a multi-ethnic society to one nationality with Muslim traditions Persecution based on religion, color, culture, ethnicity

Has laws to segregate the sexes in public, limit women’s rights in particular, regulate dress for men and especially women Muslim law is strictly followed Often fundamentalist compared to the world More than 2 million Sudanese have died in the civil war 1 million have migrated from the south to the north or to Ethiopia

Many southerners want full independence Some want to share government power Religious war seemed to be winding down around 2005 An ethnic war erupted in the western most Sudanese region- Darfur Darfur’s black Africans launched a rebellion out of resulting from resentment of neglect by the government in 2003 Arab nomads, Janjaweed, and the Sudanese government, responded very harshly- attacking the Darfur population, mostly farmers Over 450,000 killed and 2.5 million displaced or forced to refugee camps in the dessert or Chad

Farmers from Darfur in western Sudan have been chased from their homes by agents of the Sudanese government.

Somalia- mostly Sunni Muslims, most speak Somali Common nationality, history, culture 9 million inhabitants- six major ethnic groups (clans), each with many sub-clans Six major clans in different areas- Isaak, Darod, and Dir in the north Digil, Hawiye, and Rahanwayn in the south

A Darod sub-clan called the Mahareen ruled Somalia until 1991 Then rebels dominated by the Hawiye clan took control of southern Somalia and the Isaak clan gained control of the north The Isaak declared the north a separate state called Somaliland and tried to rule itself This was an old colonial split- Somaliland had been under British rule and the rest of Somalia had been under Italian rule until they were put together as an independent nation by colonial powers in 1960

Fig. 7-14: There have been numerous inter-ethnic civil conflicts in the countries of the Horn of Africa (including the Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia).

Other countries do not recognize Somaliland’s independence The national government collapsed in Somalia and clans and sub-clans laid claim to control of portions of the country They have used force and threats to keep control Members of other less-powerful clans and sub-clans have migrated in large numbers to refugee camps for safety

The US sent in troops in 1992 after over 300,000 people were estimated to have died from famine and warfare resulting from the ethnic clashes among the clans The purpose was to protect delivery of food by international relief agencies (the clans in charge were stealing it) and to reduce weapon entry into the country to the clans

After a downed helicopter (Blackhawk Down is based on true events) and American pilots were dragged dead through the street as shown on television, Americans wanted to withdrawal Peace talks shut down in 1994 and the US withdrew Islamist militias gained control in 2006 by overthrowing the warlords The US backed the warlords because the Islamist militias were believed to be more sympathetic to terrorists Somalis wanted the Islamists because they were pushing a more orderly society

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Lebanon is a Middle-Eastern country bordering the eastern Mediterranean 4 million people in a small country Fighting amongst religious factions since the 1970s 2/3s of the country’s Christians are Maronites (a split from the Roman Catholic church in the 600s)

Fig. 7-15: Christians, Sunni Muslims, Shiite Muslims, and Druze are dominant in different areas of the country.

2 nd largest Christian group are Greek Orthodox Christians The remaining Christian sects include Greek Catholic, Armenian Christians, Syrian Orthodox (Jacobites), and Chaldeans (Assyrian Christians) Christians probably make up around 30 percent of the total population, Muslism 60 percent, and other religions are 10 percent

2/3s of the Muslims are Shiites The largest is the Mitwali The Hezbollah Muslims, more militant, have gained power Sunnis represent only 1/3 of the Muslims in Lebanon (although they are majority in the world over Shiites by far) Non-Christian/Muslim groups include the Druze (religious combination of Christianity and Islam and very secretive)

Lebanon became independent in their constitution requires each religion be represented according to census Lebanon is divided by religion- Maronites in the west central part, Sunnis in the northwest, and Shiites in the south and east Beirut is divided between Christians and Muslims in zones

Used to be a Christian majority but today a Muslim majority Civil war in each religious group formed a private army or militia to protect its territory Battles ensued causing land changes Israel and the US have sent in troops at different times Failed attempts to restore peace The US pulled out most troops after the bombing of US Marine Corps barracks in 1983, which killed 241 marines Syria had some control until it withdrew in 2005

Fig. 7-15: Christians, Sunni Muslims, Shiite Muslims, and Druze are dominant in different areas of the country.

Many states have been created to separate ethnic groups (India and Pakistan for example) but most of the time segregation cannot be completely carried out South Asia has many examples

1947- Indian independence Created India for the Hindus and West and East (today Bangladesh, indpt. 1971) Pakistan for the Muslims Hindus did not want Muslim rule Muslims did not want Hindu rule They had worked together for independence Other groups like Jains and Sikhs and Buddhists were ignored

Fig. 7-16: At independence in 1947, British India was divided into India and Pakistan, resulting in the migration of 17 million people and many killings. In 1971, after a brutal civil war, East Pakistan became the country of Bangladesh.

Muslim-Hindu wars even before in the 1000s-1200s particularly History of distrust British control unified them against a common foe After the common foe was gone, fighting re-emerged Forced migration after the split of countries

The station is filled with Hindu refugees who have fled from the new country of Pakistan.

Over 17 million people migrated Fighting often broke out among the people going in opposite directions because of resentment of having to leave their homelands Pakistan and India’s borders are still disputed in many areas Since 1972 they have had a line of control Kashmir is the most disputed region (China even claims some of it) Sikhs in Punjab have also pushed for more control or independence

Fig. 7-17: Although its population is mainly Muslim, much of Jammu and Kashmir became part of India in India and Pakistan have fought two wars over the territory, and there has been a separatist insurgency in the area.

Sri Lanka- island southeast of India Formerly called Ceylon 20 million inhabitants Fighting by the Sinhalese and Tamils (2.3 million) since 1983 to 2010 Over 60,000 killed and millions displaced The Liberation Army of the Tamil Tigers want an area as their own country- northern part

Fig.7-18: The Sinhalese are mainly Buddhist and speak an Indo-European language, while the Tamils are mainly Hindu and speak a Dravidian language.

Sinhalese- 74% of the population- migrated from northern India in the 400s BC and took control of the southern portion of the island They converted to Buddhism in the 100s BC They speak Sinhalese- an Indo-European language

Tamil Tigers- 18% of the population Migrated from the Palk Strait in southern India in the 200s BC and took control of the northern portion of the island Tamils are Hindus and speak the Tamil language- Dravidian language family

eneric.html?s=frol02 eneric.html?s=frol02 Under Frontline World, watch video 94 of /02/2008 “Sri Lanka: A Terrorist in the Family”

Conflict for over 2000 years Suppressed during European control in the 1700s to mid-1900s Conflict since independence in 1948 Sinhalese dominate government Tamil Tigers were considered terrorists Fighting has drawn to a close in the past couple of years- Tamil Tigers cannot continue to rebel 2009 “official” close- insurgent leader killed

The Kurds live in the Caucasus Mountains They are Sunni Muslims who speak an Indo-European language on the Indo-Iranian branch Distinctive culture/dress/traditions/literature Had an independent state called Kurdistan during the 1920s Today are split among several countries 30 million Kurds total: 14 million in Turkey, 6 million in Iran, 5 million in northern Iraq, and 2 million in Syria

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Turks tried to suppress Kurdish culture- use of the Kurdish language was illegal until still can’t be used in broadcasts or classrooms Kurdish nationalists have waged war against the Turkish government since 1984 They have been persecuted and restricted in Iran and Iraq too- mostly Shiite nations Saddam Hussein’s regime persecuted them tirelessly and they really supported the US coming in and ousting him They are a nation without a state to this day and still push for protections

Many Kurds fled Iraq after the 1991 Gulf War when Saddam Hussein’s armed forces attacked Kurdish regions in northern Iraq.

Ethnic clash Jews- ethnic group Israelis- nationality Palestinians- ethnic group and nationality without a nation Fight over the territory of Israel Palestinians want the creation of their own homeland Israelis want to maintain their borders

Population Density Ethnic distribution