Focus: 4/29 In many areas of the world, ethnic and religious differences have sparked conflict. Some nations and organizations have used violence in attempt to reach their goals. Terrorist groups like al – Qaeda have even launched attacks on U.S. soil. Points for Discussion: Explain other examples of ethnic and/or religious conflict around the world.

After the Fall of the Soviet Union

 Under Soviet Union, ethnic tension in the multinational empire had been suppressed -Balkans nicknamed powder keg because of many different ethnicities and nationalities

Ethnic Tensions in the Balkans and the Ukraine  Yugoslavia was a multinational state created after World War I  Ethnicities in Yugoslavia -Orthodox Christian Serbs -Roman Catholic Croats -Muslim Albanians

Ethnic Tensions in Balkans and Ukraine  regions in Yugoslavia begin to declare independence

Ethic Tension in Balkans  In Bosnia – Serbs, under leadership of Slobodan Milosevic, begin a policy of ethnic cleansing, which is the act of removing or killing people of a certain ethnic group

Ethnic Tension in Balkans  Milosevic encouraged ethnic cleansing against non-Serbians such as Muslim Albanians in Kosovo

Ethnic Tension  2001 – Milosevic was arrested by United Nations and charged with war crimes and genocide by International Criminal Tribunal  Yugoslavia changes its name to Serbia and Montenegro

Ethnic Tension Around the World  Northern Ireland -Protestant and Catholics clash over who should control Northern Ireland -Irish Republic a Army – radical Catholic Group

Ethnic Tension  China and Tibet – Tibet invaded by China -Dalai Lama flees to India -Buddhists around the world still protest today

Ethnic Tension  India – conflicts between Muslims and Hindus lead to the partition of India  Northern part becomes Muslim dominated Pakistan  Both sides seek possession of Kashmir, a region divided between the two

Ethnic Tension  Israel – tension between Jewish Israelis and Muslim Palestinians - Both claim the territory in Israel as their homeland

Ethnic Tension  Kurds in Iraq -Kurds are Sunni Muslims, but not Arabs -Kurds have experienced harsh treatment, especially in Iraq and Turkey

Ethnic Tension  Sudan -Torn apart by civil war for 52 years – pro-government Arabic militias begin attacking black villagers in Darfur region – forces from African Union join UN in hopes to end violence -Sudan’s government, backed by Russia and China, refuse to cooperate -Violence against black villagers continue

Other Hot Spots Around the World  North and South Korea  Iraq  Afghanistan