Ethnic Conflict Ch. 4-5

Front 1

What are the three types of ethnic conflict?

Back 1

•Peaceful—demonstration, negotiations
•Violent—war and destruction of property, against central government
•Riots—unorganized outbreak of violence—afro-Caribbean in England and France. Mob mentality—no fear of consequences for the individuals involved
oThink that state does not support them, state it too weak
o Bosnia—Muslims and Croats
o Rwanda genocide
o Civil wars
•Conflicts may persist even after the violence is over
•Both peaceful and violent conflicts involve the state—lobby, rallies, demonstrations, literature/propaganda, court (litigation).
o Guerilla fighters turn into prolonged wars

Front 2

What precipitate ethnic conflict?

Back 2

•Perception of affront to dignity—nothing tangible
o Sudan—imposition of Muslim law on non-Muslims
o Sri Lanka
o Head scarves in France
•Tangible threat to vital interest
o Israeli settlement on occupied territories—Intifada immigrants in Europe
o Malaysia at the time of independence==British to give equal rights to all. NEP (New economic policy) riots by Indians and Chinese
o sometimes no response to threats due to weakness segregation after US civil war, Jews in Russia
•Opportunities to redress grievances or gain advantages
o African Americans in the SU during WWII Truman ended segregation in the armed forces
o US court decision 1954 ending segregation
o USSR 1989, Chechnya—most Russians are orthodox Slavic. Chechnya did not succeed against Russia

Front 3

What are the political factors for ethnic conflict?

Back 3

•Land—control over territory
o Israel-Palestine
o Tibet-china
o How should such conflicts be resolved? Federation or independence?
•Homeland people—Quebec, Puerto Rice, Aceh in Indonesia (oil), Belgium
o Control over resources by an ethnic group
•Malays in Malaysia, Tribal groups in Kenya (Kikuku and Kalinga)
o Access to social, economic and political power
•Non-homeland people, recent immigrants—access to power, recognition of culture

Front 4

What are the economic factors of ethnic conflict?

Back 4

•Are all conflict economic? One dimensional creatures? Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo
•Access to jobs in public agencies, private institutions regulated by public rules and contracts
•Uganda under Idi Amin, Zimbabwe—Mugabe, took over fertile land owned by whites and gave it to his “cronies.”
•Malaysia NEP 1970
•Affirmative Action in US
o Preferential treatment can be given to disadvantaged groups of people
o Originally aimed at AAs, but others are now granted
o US supreme court has ruled that it is till legal to give preferential treatment, but quotas cannot be used.
o Meritocracy—merit prevails regardless of anything else. Dominant ideology in US
•Merit system vs proportional representation
•Legitimacy vs inefficiency
•Economic determinism—those that believe that economic factors are the root of ethnic conflict.
o Marxism
o If there were to be equal economic access would there be less conflict?
o Most industrialized country spend 25-40% of GDP, US spends 25%

Front 5

How is language a factor in ethnic conflict?

Back 5

o Official language, medium of instruction or simply vernacular (dialect) and let to the market place
o Advantages to native speakers
o Canada-bilingualism at federal level and in New Brunswick-state embraces multiculturalism.
o Subsidizes other efforts to promote and perpetuate culture—Finland, Belgium
o Sri Lanka, Sudan the opposite (Sinhala)
o South Africa has 11 official languages, English the medium of instruction and lingua franca (language of communication, link language)
o India has 14 official languages, each province does business in their own language. Can communicate in Hindi (majority) or English.
• Religion

Front 6

How is religion a factor in ethnic conflict?

Back 6

o Cannot compromise on religion, can learn a new language
o System of beliefs
o Conflict about it do not involve theological issued of dogma, but power—Northern Ireland. Turns into a political issue
o India--Hindus, Muslims (12% of pop)
• Muslims believe that the laws that god made are superior to manmade laws. Shari’a law in civil matters—marriage, courts etc.
• Yet India is a secular state
• Shah Bano case—her divorce was done in a day. Ex husband gave her minimal amount for divorce and no maintenance until she was married again. she went to an Indian court and they agreed with her. Muslim laws say that the man does not have to pay maintenance.
o Lebanon-sectarian politics (Druze—offshoot of Muslim,not shia or sunni,

Front 7

What is the numbers game?

Back 7

the census
o Lebanon—last census in 1930s and have not had one since because of fear of political representation
o Nigeria
o The US—population moving toward west and south and affects how states are represented in government. Statistical sampling—technique where you estimate the number of people that do not have residences or move often.

Front 8

what are the rational and irrational interpretations of ethnic conflict?

Back 8

o Positive sum game vs zero sum game vs negative sum game
• Winner winner, no gain, both lose
o Focus not on conflict but common interest can lead to win win situation
o Underlying cause cannot be ignored
o Bosnia-communities can live sperately
o Palestine
o Conflict are clashes over genuine interests that are political social and economic

Front 9

What was the origin of the Zionist movement?

Back 9

notion that Jews should go and find a homeland, promised land (1898)
• Historians say that the Jews were not the first to the land but they think that it is god given land
• Initially the Arabs were not alarmed, the Jews were in the commerce sector and so they had land
• Abdalla—began to organize the Arabs. Great grandfather of the current kind of Jordan

Front 10

What role did the British have in early Israel history?

Back 10

British promised the Arabs that the land of the ottoman empire could be their homeland
Balfour declaration—the Jews should have a homeland between the Jordan rive and Mediterranean sea
Syria and Lebanon French control.
• Christian areas
Palestine and Jordan were British rule
• Arab areas
Mandates—given by the League of Nations that they should prepare these territories for independence (trust territories). Not supposed to use them as colonies
Israel—homeland for Jews and Palestine homeland for Arabs or Palestinians
Before the partition—Transjordan and Palestine
Neighboring Arab countries attacked Israel after they declared independence
• The Arabs lost

Front 11

What role does the PLO play?

Back 11

Proselytizing—to convert others to your faith
According to fundamentalist Jews all the land belongs to them, it is their promised land.
Judea and Samaria
Say that Palestinians can go and live in Jordan
No Arab states have accepted Israel sovereignty and in fact some have boycotted business and trade with Israel
PLO—dominant organization within PLO was Fatah.
• Engaged in violent activity to gain back lost land
• Wanted to create Palestinian state in the entire territory that Israel acquired
• Same plan for the same land but different gods

Front 12

What happened in 1976 regarding Israel/Palestine?

Back 12

• US aid to Israel is about 3 billion-mostly for weapons
• Carter invited Israeli PM ( Menachem Begin) and Egyptian president (Anwar Sadat) to camp David and they signed an agreement called Camp David agreement(1978).
o Egypt became first Arab country to recognize Israel as sovereign state
o Egypt got Sinai back in return and became 2nd largest recipient of US foreign aid
o The agreement also talked about autonomy for Palestine, but not statehood
Sadat was assassinated upon return, for having made peace with Israel
• Sadat was replaced by Hosseini Mubarak
Jordan became the 2nd Arab country to develop full diplomatic relations with Israel

Front 13

What happened in 1988 regarding Israel/Palestine?

Back 13

• PLO decided that it could not complete objectives violently
o Accepted Israel under UN resolution 242
• Accepts borders of Israel and Palestine as they existed before the 1967 war
o Yassir Arafat was the leader of PLO
Why does the US have such strong support for Israel?
• 1980s, Regan—religious conservatives
o they found a common cause with the Jews, Jewish and Christian fundamentalists formed backbone of republican party
• AIPAC—American Israeli Political Affairs Committee
o Actually the Israeli Jewish lobby—some say the most powerful in DC
• Lobbies to keep support of Israel
• If anyone criticized Israel AIPAC will say they are friends of terrorists—so congressman fear them

Front 14

What happened around 1992 that involved Israel/Palestine?

Back 14

• Clinton wanted to do something about the Palestinians because he was aware of the negative publicity toward US (especially in the Arab world)
o So he brought together at Camp David Israel and Palestine leaders.
o Oslo Process: Norwegians were active in trying to bring about a settlement
• Talked with Israeli and Palestinian diplomats that overtime Israel would withdraw from occupied territories creating a Palestine territory.
• Secret backdoor diplomacy
• Phased in over a 5 year period
• In the initial stages, Israel would withdraw from some territory where PA (Palestinian Authority) could govern
• If things improved, final status talks, would be concluded by the year 2000
• Israeli PM who signed this agreement was Yitzak Rabin
 After he dies the agreement failed
• Rallah city

Front 15

What role did Saudi Arabia play in Israel/Palestine conflict?

Back 15

2006 Saudi Arabia
• Saudi peace plan: all the Arab countries will recognize Israel and make peace with it provided Israel return to pre 1967 borders
• Arab League—about 22 Arab countries
o Endorsed the Saudi plan
• Hamas won election in Gaza
o Palestinian organization formed in 1987
o Not a political party at first, just a social service organization
o Does not want to recognize Israel
o Charter of Hamas—committed to the destruction of Israel
o Will not be non-violent
o willing to talk but the US refuses
• Fatah (largest group of PLO) won in the west bank
o US works with Fatah more than Hamas
Israel has imposed an embargo on Gaza (Hamas)
• “Largest open air prison” with 1.3 millions people
• Cannot leave, cannot enter, goods cannot be brought in
• Dug underground tunnels to Egypt
o Food, supplies, weapons
Broad agreement that there should be a two state solution but where are the borders?
Cannot have on state two nations because the Palestinian outnumber Israelis

Front 16

Who are the Hamas?

Back 16

• Hamas won election in Gaza
o Palestinian organization formed in 1987
o Not a political party at first, just a social service organization
o Does not want to recognize Israel
o Charter of Hamas—committed to the destruction of Israel
o Will not be non-violent
o willing to talk but the US refuses
• Fatah (largest group of PLO) won in the west bank
o US works with Fatah more than Hamas
Israel has imposed an embargo on Gaza (Hamas)
• “Largest open air prison” with 1.3 millions people
• Cannot leave, cannot enter, goods cannot be brought in
• Dug underground tunnels to Egypt
o Food, supplies, weapons

Front 17

What is the military industrial complex?

Back 17

•Boeing, Lockheed martin—lobby government
•If government stops doing weapons trade with Israel then US citizens lose jobs
•$3 billion industry
•concessional loan—the rate that the rate they have to pay us back is lower than the market rate.
oOften these loans are forgiven/forgotten, usually as provisions of a bill
oBecomes a kind of grant

Front 18

What is Apportioning Benefits?

Back 18

•Modern state big spenders on benefits, rich countries ,spend more than poor, 30-50% of GNP
•NGOs spend too but do not compare with the state
•State has monopoly on legitimate violence
•Who should benefit from the spending?
•US is now ~40% of GDP
•Democratic states allow ethnic groups to organize influence decision about spending
oCanada others entrench the interest of certain groups
•Malays , religion in Islamic states
oAutocratic states less inclined to do so
oSo groups try to break out of states, from their own states so that they can spend the way they like.

Front 19

What is the Partisan State Posture?

Back 19

i.State apparatus dominated by one ethnic group usually the majority, but occasionally the minority
ii. Israel by Jews, northern Ireland before the settlement—protestant state for the protestant people
iii.Iraq under saddam Hussein
iv.Burundi dominated by Tutsi minority

Front 20

What is the Neutral Mediator Posture?

Back 20

i.Benevolent referee—the state feels that I can rise above narrow interests
ii.India and Canada have tried it successfully
iii.India went from 14-28 provinces but no secessation
iv.Canada became aware of ethnic problem in Quebec, appointed a Blue Ribbon Commission that recommended bilingualism at all levels
v.Québec and subsequently other provinces rejected but the federal government accepted
vi.Mediating ideas may not seem as such by the parties concerned
vii.Canada would have broken up if not for bilingualism

Front 21

What is the Competitive Arena Posture?

Back 21

oMaximize government benefits and minimize costs.
oGain power and influence
oShaping public policy, security services, government employment,
oUS—public interest groups effect behavior of government
•Ethnic communities form interest groups—Cubans in Florida

Front 22

What are Criminal and Predatory Exploitation of Ethnic Solidarities?

Back 22

Ethnic groups become gangs, exploit solidarity for economic gain, engate in extortion drug, human trafficking, smuggling
More likely to dominate when state is weak and until rebuilt by international bodies
•Italian mafia famous in US, supersede by Russian and Chinese gangs
•Criminal gangs in Balkans and Yugoslavia
•Afghanistan outside of Kabul, war lords who make money from opium
•Diamonds in Congo and Sierra Leone, their help needed to resolve conflict but the trade becomes more important than the resolution of conflict

Front 23

What is an irredenta as an external influence on ethnic conflict?

Back 23

oHungary and Myanmar population in Slovakia and Romania
oChinese claim to Taiwan??
oParanoid Americans fear that Mexico might make similar claim
oDEF: country that is dominated by one ethnic group but its people also live as a minority in another country and that minority wants to reunite with the ancestral homeland the state in which they currently live must break up.
oAfrica where boundaries are so arbitrary and artificial
oArmenia and Ngorno Karabakh in Azerbaijan
oThailand and Malay provinces in the South
oNazi Germany invade Czech to reunite German minority

Front 24

What is a diaspora as an external influence on ethnic conflict?

Back 24

o Migrants (voluntary or forces) who do not assimilate into host society either by choice or by situation. Form self help mutual assistance networks
o Over time they may pass on into mainstream, but some do not
o Germans in the US assimilated but not South Asians, Middle Easterners
oEnclave communities
oParticipate in the politics of host and home countries
oTamils in the UK, Canada and US
oUS government with regard to Europeans in the country-Italians
oChinese government wooed Chinese diaspora to invest in China
oTurkish guest workers in Germany
oCroatia 10% seats in parliament for diaspora

Front 25

What is strategic intervention as an external influence on ethnic conflict?

Back 25

oStates manipulate and exploit ethnic divisions in other states to advantage themselves and weaken their enemies, real politik—German term, the enemy of your enemy is your friend.
oIsrael supported Kurds in Iraq and Christians in Sudan
oPakistan supports Kashmirs in Kashmir and India supports insurgents in Pakistan
oUSSR encouraged Negro nationalism in the US during cold war
oSyria in Lebanon—Hezbollah

Front 26

How do states intervene to prevent conflict?

Back 26

•Sovereign states—non-intervention, respect each other’s sovereignty, but violations still occur
•Great powers at the end of WWI agreed to respect this law but also to protect minorities in other state but they did not
•Mediation, humanitarian assistance, economic and military sanctions, preventative intervention, coercive sanctions
•Mediation-back channel diplomacy
•US in middle east Camp David, Norway also in middle east and Sri Lanka
•Does not always succeed in India in Sri Lanka and the US in the middle east

Front 27

How do international agencies intervene in ethnic conflict?

Back 27

•UN, EU, African Union, NATO
•EU-application for membership, requirement to respect minorities—Hungary and Turkey
•OSCE—Russian minorities in Balkan state and Roma in E. Europe
•UN—peacekeeping and coercive intervention
•Peacekeeping—consent of host states needed—changing nature of peacekeeping in Kosovo, Cyprus, Sudan. Used to only use self defense, carry minimal weapons, neutral forces.
oNow they can carry offensive weapons with clearer missions so that they are not just sitting ducks—“peace enforcement”
•Coercive intervention—more robust force in an enforcement capacity—Kosovo, E. Timor