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