Where is there conflict in the World today?

IGCSE Global Perspectives

Conflict

The clashing of interests (positional differences) over national values of some duration and magnitude between at least

two parties (organized groups, states, groups of states, organizations) that are determined to pursue their interests and

achieve their goals.

Source: Conflict Barometer 2008, Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research

Source: Conflict Barometer 2008, Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research

• A total of 345 conflicts were counted in 2008. • Apart from the 39 conflicts fought out with the

use of a massive amount of violence, 95 conflicts were conducted with sporadic use of violence and therefore classified as crises.

• In contrast, 211 non-violent conflicts were counted, which could be subdivided into 129 manifest and 82 latent conflicts.

• Compared to the previous year, the number of conflicts remained almost the same (344 in 2007 and 345 in 2008).

Source: Conflict Barometer 2008, Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research

Source: Conflict Barometer 2008, Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research

Conflict Items

• Territory• Secession• Decolonization• Autonomy• System/ideology• National power• Regional predominance• International power• Resources• OthersSource: Conflict Barometer 2008, Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research

• As in the years before, the most frequent conflict item in 2008 was system/ideology, with 107 cases.

• National power ranked second with 74, followed by resources with 71 cases.

• It must be noted that conflicts very often involve more

than one item.

• Combinations of the three most frequent items were common, as was the combination of territory and resources, regional predominance and resources, or international power and system/ideology.

Source: Conflict Barometer 2008, Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research

Source: Conflict Barometer 2008, Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research

Europe

Europe - severe crises

• Georgia (Abkhazia) - secession

• Georgia (South Ossetia) - secession

• Russia (Islamist rebels/Ingushetia) - secession, system/ideology

Europe - wars

• Russia - Georgia - international power

Source: Conflict Barometer 2008, Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research

Sub-Saharan AfricaSub-Saharan Africa - severe crises• Burundi (Palipehutu-FNL Rwasa) - national power• DR Congo (Bundu dia Kongo) - autonomy, system/ideology• DR Congo (CNDP) - regional predominance, resources, other• Kenya (opposition) - national power• Kenya (SLDF) - regional predominance• Mali (Tuareg/Kidal) - autonomy, resources• Nigeria (Christians - Muslims) - system/ideology• Nigeria (MEND, Ijaw/Niger Delta) - regional predominance, resources• Sudan (SPLM/A / South Sudan) - territory, secession, resources

Sub-Saharan Africa - wars• Chad (various rebel groups) - national power• Somalia (UIC) - system/ideology, national power• Sudan (Darfur) - regional predominance, resources

Source: Conflict Barometer 2008, Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research

The Americas

The Americas - severe crises

• Colombia (FARC) - system/ideology, regional predominance, resources

• Mexico (drug cartels) - regional predominance, resources

Source: Conflict Barometer 2008, Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research

Asia and OceaniaAsia and Oceania - severe crises• India (Islamists) - system/ideology• India (Kashmir) - secession• India (MPLF, ZRA, KCP/Manipur) - secession• India (Naxalites) - system/ideology• Pakistan (BLA, BRA, BLF/Balochistan) - secession, resources• Pakistan (North and South Waziristan) - autonomy, system/ideology• Pakistan (Sunnites - Shiites) - system/ideology, regional predominance• Philippines (CPP, NPA) - system/ideology• Philippines (MILF/Mindanao) - autonomy, system/ideology, resources• Thailand (Muslim separatists/southern border provinces) - secession,

system/ideology

Asia and Oceania - wars• Pakistan (Islamists) - system/ideology, national power• Sri Lanka (LTTE) - secession

Source: Conflict Barometer 2008, Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research

The Middle East and MaghrebThe Middle East and Maghreb - severe crises• Iran (PJAK/Kurdish areas) - autonomy• Iraq (al-Zarqawi group/AQI) - system/ideology, national power• Iraq (insurgents) - system/ideology, national power• Israel (PNA, al-Fatah, Hamas/Palestine) - secession,

system/ideology, resources• Lebanon (religious groups) - system/ideology, national power• Yemen (Believing Youth Movement) - system/ideology

The Middle East and Maghreb - wars• Afghanistan (Taliban) - system/ideology, national power• Iraq (al-Sadr group) - system/ideology, national power• Turkey (PKK/KONGRA-GEL / Kurdish areas) - autonomy

Source: Conflict Barometer 2008, Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research