THE NEW TRIBALISM: Defending Human Rights in an Age of Ethnic Conflict : A World of Civil Strife

From the genocidal “ethnic cleansing” of the former Yugoslav federation to the brutal conflicts in the former Soviet Union and many countries of Africa and Asia, violence has taken root between people who share the same terrain but differ in ethnicity, race, language or religion. A U.N. report in May estimated that “internal conflicts afflict some 60 countries” in the developing world alone.

Although some of these conflicts have a long history, many have been fanned by deliberate government policies designed to divide and conquer opponents, justify repression of separatist movements or fend off calls for democracy.

Here is a sampling of some of the most deadly or dangerous ethnic and religious conflicts today.

EUROPE:

1. Azerbaijan: Fighting between Muslim Azerbaijanis and Christian Armenians over Nagorno Karabakh enclave. At least 3,000 deaths since 1988.

2. Bosnia: Muslims being “ethnically cleansed” by Serb and Croat minorities. 150,000 dead since 1991.

3. Britain: Protestant majority vs. Catholic minority in Northern Ireland. 3,000 killed since 1969.

4. Croatia: Serb separatists control about one-third of Croatian territory. Conflict has killed about 25,000 since 1991.

5. France: Significant backlash against influx of mostly North African immigrants.

6. Georgia: Abkhazians and Southern Ossetians seek separation from Georgia. About 3,000 killed since 1988s.

7. Germany: Right wing groups angered by an influx of foreigners have carried out hundreds of attacks. At least 22 killed since 1991.

8. Moldova: Russians and Ukrainians in eastern region battle for independence against ethnicRomanians. About 500 killed since 1990.

9. Romania: Tension between Romanians and Hungarian minority; also prejudice against Gypsies.

10. Russia: Mostly Orthodox Christian Ossetians and Muslim Ingushetians at odds over territory in Caucasus Mountains; also neighboring Chechens seek greater autonomy within Russia. Hundreds killed since 1990.

11. Spain: Basque separatists vs. central government. About 700 dead in last 25 years.

12. Yugoslavia: Albanian majority in Kosovo province of Serbia bristles under repressive rule from Belgrade. More than 100 killed in last four years.

ASIA:

13. Afghanistan: Civil war among competing guerrilla chieftans and ethnic factions (Hazars, Pushtuns, Tajiks). Unknown thousands killed.

14. Bangladesh: Mainly Buddhist Chakmas have fought for separation from officially Islamic Bangladesh since 1975. Hundreds killed.

15. Bhutan: Ethnic Nepalese revolt against the government.

16. Cambodia: U.N. peacekeepers try to end Khmer Rouge attacks on 100,000 Vietnamese civilians living in Cambodia.

17. China: Tibetans oppose rule from Beijing.

18. Fiji: Ethnic Indians vs. Fijians.

19. India: Religious violence between Hindus and Muslims since 1974. More than 2,000 deaths since September, 1992. In Kashmir, Muslim separatists rebelled in 1990 against Hindu rule. About 6,000 killed. In Punjab, Sikh miltants have rebelled for 11 years against Hindu rule. About 20,000 killed.

20. Indonesia: Mostly Muslim Indonesia fights separatist movement among mostly Roman Catholic east Timorese population. Up to 200,000 dead since 1975 through violence or fmine related to civil strife. Another separatist movement in northern Sumatra. 2,000 reported dead.

21. Myanmar: Guerrilla warfare by at least four insurgent groups has killed about 6,000 since 1988. Muslims in the West fleeing into Bangladesh; Karens in east along Thai-Myanmar border. Government offensives against minorities living along borders with Thailand, China and Bangladesh

22. Papua New Guinea: Separtist movement on the island of Bougainville wants independence. 3,000 to 5,000 killed.

23. Sri Lanka: Ten-year insurgency of the mostly Hindu Tamils in the north against the mostly Buddhist Sinhalese.

24. Tajikistan: Clashes between Tajik Muslims and communist authorities seeking to suppress Islamic political power. More than 20,000 dead. Also conflict between Tajiks and minority Uzbeks.

Sub-Saharan Africa:

25. Burundi: Ethnic clashes between the majority Hutus and the formerly politically dominant Tutsis. Thousands of deaths.

26. Chad: Clashes between Zakawa tribe of President Idriss Deby and Gourane tribe of leader he ousted in 1990, Hissen Habre.

27. Ethiopia: Tensions between Oromo people and Amhara exacerbate political divisions. Battles between Oromo Liberation Front and Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democracy Front. Hundreds, perhaps thousands dead. Also fighting between other ethnic groups.

28. Kenya: Human rights groups say the government exacerbates tribal tensions even as it argues that political pluralism would degenerate into tribal conflict.

29. Liberia: Civil war pits Gio and Mano ethnic groups under Charles Taylor against Krahn ethnic group of the late President Samuel K. Doe. Tens of thousands killed or dead of starvation resulting from war.

30. Mali: Ethnic Tuaregs in Mali and Niger fighting for sovereignty.

31. Mauritania: Arab-dominated regime clashes with black minority.

32. Nigeria: Fighting between Muslims and Christians, particularly in east-central Nigeria, dates at least as far back as British rule, which ended in 1960. Many hundreds, perhaps thousands killed in last year or two.

33. Rwanda: Tribal conflict continues. Hundreds killed (see Burundi).

34. Senegal: Diola tribe in the coastal region opposes Muslim domination of the government. Hundreds killed.

35. Somalia: Discrimination by deposed dictator Mohamed Siad Barre spawned clan fighting that erupted into full-scale civil war. About 100,000 killed in fighting and another 350,000 dead of starvation, inspiring American-led intervention.

36. South Africa: nine years of political violence between blacks and the white government--about 15,000 killed; also fighting between Zulu and non-Zulu ethnic groups, with thousands more killed.

37. Sudan: Arab Muslim government in the north fights longstanding insurgency by black Christians and animists in the south. About 40,000 killed.

38. Togo: Kabiye tribe of leader Gen. Gnassingbe Eyadema battled opposition from the rival Ewe tribe last year. Scores killed.

39. Uganda: Sporadic warfare between the army (mostly Baganda and Banyarwanda tribes) and northern rebels from the Acholi and Langi tribes.

40. Zaire: Ethnic and tribal rivalries contribute to civil war, which has killed thousands in the last year. Fierce ethnic fighting in Shaba province.

Middle East & North Africa:

41. Algeria: Islamic militants continue to clash with government forces.

42. Cyprus: U.N. troops separate Greek and Turkish Cypriots embroiled in a 30-year conflict that cost some 10,000 lives in the 1960s and 1970s.

43. Egypt: Islamic militants vs. Coptic Christians. Militants also attack tourists in hopes of destabilizing secular government.

44. Iran: Persecution of Bahais and evangelical Christians.

45. Iraq: Kurdish separatists in the north and Shiite rebels in the south clash with Sunni-dominated government of President Saddam Hussein. Tens of thousands dead since end of Persian Gulf War.

46. Israel: Palestinian intifada rebellion against Israeli of occupied areas has lasted more than 5 years. About 1,600 killed on both sides.

47. Kuwait: Pressure to force out Palestinians and Bidouns (stateless Arabs).

48. Lebanon: Syrian troops keep the lid on ethnic and religious conflict which resulted in 150,000 deaths during a 15-year civil war.

49. Turkey: Kurdish separatists in southeast of the country vs. government. 2500 dead in last nine years.

Latin America:

50. Brazil: Sporadic clashes over Indian territory between indigenous groups and Brazilian outsiders, mostly in the Amazon.

51. Guatemala: Tension between indigenous Guatemalan majority and the army as it pursues anti-government guerrillas in India areas.

NORTH AMERICA

52. United States: Tensions among various ethnic groups, especially in major cities such as Los Angeles.