Conflicts between people of the same ethnicity
Conflicts between people of the same ethnicity are a threat to international peace and security. Violation of human rights, for instance, mass killing, crimes against humanity, economic decline, environmental issues, and increase of refugees in neighboring states, were the crimes that accompanied ethnical clashes. The ethnicity conflicts are not necessarily brought about by ethnic disparities but rather economic,political, social, cultural, or territorial issues. The joint effects of ethnic violence are destabilization of provinces, states, and the region depending on the intensity of the conflict. Articles discuss all aspects of life. This paper will present an article scenario of ethnic diversity, its impacts internationally, and its solutions.
Summary of Article
The presence of human rights abuse and violence In northern Shan state and Eastern Kayin state where the Burmese-dominated central government rights abuse and violence are present. A news article by CNN written by Rebecca Wright and Ivan Watson on April 30th, 2020, claims that the Myanmar Military, which is the main branch of the armed forces of Myanmar in Burma and accountable for land-based operations, was given the responsibility to fight the corona pandemic. Still, instead, they began committing crimes against humanity. The Myanmar army is carrying out war crimes against ethnic minorities like Rakhine Buddhist civilians from the western state. Their source Lee Yanghee, a UN specialist rapporteur, stated to CNN that the Rakhines experienced tortured, the monastic attacked, houses burnt, and bodies decapitated. All this was during the Rakhine Buddhist attack with the Arakan Army. The Arakan Army is an armed group that functioned in Myanmar; it represented the ethnic Rakhine, which was the majority population in Rakhine state but an ethnic minority in Myanmar. The two have been fighting since 2018. Phil Robertson said that the government and the military were committing crimes against humanity against the two ethnic groups. The government, however, refutes these claims.
Impact of ethnic conflict Globally
Ethnic conflicts not only bring the dispute to the community but also the nation and the neighboring nations. It also affects international relations and foreign policy. Some of the most dangerous aspects of such conflicts involve the killings and trafficking of people and illegal goods (Najafov,2017). The human rights violation that comes with these conflicts led to the international community to withdraw from the idea of “absolute sovereignty” Some of the factors that may affect the global community include;
Refugees
In the process of conflict, there are military and innocent civilians. Conflicts lead to bloodshed, and in most cases, people flee to neighboring countries to seek refuge.
Economic Issues
Trade between the neighboring countries is affected. Fields may remain uncultivated for months, transport, communication, and other means of business come to a standstill, and those who depended on that country in conflict for export tend up in a crisis. There arises unemployment, and the labor force is taken to other states to find refuge. Refugees increase, which stains international resources (Stavenhagen,1996).
War
When refugees migrate to a neighboring country, the host country might feel threatened. They, therefore, send the military to defend their territory, and this might, in turn, intensify clashes.
Military Clashes
To protect its country from external threats, the country that neighbors the one in clashes might carry out anti-territorial operations on the border to destroy and separatists and terrorist groups this operation might be misinterpreted by the country close and cause military rattles.
Outside Influences
Humanitarian intervention
When conflicts in a given ethnic community go against the universal values and norms, it attracts the attention of international bodies. Foreign intervention arises from humanitarian organizations; for example, United Nations(UN), European Union(EU), NGOs, human rights organizations, philanthropic organizations, for instance, Borderless Doctors, Borderless Journalists, and Greenpeace came into play. These organizations go to the battlefield, but they help reduce peoples suffering by maybe feeding and clothing the victims of war. They maintain peace amicably through dialogue.
Neighbour Intervention
In most countries, the relations of the neighboring state are close to those in conflict; they may have a common ancestry. Neighboring states may opt to support their ethnic minority not in self-defense but in an aim to protect their own (Najafov, 2017). Their intention for intervention may be biased, but at least it maintains peace.
Defensive intervention
A neighboring state may intervene for self-defense to prevent the spread of hostilities brought about by the refugees. This type of intervention is associated with the national interest of the state or intergovernmental organizations represented by a group of countries, but it still does the work.
Conclusion
The article is not neutral. The writer of the report did not get the government to tell its side of the story. The only details available are those provided by Lee and Robertson. The details they got from the leader of defacto Aung San Suu Kyi were vague and very brief. They later add that Rakhine has and a history of violent military crackdowns, yet all the data they can offer is of 2017-2018.