However, the ceaseless civil war and turmoil in afghanistan is a byproduct of the cold war, great power rivalries, pakistans dream of controlling the country in the name of strategic depth and also the struggle between the ethnic composition of the country, the majority pashtuns, on the one side. Sep 09, 2019 afghanistan agrees to new conditions to counter corruption. The afghan national anthem and the afghan constitution mention a total of 14 ethnic. The sudden influx of idps fleeing drought to the outskirts of herat and qalaenaw, the capitals of herat and badghis provinces, has led to the emergence of 19 sprawling informal settlements. This is the second conflict, interethnic in nature. Ethnic tensions on zone based election in ghazni, decided as an ad hoc approach by the afghanistan independent electoral commission, and firing on the civilians in faryan province who demanded the release of police chief of qaisar district, nizamuddin qaisari are the most outstanding ethnic tensions testing the governments conflict. In the past, these localized ethnic conflicts have had serious national and even international implications. Ethnicity, religion and neighbours, ethnic studies report, vol.
Wide areas of territory are littered with mines from previous stages in the conflict. Despite afghans proven records in ethnic harmony, the growing ethnic polarisation can easily spread across the society. His most recent book is nationalist exclusion and ethnic conflict cambridge. Ethnic conflict has been one of the worlds most common sources of warfare, insecurity, and loss of life. Ethnie issues in present day afghanistan razia sultana introduction the fragile political system has formed a nexus with political, sectarian, regional and ethnic fissures in afghanistan. Oct 14, 2014 the current media analysis with regard to politics of afghanistan takes a culturalist approach, which ignores the sociopolitical conditions and historical context of events. Afghanistan is a multiethnic and mostlytribal society. Feb 19, 2014 more than 100,000 people died during the civil war that followed the withdrawal of soviet forces from afghanistan in 1989, a conflict that broke largely along ethnic lines, among the pashtuns and. Dynamics of ethnic conflicts in pakistan the express tribune.
This transformation has largely been fuelled by afghanistans neighbours, most importantly pakistan, which have pursued competing policies of crossborder ethnic clientelism. History and conflict between ethnic groups in afghanistan. Their resort to violence could be based upon a combination of family loyalties, or religious and ethnic issues, or local and national politics, or other cultural matters. The fragmentation of the communist peoples democratic party of afghanistan along ethnic lines in the 1960s1980s in spite of support and pressure from the soviet union is a prime example. Ethnic conflict afghanistan by laudys gomez on prezi. Soviet invasion and united states aid to mujahideen 1996. Dec 07, 2010 since the end of the cold war, the war in afghanistan has been transformed from an ideological struggle into a brutal ethnonationalist conflict. An assembly of 502 afghan delegates agrees on a constitution for afghanistan, creating a strong presidential system intended to unite the countrys various ethnic groups. After the war, soviet forces withdrew from afghanistan in 1989 ahmed. This paper considers such issues as geography, regional and historical factors, ethnic makeup along with religious, political, economic, and social considerations. Pdf discussing the ethnic dimension of the taliban movement. On the other hand, the majority of afghan politicians in spite or just because of their different.
Minority rights group international e p o afghanistan. Religious and ethnic conflict in pakistan maryam s. Local sources have confirmed to me that clashes have broken out in the maidanwardak province of afghanistan over grazing rights as kuchi nomads begin their annual migration. Democracy and ethnoreligious conflict in iraq 111 andreas wimmer is a professor of sociology at ucla. In 2001, human rights watch voiced the fear that ethnic violence in afghanistan was likely to increase due to the conflict between the different factions escalating. Since the end of the cold war, the war in afghanistan has been transformed from an ideological struggle into a brutal ethnonationalist conflict. Scholars have been trying to develop a theoretical approach to ethnicity and ethnic conflict for a long time. He previously held positions at the universities of bonn, neuchatel and zurich. This is the second conflict, inter ethnic in nature.
Pdf discussing the ethnic dimension of the taliban. Academic explanations of ethnic conflict generally. Fischer who categorise the afghan conflict as an ethnic one. Ethnic conflict in afghanistan between the kuchi nomads and the hazara farmers. Ethnicity and ethnic conflict in pakistan 53 azerbaijan and tajikistan etc.
An ethnic conflict is a conflict between two or more rival ethnic groups. Far and away the deadliest war of the 21st century was a conflict that had its genesis in the 20th. Afghanistan is among the sophisticated countries in weaponry and technology wise, this rise in innovations, religion, and politics has resulted in ethnicity hence war. Mobutu sese seko, and ethnic strife between hutu and tutsi peoples were direct contributing factors to the second congo war also called the great war in africa or africas first world war because of. The actu al devastation of the lives of afghan men, women and chil dren can only be imagined. A large share of contemporary violence and disintegration in the world stems from ethnic conflicts both intrastate,such as within northern ireland and canada,or with an interstate link,as in the ethnic confrontations in afghanistan,cyprus,iraq. With no ethnic group making up more than half of the population, the dynamics between afghanistans different minorities, twisted by war, need careful explanation. Highprofile assassinations, intercommunal violence and the question of sidama statehood have endangered ethiopias transition to a multiparty democracy.
Subject terms pashtun, geography, taliban, conflict, narcotics, islam, politics, corruption 16. The early 1990s saw the development of a new regional state system in central asia. While the source of the conflict may be political, social, economic or religious, the individuals in conflict must expressly fight for their ethnic groups position within society. The results from the individual weapon development may cause more harm to. This transformation has largely been fuelled by afghanistan s neighbours, most importantly pakistan, which have pursued competing policies of crossborder ethnic clientelism. Conflicts in the balkans, rwanda, chechnya, iraq, indonesia, sri lanka, india, and darfur, as well as in israel, the west bank, and the gaza strip, are among the bestknown and deadliest examples from the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Cambridge university press, 2002, and he is principal editor of.
Starting from the war of state construction and establishing a centralized authority between 18801901. Pashtuns are the largest ethnic group in afghanistan, comprising 42 percent of the population or. This paper is part of the output of the first stage, which involved carrying out eight case studies of nomadfarmer conflict, spread around afghanistan. Violence has always been a part of the afghan way of life. This final criterion differentiates ethnic conflict from other forms of struggle. There are about a dozen ethnic groups in afghanistan, they include. Central asia wars and ethnic conflicts human development. Ethnic conflict in afghanistan by joe oaks on prezi. Ethnic conflict is one of the major threats to international peace and security. Afghanistan, ethnicity is not the singular cause of afghan violence. The taliban claimed responsibility for an explosion that targeted a largely hazara neighborhood in kabul earlier this week.
Ethnic groups are defined as a community of people who share cultural and linguistic characteristics including history, tradition, myth, and origin. Afghanistan agrees to new conditions to counter corruption. He argues that ethnic nationalism which stems from a deeply felt need for each people to have its own state will continue to shape the world in the twentyfirst century. Bicc and professor for peace and conflict studies at the university of bonn. However, in 1089, a conflict broke out that was largely between the ethnic groups. More than 100,000 people died during the civil war that followed the withdrawal of soviet forces from afghanistan in 1989, a conflict that broke largely along ethnic lines, among the pashtuns and. The ongoing conflict is fueled by support to taliban insurgents from pakistan and poor governance. After the war, soviet forces withdrew from afghanistan in. These groups, throughout time, have used violence to achieve their goals. Her discussion of ethnic conflict is extremely valuable because unlike many that have recently appeared it breaks ethnicity down into linguistic and religious dimensions.
Ethnic conflicts in afghanistan contributing factor to the individual conflict level is the rise of elites to study different algorithms used to develop certain weapons by the use of science matrix. Jerry muller us and them, marchapril 2008 tells a disconcerting story about the potential for ethnic diversity to generate violent conflict. The crisis and politics of ethnicity in afghanistan. Why afghanistans war defies solutions the new york times.
In this excerpt from its watch list 2019 second update, crisis group urges the european union and its member states to support a parliamentary vote and assist with economic reforms. Afghan ethnic tensions rise in media and politics the. The war in afghanistan should be studied in relation to political culture, political economy and broader national and regional history. On any analysis, it will be years before the people of afghanistan can contemplate a safe and stable future, let alone a prosperous one. Ethnic war is a conflict between two or more converging group and also individual strife. The struggles of other ethnic groups for political power in afghanistan such as the tajiks, uzbeks and hazaras challenges the dominant umbrella role the pashtuns have played in the past. Conrad schetter, ethnicity and the political reconstruction of afghanistan, center for development studies zef university of bonn, germany, working paper 3, 2004. And it also demonstrates that what sometimes appear to be ethnic conflicts are actually rooted in disputes over material issues, such as the control of resources. Uncertainty, each ethnic conflict has its own unique characteristics and, in different contexts, some of these elements will be more prominent than the others, but all of them are the common denominators necessary for ethnic conflict to occur.
After the formation of the modern nationstate between 18801929, afghanistan has witnessed at least seven major conflicts. Pashtun, tajik, hazara, uzbek, aymaq, turkmen, baloch, pashai, nuristani, gujjar, arab, brahui, pamiri and a few others. Afghanistan and thinking of the conflict in afghanistan in ethnic terms limits rather. Ethnic conflict erupts in peaceful corner of afghanistan. Pashtuns against the minor ethnic groups such as the tajiks, hazaras and uzbeks.
The rwandan genocide, the toppling and death of zairean pres. Ethnic conflict in afghanistan political history conclusion 642870. In the words of mahmud mamdani, there is a cultural talk with respect to afghanistan. Ethnic groups in iran such as the azeris, kurds, turkmen, arabs, and baluchis extend beyond the borders of iran. According to the minorities at risk database, 121 ethnic conflicts occurred between 1945. Afghanistans ethnic diversity, though once stable, has provided another set of fault lines along which the country has atomized. While the origin while the origin of the conflict may be polit ical, social, economic or religious. Pdf the politics of ethnicity in afghanistan rhea abraham. Pakistan and afghanistan institute for the study of war.
Conditions there are dire and pose health and protection. The destabilization of provinces, states, and, in some cases, even. Approximately 100,000 people died during this tragic civil war. Aug 24, 2017 afghanistans ethnic diversity, though once stable, has provided another set of fault lines along which the country has atomized. Cambridge university press, 2002, and he is principal editor of the forthcoming volume facing ethnic conflicts. Global conflict tracker l council on foreign relations. Minorities, conflict and the search for peace relevant international instruments preface introduction the nature of afghanistan characteristics of the afghanistan population the humanitarian situation the reform process and the centrality of womens role the ethnic dimensions of the mujahidin government, 19926. Ethnicity and the political reconstruction in afghanistan. Afghanistan has faced growing ethnic and sectarian tensions in recent years, which. Pashtuns, tajiks, hazaras, uzbeks, and others who make up less than 2% each. Pdf misunderstanding ethnicity in the afghan conflict. Ethnic violence, impact on afghanistan afghanistan is a country made up of numerous ethnic groups. Such attacks are said to be motivated by sectarian divides.
Khan since the beginning of the war on terror, pakistan has been center stage in the international media for talibanization, jihadists, extremist religious violence, sectarian strife, and deep intolerance against nonmuslim minorities. One elite person goes deep to research on a particular weapon reaction and later unleash it during a war. Federalism and ethnic conflict regulation in india and. Despite beliefs that ethnic differences are the sole factors in triggering violence, there is no single cause of violence in afghanistans complex situation. The population of the country is divided into the following ethnolinguistic groups. Demographics top at least two major ethnic groupsthe pashtuns and the baluchslive on both sides of the durand line. Schetter and others published misunderstanding ethnicity in the afghan conflict find, read and cite all the research. An ethnic conflict is a conflict between two or more contending ethnic groups. Main causes of ethnic conflict in afghanistan and solutions. Afghan ethnic tensions rise in media and politics the new. As long as there was a modicum of political order, ethnic and other related issues remained underground and did not cause much trouble although the. Relating war and conflict to political culture is stereotypical and reductionist. The tragedy of afghanistan has outlasted the countrys soviet invaders.
Theory from practice is the main title of the book containing summaries of action research reports findings of fifth batch graduates, acts program, 2011. Theoretical approaches to ethnicity and ethnic conflict. The afghan national anthem and the afghan constitution mention a total of 14 ethnic groups. Thousands of pashtun people became refugees as they fled uzbek junbishi milli troops some of whom were reported as looting, raping and kidnapping when they were disarming pashtuns accused of being former. At least two major ethnic groupsthe pashtuns and the baluchslive on both sides of the durand line. Following violent clashes between the hazara and the kuchi over land, members of the hazara diaspora in the united kingdom and australia came out strongly in support of their ethnic kin in afghanistan and protested zethnic discrimination of the hazara by the afghan state.