CONFLICT AND

PEACE

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TOPIC QUESTION: What are the causes of conflict and how can

they be resolved?

Demilade Ogunbiyi 10A Somto Agazie 10A

Arimoku Obaigbena 10B Global Perspectives 10.6

TABLE OF CONTENTS ♣Motivation

♣The Impacts of Conflicts on the Lives of Individuals - Positive Impacts

- Negative Impacts

♣Why Are Conflicts in My Country Unresolved? - Personal Perspective

- Local Perspective – Armed Conflict

- Global Perspective – Case Study: The Niger Delta

♣How Can We Achieve World Peace? - What is the main cause of conflict in countries

around the world? – Case Study: The UK and the USA

- What are the effects of global conflicts on countries? – Case Study: South Sudan (developing country)

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- How can we solve these conflicts in order To achieve peace among nations? – Case Study: Finland (developed country)

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Motivation

Demilade says:

‘I decided on the topic Conflict and Peace because it covers a lot of real life situations ranging from petty arguments with our friends to wars between first world countries. In other words, I chose the topic because it is realistic and relatable. Many people seem to be oblivious to the reasons why they constantly end up in some sort of conflict; either with themselves or others, which is why I wanted to take a closer look at the topic and find the answer to the widely asked question “What are the causes of conflict and how can they be resolved?” I also chose this topic so that I can help people find solutions to the different conflicts they face on a daily basis, by getting feedback from people all around the world through surveys, internet research and interviews with experienced individuals.’

Somto says:

‘I chose the topic Conflict and Peace because conflict is something that happens on a daily basis but it is not given enough attention, therefore it would be good to raise awareness of the effects and consequences of conflicts. “What are the causes of conflict and how can they be resolved?” I chose this big question because I often find myself in arguments with my friends or having disagreements with my parents and I ask myself how these conflicts started in the first place and I personally would like to discover effective ways of resolving these conflicts so I can make peace with my friends and family. This is why I was motivated to conduct a first-hand research based on this topic.’

Ari says:

‘My motivation to choose this topic is that I am intrigued by how people have fights and conflicts so often because I rarely ever find myself in this position and I would genuinely like to understand the factors that cause these conflicts that I so often see happening around me but, for some reason, am never involved in. In addition I decided to dig deeper into this topic because I wish to analyze and evaluate conflict and peace in my society, and eventually gain more knowledge about what kind of conflicts have occurred in my country and why they are unresolved today.’

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1. What are the impacts of conflicts on the lives of individuals?

First of all, what is a conflict? By dictionary definition, a conflict is a serious disagreement or argument; typically a protracted one.

Conflicts in the life of an individual can have different effects depending on how it is managed. Positive conflict can be identified, and can be encouraged, but if there are negative impacts of conflicts identified, they must be eliminated. There are different types of conflict: communal violence, armed conflicts, kidnapping, war, etc.

Here, we are going to find out the impacts of these conflicts, as well as the effects and consequences on the lives of individuals. While researching this question, I found out that there are positive impacts of conflicts, as well as negative impacts.

Let us take a look at war as an example of a conflict and identify the positive and negative impacts of war on individuals.

POSITIVE IMPACTS OF CONFLICT (war): • War can correct terrible injustices: For example, the US Civil War

caused an end to slavery in that country. An individual who participated in the Civil War it said that since slavery was abolished due to the war, his mental health has gotten so much better.

• World War 2 ended the holocaust: Holocaust survivors have mentioned the ending of the holocaust as a constant reminder to always remain humane toward other people.

• Wars can also lead to technological advances that help society: One instance of this is the development of air travel after WW2, which was strongly influenced by the wartime development of large, long-range

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bombers. Obviously, the development of air travel is benefitting lots of individuals, including us.

• Advances in Medical Science: There are advances in medical science during wars because both sides are attempting to invent or create better ways of preserving the lives of combatants, and these advances benefit us as individuals and as a whole population. We are benefitting from the positive impact of the War. Lots of anesthetics were also discovered during that time period, so now we, as individuals, are living a better, healthier life.

NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF CONFLICT (war):

➢ Death and Destruction: Millions of people die during wars, especially major wars such as WW2. Cities can be devastated, straining a country’s economy; these can lead to terrible human misery. This can dampen the spirits and the psychological health of individuals.

➢ Economic losses due to the destruction of capital as well as disruption of trade: Individuals can lose their jobs, and their source of income. This can affect their health greatly in a negative way.

➢ Human Suffering and the spread of human diseases: Spread of human diseases means individuals get the diseases, which can have a negative long, lasting effect on them: DEATH, or they can suffer health wise due to the illness.

➢ Displacement of people and destruction of the environment: Destroying a person’s environment like their house and then making them displaced, whether internally, or externally, can make them feel sad, and

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an even anger the individual. This can make the individual be emotionally drained.

In Conclusion, as we can see from above, there are positive impacts of conflict on the lives of individuals, as well as negative impacts of conflict on the lives of individuals. Nonetheless, whether positive or negative, they both play a part in improving the life of that individual.

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2. Why are some conflicts in my country unresolved?

Personal perspective on ongoing conflicts in Nigeria

I personally believe it is our prime responsibility, as citizens of Nigeria, to put in place appropriate strategies on how to minimize conflicts. Starting with schools; I understand that it is typical for young children and pupils to have disagreements in school. However, it is the responsibility of the school to install a constitution of rules which will prevent these minor arguments and petty disputes from becoming full blown conflicts or physical fights. Children should be disciplined in school and made to understand that violence is never the answer. These students need to learn how to contain their skirmishes and avoid conflicts. In addition to this, they should be taught how to resolve their own conflicts, preferably with the help of a guidance counselor in school, who will help them to make sure their conflicts are resolved before they get out of hand and affect their personal lives at home.

It is also mandatory that young people are taught, from home, how to avoid conflicts and what they can do to resolve them. Family life is one of the biggest influences on people’s behavior and who they turn out to be in future. If there is conflict at home between the parents - for example if the child comes from a violent home – there is a very huge chance that the child will become violent and suffer the consequences of their actions in future. When children are not taught from home, how to deal with their issues, in the long term they could become vagabonds, as they would find themselves imitating the behavior of violent or angry parents, which could get them arrested. If they do not know how to solve their own conflicts, they will get into fights, commit murders and do all sorts of things which could get them into trouble. This is where the welfare of Nigeria comes in. If we have more vagabonds and people of such nature wandering our streets, it will increase the crime rate in our country, leading to national conflict. It is not the fault of these people, but it becomes the problem of their country.

In conclusion, I believe that we need to begin solving the problems from within our communities, before we can finally achieve a wide-spread conflict resolution strategy. First we have to work on ourselves, then we can make our country better. Parents should teach their children morals from home, schools should teach the students discipline to avoid them getting into fights and minor conflicts in order to prevent these minor conflicts from becoming a serious issue for the individual and his/her country, and eventually, we will be able to resolve Nigeria’s conflicts.

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Local Perspective on Ongoing Conflicts in Nigeria

Here are some examples of ongoing conflicts in Nigeria:

The conflict between the military and the armed group Boko Haram continues and has generated a humanitarian crisis that affected more than 14 million people. The security forces continued to commit serious human rights violations including extrajudicial executions and enforced disappearances. The police and military continued to commit torture and other ill-treatment. Conditions in military detention were harsh. Communal violence occur in many parts of the country. Thousands of people have been forcibly evicted from their homes.

Armed conflict

• Boko Haram

Boko Haram has continued to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity in the northeast, affecting 14.8 million people. The group has continued to carry out attacks and small-scale raids throughout the year. The national and regional armed forces have recaptured major towns from Boko Haram’s control. In its response to Boko Haram attacks, the military has continued to carry out arbitrary arrests, detentions, ill-treatment and extrajudicial executions of people suspected of being Boko Haram fighters − acts which have amounted to war crimes and possible crimes against humanity.

• Communal violence

Inter-communal violence often occurs in many parts of the country. Many incidents have been linked to lingering clashes between herdsmen and farming communities. In February, at least 45 people were killed in Agatu, Benue state, after attacks by suspected herdsmen. In April, at least nine people were killed by suspected herdsmen in the Nimbo/Ukpabi community in Enugu state. The community said they had warned the authorities about the pending attack but the security agencies failed to prevent it. Five people detained by the police over the killings are yet to be tried. In May, at least two people were killed in the Oke-Ako community, Ekiti state, by suspected herdsmen. In response, in August, the state government enacted a law banning cattle on undesignated land in the state. These conflicts are yet to be resolved.

Source: https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/africa/nigeria/report-nigeria/

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The Global Outlook on Ongoing Conflicts in Nigeria

Case Study: The Niger Delta

The extremely diverse nation of Nigeria has faced difficulties in keeping peace with over 250 distinct ethnicities, as terrorist organizations threaten the right to education in the north of Nigeria and Niger militants fight for the protection of their environment in the south. These are various examples of unresolved and ongoing conflicts in this nation. Have you ever wondered why conflicts are unsettled in Nigeria? Have you ever wondered what the true vendetta behind conflicts is?

Nigeria is the 15th largest oil producer in the world, with many international companies taking advantage of this natural resource. The Niger Delta is the literal 'heart' of Nigeria's large oil company, pumping a large sum of money into the economy. Many locals have complained and have accused multinational companies such as Shell Oil of pollution as oil production contaminates the drinking water of at least ten communities in the Ogoniland area. Neither the Nigerian government nor Royal Dutch Shell have taken action. This is an example of vested interest, as Nigeria neglects its own communities in favour of multinationals for financial gain such as taxes. And Nigeria is paid, reported by the Punch, $42 billion in the period 2011 to 2016.

The British news provider, Sky News has recently done a report in the Niger Delta in March 2017. The report portrayed the militants as victims of Shell misuse of their environment and how they had to take action to be noticed. The news outlet produced a video revealing the consequences of pollution, which the guardian states that it would take up to 30 years to clean up. The video showed the bad effects on fishing and how drinking water and farmland vegetation have been contaminated destroying the lives of communities, increasing the dependence on foreign aid.

However, this video shows signs of bias as only one side of the story is shown, in terms of the victims of pollution, and neglecting the company ‘Shell’ which is allegedly responsible for the pollution. There should have been a comparison between the contrasting accusation between Shell and the militants to make the video appeal to people with different perspectives.

Sky News's reports also questions the legitimacy of the militants as there are many with contradicting views. Most of the militants want Shell and other international companies to clean up the pollution, whilst other militants are pirates which steel oil barrels and dump them into the river or burn it which causes more pollution and displays hypocrisy.

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Various researches conducted by Amnesty International have shown how Shell has manipulated oil spill investigations in their favour. Evidence that backed up this claim shows various times whereas Shell has wrongly reported the cause of oil spills, the volume of oil spilt, or the extent and adequacy of clean-up measures. The evidence clearly shows that Shell has vested interest in the natural resources only, neglecting the effect on the environment or communities. Amnesty explains that these are various reasons why so many militants have aroused against Shell for its lack of consideration on its environment. Amnesty has started a campaign on social media with the hashtag #MakeTheFuture stating that Shell should clean its pollution in the Niger Delta.

The unique aspect of both Global Outlooks is that the world is focusing on the views of the militants and don’t see them as a threat but rather, as activists who have been victims of globalization, as multinationals such as Shell tend to see more value in the profit gained from the exploitation of natural resources than the communities harmed whilst doing so. This is the Global Perspective of the militants in the Niger Delta.

Sources

• "The Niger Delta Avengers: Nigeria's Newest Militants." By Ewokor,

Chris. BBC News. BBC, 02 June 2016. Web. 16 Mar. 2017.

• "Get Involved." Get Involved. Web. 16 Mar. 2017.

• "Oil Thieves: We Want to Be Seen as Legitimate." Sky News. Web. 16 Mar.

2017.

• "Shell and Nigeria Have Failed on Oil Pollution Clean-up, Amnesty

Says." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 04 Aug. 2014. Web. 16 Mar.

2017.

• "Shell: #MakeTheFuture – Clean up the Niger Delta!" Shell: # Web. 16

Mar. 2017.

• "Thieves Leave Niger Delta Drowning in Oil." Sky News. Web. 16 Mar.

2017.

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• "UN Confirms Massive Oil Pollution in Niger Delta." UN Confirms

Massive Oil Pollution in Niger Delta. Web. 16 Mar. 2017.

3. How Can We Achieve World Peace?

What is the main cause of conflict in countries around the world?

At any point in history, our world is engaged in conflict. From the UK and USA engaged at war in Afghanistan, through to insurgencies in Algeria, Burma and Columbia, civil wars in African nations, and conflict between people in China, Iran and Israel, we see that we are in a fragile landscape.

All conflicts are different with their particular history and reasons. I think that inequality within societies and between regions has become a key cause for conflict, exacerbated by rapid information distribution, as people are now more aware of inequalities. Economic, social and environmental trends come together, for example, looking at resource competition and climate change. Climate change intensifies the lack of resources, leading to political conflict. State fragility continues to be a key source for internal conflicts, instability and human suffering.

Over the past century, a number of facets of humanities development have contributed to global conflict, the most vital being: resource control. Our world is hugely dependent on agriculture and energy. Both of these resources are in huge demand, creating a great deal of tension, economic equality in many nations and potential for conflict. Population and economic growth also puts huge strains on these assets, as our world comes close to consuming greater than is sustainable. The relationship between resource scarcity and conflict has received major attention regarding international relations. With resource scarcity being the root of conflict, resource control plays an important role in conflict as people are willing to fight other people to acquire greater resources; energy and food being major ones.

Oil, the most popular existing energy resource, has led the United States of America and the United Kingdom into war. The invasion of Iraq, during the Iraq War, was caused by the US aided by the UK in securing oil fields, preventing scarcity. This shows evidence that nations would go to extreme extents, even conflict, for energy security. If the war was avoided, lack of energy security may have led to both nations suffering internal conflicts to protect few oil mines still in production. The Telegraph has described oil shortages as 'a bigger threat than terrorism’ clearly showing the importance of oil in the UK. The shortage of farmers in the US has led to a decline in American agricultural production. A decline in food security would lead to factions fighting for large amount of food

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resources. The main cause of the shortage of farmers, is the young farmers leaving the industry.

These factors show that the dependency of resources, such as oil and agriculture may indefinitely lead to conflict if there is a scarcity.

What are the effects of global conflicts on countries?

The consequences of global conflicts impact societies, leading to the mismanagement of resources (land, water and money). This has major effects on population, as most of these resources are invested towards the conflict rather the people suffering the cost of the conflicts.

Case Study: South Sudan (developing country)

The world's newest country, South Sudan has suffered a substantial amount of conflicts which has shown implications on its people. The current ongoing civil war has divided the country into different factions fighting for power. The cost of the war has led to the mismanagement of vital resources for regular South Sudanese citizens.

As a result of the conflict, a humanitarian crisis has arisen in the country. More than 2.7 million people have been displaced since the start of the War, the number of refugees surpassing 1 million, most of which end up in Uganda with 90% whom are women and children. The lack of security has led to other side effects of the main conflict. Farming cycles, grazing patterns, trade routes, and local markets have all been disrupted. The price of food has skyrocketed due to this, leaving many people unable to attend to their basic needs. The annual inflation rate surged to almost 730% in August 2016, with food costs rising to almost 850%.

The looting of food aid provided by the UN and other organizations resulted in the loss of 4,500 metric tons of food, which would have fed 220,000 people for a month. The looting was allegedly conducted by government soldiers showing signs of corruption in the civil war. About 40% of the population, roughly 8 million people, are facing life-threatening hunger due to the offset of harvest in August. The lack of food security has plunged a majority of the population into famine. The humanitarian crisis has served as a major push

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factor in migration. Currently, 700 thousand South Sudanese have resettled in Uganda, 90% of which are women and children.

The case study on South Sudan has shed light on the effects of war on a country. It causes mismanagement of resources leading to mass displacement and widespread poverty, affecting millions of lives potentially lowering the Human development index of a nation.

How can we solve these conflicts in order to achieve peace among nations?

As of today, there are conflicts in the world which are heard of on a daily basis, the most common cause of conflict, however, is resource control. Under that are the 3 main resources that cause conflict: land, water and money. Here, we are going to take a look at possible ways that these conflicts can be resolved, in order to achieve peace among nations.

Case Study: Finland (developed country)

Resolving water conflict: Water is a necessity of life, and we use it for hydration, washing, agriculture, and industry. Bodies of water such as oceans, seas, lakes, and rivers can also be linked to conflict due to their roles in transportation, development, and culture. A population’s dependence on sources of income within bodies of water, such as fisheries and offshore oil fields.

Finland, a country with harsh climates, still manages their water effectively. If they didn’t, these could cause conflicts within their nation and also among relative nations. Therefore Finland knows how to resolve or rather avoid water conflict. Finland says “So far, water has been used ineffectively and wastefully. There is now a need for much more functional technological solutions, wide involvement and steering systems: policies, laws, strategies and programs. Cooperation between States should also be intensified.” She thinks that using these ways, water can be managed effectively, which could lead to less conflicts among nations.

Resolving Land conflict: As well as water, land can cause very intense conflicts, but Finland has a way to avoid conflicts among nations by managing their resources. One environmentalist in Finland says, “The economic use of resources and energy is no longer merely a competitive advantage – it is a

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necessity if we are to avert large-scale environmental problems in the near future. These problems will not only damage the natural environment, but also affect humans and society in a profound way. By investing in a green economy, Finland can create jobs and help avoid environmental problems.”

Resolving Money conflict: They say money makes the world go around, so this can definitely cause conflicts among nations. In Finland, everyone has to manage their investments. They manage their school budgets. They also make sure their GDP per capita is high; they make sure they are exporting more than they are importing and they don’t print a lot of money so as to avoid devaluing their currency.

In conclusion, just as Finland manages these 3 resources quite effectively, other nations can follow their footsteps, and if this happens, then there would hardly be conflicts among nations, and we would eventually be able to achieve world peace.

Source: https://finland.fi/life-society/environmental-protection-in-finland/

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