Aanish
Indus International School
India

Why do conflicts happen?

Across the globe, people fight each other for many reasons. Conflicts usually arise because two groups disagree on a certain topic, or because one group desires the wealth, land and natural resources that another group possesses.

One of the reasons conflicts happen is because two groups have different viewpoints on the same topic. Racial and religious wars happen because one group believes they are right and the other side is wrong. The European crusades were a war between two religious groups, fighting to reclaim their 'holy land'. This is an example of a religious war, where two groups wanted a plot of holy land and each believed that the plot belonged to them.

Another reason conflicts happen is because of the desire for wealth. Countries always want more money or land because this helps them become powerful. Therefore, countries fight each other to gain control over the other's wealth, land or valuable natural resources.

Conflicts also happen when a country needs to protect itself. If an army is marching towards a country or one nation is testing advanced weapons, conflict could result in order to protect the other country and its citizens.

Comparing past conflicts with present conflicts

When looking at wars throughout history, it is obvious that conflicts have changed greatly. Conflicts will continue to change in the future as well, as new technology is developed to build 'better' weapons that kill more people.

Before the 20th century, wars were fought with swords and spears. Wars were usually fought away from towns and cities, and therefore, fewer women and children got killed. Also, the cities and towns were usually not affected by the wars.

In the 20th century, wars are fought with guns and heavy machinery. More people die in a shorter period of time. Cities and towns are greatly affected by wars. Planes fly over cities and deploy precisely targeted bombs. Houses and buildings are destroyed and many civilians, women and children are killed. Countries are developing more and more powerful weapons. For example, in 1945, scientists in the US created a powerful bomb called the atomic bomb. The US then used this bomb during World War Two on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These bombs killed between 100,000 and 200,000 people. The radiation they released killed many more people and also caused people to get seriously ill for many years. This is an example of how powerful modern weapons are.

What is peace?

Martin Luther King defines peace not as the absence of war, but as the presence of justice. Mahatma Gandhi has said that, '[T]here is no way to peace, peace is the way'.

I agree with both these statements. Peace is a universal agreement on a topic. Peace is not a goal that you are trying to reach. Peace cannot be obtained merely by winning a war. Peace is obtained when the world is in agreement, and everyone is treated fairly and justly. Peace can only be obtained when people respect and treat each other with dignity, regardless of their race, religion or country of origin.

What can the international community do to bring peace to the world?

The international community can help bring and maintain peace by establishing international laws, lending money, negotiating treaties between countries and providing forces for peacekeeping and rebuilding after a war. Examples of global organisations are the World Bank, the International Court of Justice at The Hague, NATO and the United Nations.

The United Nations is an international organisation set up to encourage the observance of international laws and to promote security. The UN was founded in 1945 and most of the countries in the world are members.

After a war, the UN may send out a group of people, called 'peacekeepers', which goes to the site of the war. This force then tries to prevent future hostilities in the region. Peacekeepers have not been entirely successful. During the Cold War, the UN peacekeeping force had trouble preventing conflicts. Although peacekeeping forces have failed a few times, it did win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988.

What can you do to bring peace?

There are many things the average person in any country can do to bring peace. To begin with, do not join the military services such as the army, air force or navy. If people in all countries begin to turn down military service and choose other careers, the militaries would fall apart or at least become weaker.

You could also join protests and groups against wars. All of these options will make it difficult for countries to wage wars. The average person must use fewer natural resources, thus reducing the dependence of the country on a single natural resource, such as oil. For example, instead of buying a Hummer vehicle, which uses lots of oil, people should buy a hybrid car, which uses very little oil. One of the most important and simplest things that people can do is to read international news and be aware of ongoing global issues and not accept blindly what the people in power tell them. If everyone does their little bit, global peace can be achieved.

How do countries rebuild themselves after the war?

After any war, the countries that fought in the war will have trouble rebuilding themselves because of destroyed infrastructure, loss of resources and a distressed population. The government must rebuild homes, buildings and any other damaged structures. They must also reconnect water pipes, get the electricity flowing to people's homes and provide food and shelter for the homeless.

The population of a country at war usually shrinks. People do not want to get killed or injured by stray bullets or bombs. In order to get to safety, these people leave the country. Wealthy refugees can afford to fly to faraway countries. However, the people who cannot afford to fly abroad must find refuge in neighbouring countries. These countries must provide shelter, education, food, and hospitals to these refugees. In order to provide these services, the country must take away some services from its citizens. The citizens of the host country often protest and resent the refugees. This resentment of refugees is a big problem in the world today. In Iraq more than two million people have been displaced due to the war.

To solve these problems, the government must borrow money from the World Bank, or other countries. The government must bring back the refugees especially the doctors and the engineers. They must also prioritise which structures and services they should rebuild and restart first. Hopefully, after many years, the country can return to its original state.

Video selected by Aamish

This video requires Adobe Flash Player.
Download Adobe Flash Player Top     Senior Presentations     Discuss this presentation     Previous     Next