Ethnic conflict facts for kids
An ethnic conflict (sometimes called an ethnic war) is a fight between different ethnic groups. An ethnic group is a group of people who share a common culture, language, or history. This kind of conflict is different from a civil war, where people from the same country or group fight among themselves.
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What is an Ethnic Conflict?
Ethnic conflicts happen when groups with different backgrounds clash. These clashes can be about land, power, or even just feeling different from each other. Often, one group might feel unfair treatment or want to break away and form its own country.
Why Do Ethnic Conflicts Happen?
Ethnic conflicts can start for many reasons. Sometimes, it's because one group wants to control more land or resources. Other times, it's about political power, where one group wants to rule over others. History also plays a big part. Old disagreements or feelings of unfairness from the past can lead to new conflicts. When countries break apart, different ethnic groups might suddenly find themselves in new borders, leading to fights over who gets what.
Examples of Ethnic Conflicts
Many ethnic conflicts have happened around the world, especially since the 1990s. These often involved groups trying to create their own separate states. Here are a few examples:
The Yugoslav Wars
The Yugoslav Wars happened in the 1990s when the country of Yugoslavia broke apart. Different ethnic groups, like Serbs, Croats, and Bosniaks, fought over land and independence. This led to many smaller wars as new countries were formed.
The First Chechen War
The First Chechen War took place in the mid-1990s. It was a conflict between Russia and the region of Chechnya. Chechnya wanted to become an independent country, but Russia wanted it to remain part of its territory.
The Nagorno-Karabakh War
The Nagorno-Karabakh War was a fight between Armenia and Azerbaijan. It was about control over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. This area is mostly populated by ethnic Armenians, but it is officially part of Azerbaijan.
The Rwandan Civil War
The Rwandan Civil War happened in Rwanda in 1994. This conflict was mainly between two ethnic groups, the Hutu and the Tutsi. It led to a terrible period of violence where many people were killed.
The War in Darfur
The War in Darfur started in 2003 in the Darfur region of Sudan. It involved conflicts between different ethnic groups and the Sudanese government. This war caused many people to lose their homes and become refugees.
Images for kids
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Map highlighting the current zones of conflict in Myanmar
See also
In Spanish: Conflicto étnico para niños
