Violence in Perspective

The recent attack in Norway has shocked the world. The extremely gruesome and indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians and youths seems out of place in a country considered by many one of the safest in the world. This news combined with other thoughts recently about violence in distraught parts of Central Asia and Africa have made me think about the role of violence in our 21st century society. It seems to be easier to understand the motivations that could lead people to desperate acts of violence in places enduring civil wars and political and economic instability, but it is much more difficult to explain killing of civilians for political ideals in supposedly calm, lawful Westernized countries such as Norway and the recent shooting in Arizona in the U.S. However, even these disturbing instances can be partially explained away as an unpredictable outcome of misguided and mentally disturbed individuals having access to arms.

Yet there is a third type of violence that often does not get much attention even if it is frequently in the news. Violence related to organized crime. Not the acts of people in particularly desperate, violent environments with no rule of law, nor the acts of psychopathic individuals, but organized, rational killings for personal gain. I think this type of violence is the most frightening to me because it reveals a particularly dark side of humanity. Unfortunately from 2003 to 2008 international homicides have been the most common in the Western Hemisphere, yes, among countries in my beloved Americas not in the countries normally considered to be the home to modern “terrorists.” The UN survey defines “international homicide” as “estimates of unlawful homicides purposely inflicted as a result of domestic disputes, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, intergang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. Intentional homicide does not include all intentional killing; the difference is usually in the organization of the killing. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas killing in armed conflict is usually committed by fairly cohesive groups of up to several hundred members and is thus usually excluded.” Below is a chart of the average homicide rate in regions of the world (based on UN data found on the World Bank World Development Indicators Database).

Average Homicide Rate (per 100,000 people) by Region 2003-2008

Blood and More Blood Flowing in Afghanistan

While the U.S. is trying to claim some form of victory in Afghanistan before drawing down troops, it is a difficult argument to make. Not much has changed. The Taliban and other anti-government forces continue to use violence to scare the population and the current Karzai administration is increasingly implicated in corruption scandals. Recently Ahmad Wali Karzai, the President’s half brother and leader of the Southern province of Kandhar, was shot dead by one of his most trusted security guards. Ahmad Wali was a controversial leader as a result of many accusations that he was involved in drug-related corruption but he was a clear ally to President Hamid Karzai and to the U.S. and ISAF for providing intelligence on Taliban activities. His death and the resulting political vacuum will most likely ignite even more violence in Kandahar; however, there is also the hope that a less corrupt leader could arise. What is clear is that the security situation in Afghanistan is continuing to deteriorate. Not only are elected officials the target of violence, but also civilians. A recent report by the UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reveals that the past 6 months have been among the bloodiest in the past five years with 1,462 civilian deaths and 2,144 civilian injuries reported. One of the main causes of death has been an increase in the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) which are essentially the same as anti-personnel mines that explode indiscriminately when stepped on. While IEDs are mainly used by anti-government forces, the government has also been responsible for many civilian deaths as a result of airstrikes. For more information on civilian casualties in Afghanistan see the UNAMA July 2011 Report.

While I don’t believe the U.S. should be playing a military role in Afghanistan, I am also deeply concerned about what will happen when U.S. forces are pulled out. I think it is very likely that violence and chaos are going to escalate with the current Karzai government collapsing. I think the international community; the UN and NATO, should keep some military/peace-keeping forces in place to protect civilians especially in places like hospitals and schools which have also been targets of violence. I also think the U.S. and other countries should shift funds away from providing military support, towards providing development support in areas such as health, education, agriculture, and infrastructure. My hope is that Afghanis will be able to pick themselves up, unite against the Taliban, and form a government that works for them.

Southern Sudan: Peaceful Independence and an Uncertain Future

A mother and her children who recently fled heavy fighting stand inside a schoolroom that has been transformed into a makeshift camp for displaced persons in the town of Khorfulus, Jonglei state, Southern Sudan.

The more I learn about the brutality of the civil war that has finally given rise to the new state of Southern Sudan the more convinced I am that the international community must continue to support and help protect the state from a return to violence. The Government of Sudan has used extremely bloody tactics to put down the rebellions both in Darfur and South Sudan in the past and at this moment is continuing to bomb civilians in the Northern Sudanese state of South Kordofan. There have been incidence of violence among different groups within the South, but the unanimous vote for the Independence of Southern Sudan is a clear demonstration of a desire for a more democratic and peaceful future. In an article on the U.S. Holocaust Museum website a Southern Sudanese man who escaped slavery in the North reflected on his hesitant hope that the liberation of the South from the North will mean a more peaceful future:

“I wish there’s going to be peace...That’s just my wish, but if there’s no peace, well, I’ve always lived in the war. This is what I’ve always expected. I was born in it. I lived through it. If there’s no peace…it’s still the same. I don’t know what peace is.”

Recently I attended a conference in which former USAID administrator Andrew Natsios argued convincingly for the U.S. to continue to stand in defense of Southern Sudan through military alliance, trade agreements, and continued development assistance. He reflected that with support there is the possibility that Southern Sudan could realize its potential to become a stable democratic and economic ally like South Korea. The alternative possibility, on the other hand, is that Southern Sudan could fall prey to cycles of violence resulting in a humanitarian crisis and the loss of even more lives. You can find a recording of Natsios' speech here: http://sidw.libsyn.com/
Also check out an excellent video of VOICES FROM SOUTHERN SUDAN on the U.S. Holocaust Museum website.