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Another famous colonial policy was the creation of arbitrary political borders that were insensitive towards the existing group rivalries. The Nigerian population consists of over two hundred ethnic identities as well as Muslim, Christian and Animist religious groups, each with its own rivalries. This ethnic rivalry, religious tension and disputes over land have led to sporadic outbreaks of civil violence. In 2000, religious violence in the Kaduna province caused the displacement of more than 100,000 individuals. The next year, ethnic clashes between the Riv and Jukun groups displaced half a million civilians in central Nigeria. Judicial reform such as the introduction of the Sharia Islamic law system has also led to conflicts between religious identities. It is important to note, however, that countries in Asia and the Americas were by no means immune from such effects. The genocide following the partition of the Indian subcontinent into India, Pakistan and later Bangladesh was marked by nothing short of a genocide.
Equally significant is the involvement of old colonial powers in the conflict of past territories in increasing the severity of the conflicts. In the late 1980s, French President Francois Mitterand developed a strong friendship with the Sassou regime in Congo and supported it with military and economic assistance. Sassou had recently allowed the French petroleum company, Elf-Aquitaine, to exploit the sizeable oil reserves in Congo and was heavily dependent upon revenues from the oil export. In the 1990s, when civil war was imminent, the French military and economic aid served Sassou’s interests. France also wrote off several hundred million dollars of debt in 1994 freeing up additional funds for Sassou. The civil war that these funds and armaments supported led to the displacement of millions of Congolese civilians. Similarly, the French supply of armaments to the Interhamwe intensified the conflict that followed the Rwandan genocide in the DRC, which has created one of the worst cases of internal displacement in the world.
Colonialism was therefore significant in increasing the incidence and intensity of civil war between cultural and ethnic identities in Africa. Conflicts involving civilians are major push factors since they place civilian lives in danger. Despite the end of the colonial era decades ago, the impact on displacement persists as seen in the case of the DRC, which hosts one of the largest populations of displaced individuals in the world. Militarization of refugee and IDP camps in DRC has sparked a civil war in the region that is creating more displaced individuals. Africa still suffers heavily from the colonial legacy, despite attaining independence for many of its states, showing the complex and long-term effects of colonialism. The mistakes made by colonial powers decades ago still resonate strongly in the lives of the millions of displaced individuals who have been forced to flee from civil conflict in Africa.
The Cold War in Africa
The use of African states to wage proxy wars during the Cold War and the subsequent collapse of the Soviet regime played an important role in creating the displacement crisis that Africa faces today. Both superpowers used proxy wars to avoid the risk of a nuclear war. Newly formed African states, which were left in a state of disarray by decolonization, were seen as ideal candidates to wage proxy wars due to their fragmented populations. The superpowers armed various groups within African states and supported them in exchange for their ideological loyalty. The best example of this is the case of Angola. Before gaining its independence from Portugal, Angola hosted two main armed groups– the National Liberation Front of Angola or FNLA and the Popular Movement for Liberation of Angola or MPLA. In 1965, an ideological conflict divided the FNLA, creating a new armed group, known as the UNITA. After independence, a tense environment was created as the three groups competed for control of the country. This volatile atmosphere was used by the superpowers as a frontier to advance their ideologies. The Soviet Union began a full-scale armament of the MPLA faction while the U.S. provided covert military assistance to the FNLA and later to UNITA. In October 1975, a massive aerial transfer of armaments and Cuban soldiers into the MPLA ranks led to violent clashes and the subsequent victory of the MPLA faction. In accordance to the U.S.S.R intentions, MPLA went ahead to establish a single-party socialist regime in Angola. However, the U.S. continued arming the UNITA groups, which identified themselves as pro-western and anti-Marxist. In total, the U.S. monetary contribution to the UNITA front stood at U.S. 250 million between 1986 and 1991 in addition to armaments such as assault rifles and landmines and military intelligence. Support from the superpowers allowed the conflict to continue and led to the displacement of civilians caught in the crossfire of the fighting groups. Additionally, UNITA has recently forcibly displaced civilian populations in order to get human and material support, while government forces have, in turn, moved civilians in order to isolate UNITA. Furthermore, opposing forces have left landmines in agricultural areas to prevent planting of crops in order to reduce civilian support for each other. This has led to the movement of starving rural civilians to urban areas where there are no landmines. The proxy wars started and intensified by superpowers have ultimately led to massive displacement of four million individuals in Angola.
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Saurabh Sunil Chitnis
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Comments
Migration: Comment Henry Ekwuruke | Mar 5th, 2007
The issue of migration in Africa cannot be understood without taking an economic view of the matter and also with a human face; human face in the sense that we are "one".
I appreciate your conclusion where you told us the importance of partnership for one important global community to raise to the challenges of curtaining this trend for good for all and working hard to make poverty history through partnership for migration development, because the coin is two sided.
Just a Thought, Jesture and Comment Eugenia Bivines | Mar 14th, 2007
If Africans were to unite as a nation many of the problems faced today would not exist.
Africa has all resources of its own and needs no one to run our country.
In todays day and age there are many well educated Africanians and some live here with the US.
In stead of being a nation divided by its own people. Africa needs to stop the division of its people and join together.
This posting comment is from a quote in this article.
"Africa still suffers heavily from the colonial legacy, despite attaining independence for many of its states, showing the complex and long-term effects of colonialism. The mistakes made by colonial powers decades ago still resonate strongly in the lives of the millions of displaced individuals who have been forced to flee from civil conflict in Africa."
If the Africanians that live her in the states take what they have learned and go back to Africa then educate others and put there education to use. The Mother Land Would Be Restore ie.... on its way to restoration.
This is something that I work on with in the US. Getting African involved in building up Africa.
Stand Up Africa and take back what is rightfully yours.
Africa is a BearySpecial Nation Divided
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