Middle Eastern Ethnic Conflicts - Essay Example

More than anywhere else religion plays an integral role in Middle Eastern ethnic conflicts, especially the Muslim sates in the Middle East than in Muslim states outside the region. Thereby, meaning that although Islam might have some answers to the importance of religion in the region, it however fails to explain it wholly. The historical significance of religion in the Middle East could give some explanation being the region from where sprouted three major forms of religion. Yet the importance of religion in the Middle East is not a new phenomenon and hence the study done is solely based upon the findings previously discovered (Lynch 2006, p.14-9). As a region Middle East has always been the least democratic and almost wholly autocratic part in the world. The observant fact is that the Muslim states outside the region of the Middle East are more autocratic as compared to the non-Middle Eastern states yet remain less autocratic than the Middle Eastern states. All the Muslim states outside the region of Middle East are mostly autocratic than non-Muslim counterparts but less autocratic to the states within the Middle East. Hence Islam may not be fully responsible for the cause of autocracy in the Middle East (Lynch 2006, p.77-84). To further explain we may take history to throw light on the matter. Democracy and the liberal ideologies are the by-products of the West. Hence it is easy to see that the West is the most democratic part of the world. The regions that remain influenced by the west for example the states of Latin America, which itself started as being a colony of the west and the its people adopting exclusively the western languages are fully democratized. Soviet bloc remains different as having had very little exposure to the central European events namely Renaissance, Reformation and Enlightenment. For a century it followed what is known as Marxism but today it too is being democratized (Emadi 2001, p.63-72). In Lebanon there are many religious splits and is rather complicated, as the religious groups are numerous. These groups are religiously and demographically very complex and their divisions which are so many date back all the way to at least 15 centuries and hence their age old rivalries continue even today and so is the way in which they live. As of today some coherence can be seen and this was the outcome of the most recent Lebanese Civil War in strife for ethnic cleansing (Emadi 2001, p.153-166). Although Lebanon harbours the largest proportion of Christians compared to all the Arab countries, yet what is more difficult is the fact that that both Christians and Muslims are sub-divided further into numerous sects. Thereby the statistical portions of the population remain uncertain as the sects have priorities set in increasing their own numbers. Today three sects at least emerge as strongest claiming over 150% (Sorenson 2008, p.143) of the total population of Lebanon. These being the Shias, sunnies and the minorities. In fear of igniting another Sectarian conflict all Lebanese leaders agree to avoid having a new general census done. It was 1932 that the last census was carried out. census, out of fear that it could trigger a new round of sectarian conflict (Sorenson 2008, p.198-203). The most influential factor in defining the Lebanese population has always been religion. This can be traced all the way back to the Ottoman times whereby the religious authorities have always been given rights to judicial power and so dividing the state power itself. It was moreover strengthened during the French mandate when the Christian groups were allowed privileges (Blanford 2006, p.44-53). Although this system was created solely for the purpose of providing some sort of compromise between the different sects yet it caused more problems in the Lebanese political front. By 1930s the Christian population majority is believed to have ended causing increased demands by the Muslims for increased representation .The very cause of the Lebanese Civil War in 1975-1990 has been this sectarian conflict where even the US intervened in 1958 (Sorenson 2008, p.77-81). The 1943 pact resulted in the balance of power, which was basically an informal agreement of the division of power according to the 1932 census. It gave the Sunni elite more power, yet the minorities continued to have a dominating role. The imbalance was again adjusted being more towards the Muslim side but by then the Shia elites had gained majority and so had gained additional representation in the state In the parliament the Christian-Muslim representation was reduced to 1:1 (Sorenson 2008, p.94-5) from a ratio of 6:5 (Sorenson 2008, p.95-6). The various sects of Christians constituted to about 40% (Sorenson 2008, p.101) of the total population and this was argued itself amongst the different groups as Christians claimed an even higher number and the Muslims who were of the opinion that they were in majority and that the Christians were less in number even to the said 40% (Sorenson 2008, p.113-118). Apart from the Middle East, the regions of Asia and Africa are amongst the more Autocratic ones. Despite the Western influences they have retained their own cultures. So it can be said that the link of Autocracy to Middle East might be the result of cultural and historical background. In addition the link of Islam can be associated to Autocracy for the same reason as the Islamic States in Middle East, Asia and Africa even to this day out rightly reject the Western style of living altogether (Sorenson 2008, p.144-9). However the proportions of ethnic levels are average in the Middle East even though the religion and autocracy are distributed disproportionately throughout the region. The reason behind this could be that the people of the region generally do not give any special significance to religion and autocracy and consider the issues undeserving of any special response (Blanford 2006, p.133-5). The Expectancy level of these people is not much and their responses hence are very mild in nature. Comparatively the people in other parts of the world are more conscious and more sensitive towards religious issues and hence respond to them in a more aggressive manner. The minorities of Egypt, mainly the Copts, the Christians and Baha minorities of Iran, Shias in Saudi Arabia all consider religious discrimination to be part and parcel of autocratic government (Milton-Edwards 2006, p.154-7). For the removal of Syrian influence from the Lebenese Army and security services including the Un resolutions 1559 and 1701 implementations the anti-Syrian “March 14” coalition was led by Saad Hariri, Walid Junblat, and Samir Geagea. This was solely for the purpose of having elected from amongst themselves or to atleast have someone who would stand up to the international tribunal of the assassination of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri. The “March 8” coalition constituting Hizbollah and Amal, Shi’i parties joined hands with Syria, and a Christian group, “the Free Patriotic Movement” (Milton-Edwards 2006, p.166-71). The leader of this movement Michel Aoun wants different things and claims more distance from Syria. On one hand Hezbollah wants a President who is on their side, and further accepts them as an armed movement. and does not let Lebanon join hands with the United States, rather associates and bounds it within Syrian and Iranian alliance . Behind the entire scenario Michel Aoun mission is to become the president himself (Milton-Edwards 2006, p.188-97). In light of the Lebanese compact the election of the new president from amongst the two battle groups, the post however remains reserved for a Maronite Christian. The focus remains on the diminishing yet politically significant meaning of the constitution. For the President to be elected by the parliament, at least two third of the quorum has to be present as of March 8 opposition states. However this provides the opposition to conveniently block any election by simply not showing up (Milton-Edwards 2006, p.122-4). The coalition of March 14 allows the election to proceed without two third Quorums requiring only a simple majority. This simple majority has been heavily guarded in a downtown hotel in Beirut. The members have been subject to a steady string of assassinations that have left it with only a slender edge in parliament. Without a prior agreement on the selection of a candidate as president of their choice the opposition refuses to attend a parliamentary session thereby providing the required two-thirds quorum. Yet the March 14 coalition threatens to elect a president of their own choosing unless a normal parliamentary session is held (Sorenson 2008, p.54-9). The opposition warns the March 14 coalition against the election of such a president. The extent of its actions remain unspecified yet the intelligence services and Army hint of Hezbollah to block roads and highways of Beirut in order to hinder the meeting of parliamentarians of March 14.Only armed clashes are the result of such Action and the Army has voiced out that the thing would be uncontrollable if it were to happen (Sorenson, 2008). Hassan Nasrallah the Hezbollah leader has further increased the political pressure by alerting the President Emile Lahoud to form a rival government if no consensus president is elected before his term ends. Mahmoud Haj Ali, who has been a noted member of the Hizbullah’s political council has said “ Resolution 1559 contradicts the main principles of the Lebanese… The Need is now to hold onto Taif and reject 1559, because 1559 wants Lebenon to move form one bank (anti Israel, anti America) to another bank (pro America, pro Israel)” (qtd. in. Blanford 2006, p.158). In light of the currents situation developing there would definitely sprout riots and the resultant clashes between the March 8 and 14 forces would take up sectarian nature, with the shia –Sunni in the capital and Shi’i–Druze clashes to the south and east of the capital. However in the Christian areas of East Beirut and Mount Lebanon tensions would not escalate and would remain mild for longer. Yet those clashes that do occur will ignite very quickly and would be engulfing in nature escalating to no point of return and in their wake creating multiple militias hungry for an entirely different part of the country. In such a scenario two governments would preside where Syria and Iran on ones side and the United States, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt would back the other. Lebanon as before would again fail and emerge what Iraq, Somalia, and Afghanistan are today (Sorenson 2008, p.188-192). It is not Islam that has to do anything with the Middle East being different. Although the region is predominantly Autocratic and religion here is taken very seriously yet this alone does not fully explain to the eruptions of ethnic violence’s .Solely the reason of being the most autocratic part of the world that harbours strong religious beliefs still does not prove a satisfactory an explanation of the riots and violence’s to erupt in such proportions in this part of the world (Lynch 2006, p.119-130). Such a study is clear in explaining that the obvious might always not be true. Simply assuming the fact that the strong ties of the region with the religion and that it being an Autocratic part of the world contributes to these conflicts is entirely wrong. Likewise the assumption of it being an Autocratic region solely because of being Islamic is wrong too. It can be easily seen with this study that the ethnic conflicts occurring in this part are no different than such conflicts occurring in any other part of the world. Thereby it is to emphasize that it’s not the Autocracy or that the religion Islam that leads to the ethnic violence’s in Middle East. Works Cited: Lynch, M. 2006. Voices of the New Arab Public: Iraq, Al-Jazeera, and Middle East Politics Today. Columbia University Press. Emadi, H. 2001. Politics of the Dispossessed: Superpowers and Developments in the Middle East. Praeger Publishers. Milton-Edwards, B. 2006. Contemporary Politics in the Middle East. Polity Sorenson, D. 2008. An Introduction to the Modern Middle East. Westview Press. Blanford, N. 2006. Killing Mr. Lebanon: The Assasination of Rafik Hariri and its Impact on the Middle East. I. B. Tauris. Read More