Ethnic Conflict and its Types of Ethnic Conflict

Introduction:
An ethnic conflict is a conflict between two or more rival ethnic groups. While the origin
of the conflict may be political, social, economic or religious. The individuals in conflict must
expressly fight for the survival of their group within society. Ethnic conflict may be violent and
may be non violent. In a multi-ethnic society where freedom of speech is protected, we can see
ethnic conflict every day.. For example, conflict on the base of distribution of resources must
link directly or symbolically with ethnic groups. In democratic countries the institution run these
conflicts for our personal purposes. But democratic countries cannot obviate the violent ethnic
conflict. But ethnic peace means an absence of violence, not an absence of conflict.
Types of ethnic conflicts:
There are two broader categories of ethnic conflicts
1. Violent
2. Non violent

According to the causes of ethnic conflicts there is another types of ethnic conflicts.

1. Violent:
Violent ethnic conflicts refer to action motivated by ethnic hate and ethnic conflicts. Violent Ethnic
conflicts are mostly based on social and political inequalities. It is mostly used by power full leaders for
changing the situation of the society. In this conflict people take weapon and attack on other enemy ethnic
group and kill the peoples of other ethnic groups. It is dangerous type of ethnic conflict because due to violent
many people are killed and wounded.

Example: 1971 war when east Pakistan separate from west Pakistan on the ethnicity base. Another example is
many ethnic conflicts in Karachi.

2. Non violent
In non violent ethnic conflicts people do not direct attack on other ethnicity with weapon.
This conflict is in term of political and cultural conflict. Mostly this conflict is start for achieving
the political offices on the base of ethnicity. And conflict start on the base of ethnicity because
leaders wants office on the base of ethnicity but in this conflict minimum chances of causalities
and infrastructural destruction.

Example: The Fall of a Dictator in Burkina Faso, The Fall of a Government over Corruption Issues
in Bulgaria( 2014), Non violent Resistance during the Ukrainian Civil War in both Ukraine &
Russia.

Sub types of ethnic conflicts:

Religious:
Some ethnic conflicts are start on the base of religion. People have the rigid beliefs on
religion and they never show any flexibility on their beliefs. And if they realize any threat to
their religion they are ready for kill or die. And if the one religion perceive any threat to their
survival than people take stand for the security of religion, than ethnic conflict start on the base
of religion. This conflict may be violent and non violent.

Example: ethnic and religious crisis in Nigeria (2013), thirty years war 1618 to 1648 between
catholic and protestant Christians, Crusade 11th and 25th century, ISIS is another example of
religious ethnic conflicts.

Bureaucratic:
Some scholars say ethnic conflict is the product of bureaucracy for occupying the
bureaucratic offices. Every one want to dominance in his region so the educated people start
trying to occupying office under the shade of ethnicity so the ethnic conflict start for the
occupation of offices. Less educated people start conflict with educated people, main reason of
this conflict is educated people are less in quantity but they rule the all ethnicity so less educated
people want to dominance and for the dominance they start conflict.

Example: Tamil and Sinhali is the example of bureaucratic ethnic conflict. Ethnic Conflict in
France (2005),
Cultural ethnic conflict:
Some ethnic group assumes the culture who adopted it is the superior from other cultures.
And other cultures perceive threat because those people feel inferiority, then these people are
tried to reduce their inferiority with conflicts. These conflicts are mostly violent because no one
culture show flexibility in the cultural beliefs. It is another cause of cultural every individual
wants proliferate their culture and when culture proliferate than clash of culture occurred because
everyone wants to promote their culture. Then ethnic conflict starts on the base of culture. Ethnic
cleansing is the result of Ethnic conflict on the cultural base.
Example: conflict on cultural norms. Barma is the example of cultural conflict.

Cultural non violent ethnic conflict:

This conflict is arising for the freedom of cultural practice and also for the struggle of
cultural values. In this conflict ethnic different ethnic groups are start conflict for the survival
and practices of cultural beliefs. It is also violent and non violent conflict.
Example: Ethnic Conflict in Georgia.
Ethno economic conflict:
Different ethnic groups want to promote their business in other areas and when they try to
occupying the dominance of business and create hurdles in the business of other ethnic groups.
And also start conflict on the distribution of resources. If any group receives more resources than
other group it is create hater between the groups. It is situation rise the

Example: different ethnic groups are trying to expand their business and try to prevent the
business of other ethnic societies.

Ethno political conflict:

Which various ethnic group increase their participation in politics in order to protect the
rights of their own ethnic group or ethnicity. Political leaders conduct the legislation and make
the policy on discriminatory basis that is lead to the tension and frustration among the different
ethnic groups.

Example: Political competition among the Pakistan Peoples Party and Mutahida Qomi
Movement.

But we are divide ethnic conflicts in another three parts.

1. Separatist
2. Irredentist
3. Autonomist

These categories are may be violent and non violent.

Separatist:
In separatist ethnic conflicts one ethnic group have the majority in certain areas and
demand to separate their territory from existing state. This conflict mostly violent. Because state
did not agree for the separation of these ethnic groups.

Example: Kurd in Iran, Iraq, Syria. Khalistan movement in India.

Two types in separatist ethnic conflict (1 is non violent) first group is the struggle for separation
with the means of non violence. The construct the mind for the separation and create the public
opinion. Like Cubic separation movement in Canada this is the example of separatist movement
with non violence. (2 violent) but some ethnic group struggle for separation with the use of
violent political means like Bosnia Herzegovina and East Timor

Irredentist:
This type of conflict is May be violent and non violent. This issue resolves in U.N. when
another country claims on the base of historically. This is our territory in past.
Example: Afghan claims Pakhtoon areas are the part of Afghanistan in History. And India
claims Kashmir is the part of India in past.

Autonomist:
When the different groups are struggle for the create autonomy. This conflict is mostly
non violent but it may be violent. In this conflict majority and minority wants to rule on all
societies, but mostly the large ethnic group win in this situation

Conclusion:
Ethnic conflict is the conflict that is fought on the base of ethnicity. Ethnic conflicts have
various types. In simple words we can say that type of ethnic conflict on the base of cause of
ethnic conflict. Like if the political cause of ethnic conflict it is called as the ethno political
conflict. Ethnic conflict may be violent and non violent. Some ethnic groups are believed that
they can achieve their interest without the violent means but some groups they do not believe
that they can achieve their interest without violence. Violent ethnic conflict is the cause of
causalities and infrastructural destruction and also the harmful for the international peace. So all
ethnic groups should try to solve their disputes with peaceful means.

Language conflict Language conflict in sociolinguistics refers to the tensions,

disagreements, or clashes that arise due to differences in language use, attitudes, or
ideologies within a society. These conflicts can manifest in various forms and can
be influenced by factors such as linguistic diversity, socio-economic status,
political power dynamics, and cultural identity.

ETHNIC CONFLICT AND SOCIOLOGY

When two communities co-exist in the same place at the same time, there can be
varying degrees of tension, resentment and differences of thoughts among people.
Too many differences can somehow lead to a conflict and can become the ultimate
source of violence. However this point is sometimes exaggerated by sociologists
because they show that conflict is inevitable every time but there are always
possibilities of a certain situation. The magnitude and development of a conflict
depend on a number of factors, determined by the level of friction between two or
more ethnic groups, the presence of equalizing or mitigating elements, and the
degree of uncertainty of all the participants. Thus a one sided explanation of a
conflict or one based on irrational prejudices will fail.
POLITICAL LANGUAGE CONFLICT Politicians, possessing narrow and
parochial outlook and certain regional political parties create linguistic feeling
among the people of a locality and exploit their sentiments at the time of election
and in matters of various political issues. Basically the dominant group takes full
control of the dominant language while the disadvantaged language group is left
with the choice of renouncing its social ambitions, assimilating or resisting. While
numerically weak or psychologically weakened language groups tend towards
assimilation.

PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL CAUSES

Language is the most important social device that a society has evolved. Apart
from being the greatest force of socialization, it has certain psychological and
emotional characteristics which invoke the feeling of ethnocentrism to a
homogeneous group. As a vehicle of communication, it is capable of handling all
ideas of communication and interaction. In India, the linguistic groups are tied
together by ties of common interest. This creates in the mind of the inhabitant the
spirit of regionalism, sectarianism and consequently a separatist feeling contrary to
the concept of national integration.

EXACERBATING ROLE OF BILINGUILISM AND MULTILINGUILISM:

When bilingualism involves a dominant language and a minority language, it can
lead to a language shift, where speakers gradually abandon their minority language
in favor of the dominant language. This can cause the conflicts between those
seeking to maintain the minority language and those who see adopting the
dominant language as a path to socio-economic advancement. Multilingualism can
pose challenges for policymakers and governance. Issues can be language status,
language education or the use of language in public institutions. Conflicts may
arise when different linguistic groups compete for representation and resources. "

NATURAL" LANGUAGE CONFLICT Natural language conflict are those

situations that have traditionally existed between indigenous majorities and
minorities. The standard theory linking modernization to language conflict
suggests why conflicts over language issues become incendiary. The findings are:
1.The greater the language difference between the language of the minority and
that of the dominant group, the lower the probability of violence. 2.Language
governances held by the minority regarding the official language of the state or the
medium of instruction in state schools are not associated

with group violence, but there is a weak negative relationship between language
grievances and rebellion 3.Language grievances are strongly associated with
increases level of political protest, suggesting that the remedy for these grievances
is more likely to be sought in the political realm than by guerrilla action.
4.Language grievances when compounded by religious grievances (which are
reasonable predictor of a rebellion) strongly and significantly reduce the magnitude
of rebellion. In this sense when the language and religion grievances are
cumulative, language grievances lower the probability of large-scale violence.
Language grievances are therefore straws that appear to strengthen the camel's
back.

STRATEGIES TO AVOID LANGUAGE CONFLICT:

1.Reducing language based divisions especially in educational institutions and

promoting healthy style of multilingualism.

2.Effective communication and meditation 3.Promoting social cohesion and

supporting multiculturalism. 4.Developing inclusive language policies that
represent all linguistic groups 5. Engagement of the local community in
revitalizing the endangered languages