Challenging the War System
Defining War and Related Terms
War:
Defined by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP) as an actual, intentional, and
widespread armed conflict between political communities.
Political Communities: Entities that are states or intend to become states. Non-state
actors with a political purpose can also be considered political communities.
Classical/International War: Occurs between states.
Civil/Internal War: Occurs between rival groups or communities within a state.
Aggression: Defined by the United Nations as the use of armed force by a State against the
sovereignty, territorial integrity, or political independence of another State, or in any other
manner.
Major Armed Conflict: Defined by Project Ploughshares as a political conflict involving the
armed forces of at least one state (or armed factions seeking state control) where 1,000
people have been killed by warfare during the conflict.
Trends in Armed Conflicts
In 2008, there were 28 armed conflicts in 24 countries, with 39.3% in Africa and 39.3% in Asia.
Classical interstate conflicts are gradually disappearing, and internal conflicts now dominate.
Causes of War
Innate Human Aggression (Challenged):
The contention that aggression is an innate human instinct is supported by figures like
Sigmund Freud and Konrad Lorenz.
This contention is challenged by the "Seville Statement on Violence," endorsed by
UNESCO, which states that violence is not genetically programmed and that behavior is
shaped by conditioning and socialization.
Territorial Disputes:
Disagreements between states or groups over homeland or border locations.
Includes challenges to a country's right to exercise sovereignty over territory.
Examples: Israel and Palestine, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (Philippines), Basque
separatists (Spain), Chechens (Russia).
Lack of Tolerance for Differences:
Differences can be in nationality, clan membership, ethnicity, or religious affiliation.
These differences often aggravate conflicts caused by other factors like land disputes or
political/economic repression.
Example: Tension between Tutsis and Hutus in Africa, rooted in colonialism.
Ideological or Power Struggles:
Groups challenge the status quo with differing ideologies on power allocation or societal
function.
Examples: Maoists (Nepal), Shining Path (Peru), Communist Party of the Philippines - New
Peoples' Army.
Inequality:
Wars are concentrated in the poorest countries.
Categorical Inequality: Inequality between groups or regions within a state breeds
grievances and increases the chances of rebellion.
Deprivation and injustice, rather than income poverty, are at the heart of armed conflict.
Lack of basic services (electricity, education, water, transport) contributes to perceived
deprivation.
Example: War in Sudan, conflicts in the Philippines.
History of Colonialism and Decolonization:
Problematic power transfers can lead to internal competition and conflict.
Many African countries experience internal or civil wars due to unresolved colonial
legacies.
Examples: Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Other Contributing Factors:
Competition for resources.
Extreme abuse of human rights.
Leaders' desire to stay in power.
Narrow or extreme nationalism.
Sympathy for kin across borders.
Competition to fill power vacuums.
Political and economic legacies of the Cold War.
Ready availability of weapons.
Effects of War
Death:
Approximately 75% of war deaths are civilians; some estimates place this figure at 90%.
Civilian fatalities in wartime have increased dramatically from 5% at the turn of the 20th
century to over 90% in the 1990s.
Atrocities:
Acts that go beyond tolerable limits, often fueled by a "anything goes" mentality in war.
Examples: Massacres, torture, disappearances, sexual violence (rape), executions,
assassinations, bombing, burning, kidnapping.
Examples: Rwanda genocide (1994), gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic of
Congo.
Displacement of People:
Millions flee their homes due to war and persecution, becoming refugees or internally
displaced persons (IDPs).
As of 2009, 15.2 million refugees and 27 million IDPs globally.
Example: Iraq, with over 4.4 million displaced since 2003.
Weapons Proliferation:
Nuclear Weapons: 26,000 identified globally, 12,000 actively deployed.
Landmines: Remain active after wars; kill or maim over 2,000 people monthly, mostly
civilians.
Small Arms:
The weapon of choice in most conflicts due to affordability and handiness.
Around 875 million guns circulating globally.
Account for 60-90% of conflict deaths annually.
74% of guns are in civilian hands.
Around 8 million new small arms manufactured annually.
Increase in conventional arms transfers.
Top Arms Exporters (2001-2008): USA (41%), Russia (17%), France (8%), UK (7%),
Germany (4%), Italy (3%), China (3%), Other European Countries (11%), Others (6%).
Hindered Development:
Huge government budgets allocated to defense divert funds from essential services like
health and education.
World military spending is approximately $1.5 trillion annually.
For every $1 spent on development assistance, $10 is spent on military budgets.
The US accounted for 41.5% of global military expenditure in 2008.
Annual arms spending by countries in Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa
($22 billion) could educate every child in those regions.
Global weapons spending ($217 per person) versus the $135 billion needed to achieve the
Millennium Development Goals.
Child Soldiers:
Over 300,000 children (under 18) fight in wars globally, often recruited by force.
Children are used as couriers, combatants, members of liquidation squads, and for
support tasks.
Child soldiers are involved in conflicts in numerous countries, including Haiti, Colombia,
Israel/Palestine, Iraq, Sudan, and the Philippines.
Other Consequences:
Loss of livelihoods and food supply.
Loss of investments, destruction of property and environment.
Loss of tourism opportunities.
Disruption of education.
Creation of fear and trauma.
Mitigating the Effects of War
International Institutions:
United Nations (UN):
Peacebuilding: Actions to strengthen political settlements and prevent a return to
conflict.
Peacemaking: Resolving conflicts and disputes through negotiations and mediation.
Peacekeeping:
Deployment of impartial personnel to help warring parties prevent, manage, or resolve
conflicts.
As of July 2010, 15 active UN peacekeeping missions.
Tasks include monitoring ceasefires, reintegrating combatants, and preparing for
elections.
Special Courts: International Court of Justice, International Criminal Court, War Crimes
Tribunals to try crimes of aggression.
Other International Organizations and Movements:
The Hague Appeal for Peace: Movement to create conditions for peace, leading to
initiatives like the Global Campaign for Peace Education (GCPE).
International Committee on the Red Cross (ICRC): Humanitarian organization protecting
and assisting victims of armed conflicts.
International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA): Global movement against gun
violence, working to stop the proliferation and misuse of small arms.
International Campaign to Ban Landmines: Network working to eradicate antipersonnel
landmines.
Amnesty International: Campaigns for human rights to be respected and protected.
Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC): Network promoting
human security and addressing root causes of conflict, aiming for prevention as the goal
of collective security.
Pax Christi International: Faith-based peace movement promoting religion as a force for
peace and justice.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs):
Engage in organizing, consciousness-raising, research, and lobbying.
Provide rehabilitation and psychosocial support.
Monitor conflicts and agreements (e.g., "Bantay Ceasefire" in the Philippines).
Carry out education and training on conflict resolution.
Facilitate dialogue between different groups (e.g., Bishops-Ulama Conference in the
Philippines).
Work to control arms and weapons.
Treaties, Agreements, Resolutions, and Conventions:
International Humanitarian Law (Law of Armed Conflict): Rules to protect civilians and
restrict warfare methods.
UN Security Council Resolution 1325: Calls for protection of women and girls in conflict
and increased women's participation in peace processes.
UN Security Council Resolution 1820: Addresses sexual violence in conflict and post-
conflict situations, aiming to end and punish perpetrators.
UN Programme of Action (UNPOA) on Small Arms: Agreement to control supply, reduce
demand, remove existing weapons, and stop diversion.
Ottawa Treaty: Prohibits the use, stockpile, production, and transfer of antipersonnel
landmines.
Convention on Cluster Munitions: Bans the production, stockpile, use, and transfer of
cluster bombs.
Biological Weapons Convention: Prevents signatories from developing, producing, or
stockpiling biological weapons.
Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT): Signatories agree to refrain from atmospheric, outer
space, or undersea nuclear weapons testing.
Arms Trade Treaty (ATT): Efforts to create an treaty to address issues not covered by
UNPOA, such as human rights and arms transfers to non-state actors.
Disarmament and Arms Control
Disarmament: The process of getting rid of weapons.
Arms Control: The exercise of strict control over existing weapons.
The availability of weapons contributes to high rates of violence.
Peace Education and the War System
Core Principle: "If wars begin in the minds of men, then it is in the minds of men that the
defenses of peace must be constructed." (UNESCO Preamble)
Goals of Peace Education:
Develop a global perspective and understanding of humans as a single species.
Challenge divisive notions of "good guys" and "bad guys."
Teach the concept of the oneness of the human race, recognizing that most divisions are
socially and culturally constructed.
Help alter the thought that war is inevitable, emphasizing it as a choice.
Teach peaceful conflict resolution skills and constructive alternatives to aggression.
Introduce theories of nonviolence and the practice of nonviolent direct action.
Enlarge social identifications beyond parochial ones, fostering a more comprehensive
understanding of security.
Symbolic Actions and Learning Activities
Research Laws and Policies: Investigate national laws and decrees challenging war and its
implements.
Interview Peace Workers: Interview individuals working for organizations that prevent armed
conflict.
Study the UN: Research the UN's role in promoting peace and security.
Analyze the Seville Statement: Research and reflect on the Seville Statement on Violence.
Investigate Peace Processes: Research the status of peace processes in one's own country
or globally.
"Uprooting the War Tree and Planting the Peace Tree": A visual activity where students
identify causes of war and factors for peace, and strategies to achieve peace.
Film Analysis: Watch films depicting the brutality of war and discuss their messages.
Poster Exhibit: Create and display posters with quotations against war.
Symbolic Acts: Bury toy guns or other war toys as a class.
Visit or Research Peace Zones: Learn about areas designated as "Zones of Peace."
Letter Writing: Write to representatives expressing concerns about military budget
allocations.
Conclusion
War has annihilated countless lives, but it is not inevitable.
Choosing peace is a conscious decision for individuals and the planet's future.