Ethnic unrest

China: Xinjiang Ethnic Tensions Flare

Date: July 8th, 2009 |

Ethnic violence between Muslim Uighurs and Han Chinese in Urumqi, capital city of Xinjiang in far western China, produced more than 150 deaths, brought paramilitary troops out to restore order, saw mosques closed and curfew imposed, and the arrests of more than 1400 people. It also prompted President Hu Jintao to pull out of the [read more]

Malaysia: Racial Tensions Concern Military Leader

Date: September 11th, 2008 |

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Racial tensions have been flaring to the point where the head of the armed forces warned the government to calm them or run the risk of threatening the nation’s security. The general was concerned that should tensions be allowed to simmer they could lead to chaos. The issue has been heating up since elections in [read more]

South Africa: Violence against Immigrants Shocks South Africans

Date: May 28th, 2008 |

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Xenophobic attacks against foreign immigrants from other African countries occurred in Johannesburg, Cape Town and other areas in recent weeks. The violence appalled South Africans and prompted President Thabo Mbeki to call the attacks the worst acts of inhumanity in South Africa since the end of apartheid. The attacks occurred mostly in the townships and [read more]

Guatemala: Tensions Near Lake Izabal

Date: March 20th, 2008 |

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Four Belgian tourists and two locals were abducted and held hostage for two days by Mayan farmers on Lake Izabal in a dispute over land use. The Mayans have been pressing the government to recognize their traditional farming rights to land in the area but Guatemalan law prohibits land use permits in nature reserves. The [read more]

Kenya: Political Crisis, Violence Continue

Date: January 30th, 2008 |

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Violence stemming from Kenya’s disputed presidential election continued to plague the country, especially in the Rift Valley. Naivasha, a town popular with tourists and expatriates just 55 miles northwest of Nairobi, was overrun by murderous gangs over the weekend and tourists had to be escorted to Nairobi from nearby lodges. The killing of an opposition [read more]

Northern Ireland: Tour Bus Attacked in Belfast, Romanian Immigrants Leave

Date: June 24th, 2009 |

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A gang of five teenage boys hurled stones at an open-top tourist bus in west Belfast, breaking a window but injuring no one. The incident was the first of its kind for the tour company, but not so long ago during the troubles such attacks were a daily occurrence. Open-top bus tours of both east [read more]

India: Kashmir Unrest Over Land Dispute

Date: August 21st, 2008 |

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Kashmir’s tourism rebound after decades of conflict has been stymied by the biggest protests in almost twenty years against Delhi rule. A dispute over land for Hindu pilgrims visiting a shrine triggered the unrest that culminated in tens of thousands of demonstrators marching peacefully past the United Nations office in Srinagar Aug. 18. Protest organizers [read more]

Lebanon: Clashes Raise Fears of Civil War

Date: May 14th, 2008 |

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A crisis that has brought Lebanon to the brink of civil war erupted May 7 when the government outlawed Hezbollah’s communications network and Hezbollah responded by attacking pro-government militias and taking control of wide areas of Beirut. The group subsequently handed over control to the Lebanese army, but much of Beirut remained blocked off by [read more]

Kenya: Violence Prompts Peace Corps to Suspend Operations

Date: February 7th, 2008 |

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Ongoing post-election violence that has often become ethnic prompted the U.S. Peace Corps to suspend its operations in Kenya. The Peace Corps announced the decision Feb. 5 to withdraw its remaining 58 volunteers after sending home 86 in January. Tourism has dropped to a trickle and foreign companies are considering pulling out, which would deal [read more]

Kenya: Post-Election Crisis Continues

Date: January 10th, 2008 |

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The post-election violence that raged for several days diminished and a reconciliation appeared to be developing between the incumbent president and opposition leader, both of whom feel they are the duly elected president of Kenya. Everything unraveled again, however, Jan. 8 when incumbent President Mwai Kibaki unilaterally named several cabinet ministers to the government. Riots [read more]

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