Ethnic Conflicts and Peacekeeping

An ethnic conflict is a conflict between two or more contending ethnic groups. While the source
of the conflict may be political, social, economic or religious. The humanist impulsion is the
primary drive behind the concern with protection of human rights worldwide. It is based on the
premise that every human being is born and should remain equal in dignity and rights,
irrespective of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, sex, and so forth. This motivation to
identify with all fellow human beings has emerged as a gradual process over centuries, in
revulsion against past wars of religion or nationalist adventures, against discrimination and
hatred. The humanist impulsion also affects, to an increasing extent, governments in their
external relations.In ethnic conflicts, as seen often in the recent past, local groups may not be
willing to stop allied action when United Nations peacekeeping forces are deployed. This is why
the Secretary-General now proposes the possibility of making use of peace enforcement units.
This is a new and important, but difficult, departure. It is not a question of deploying large-scale
UN forces to resist aggression by states, but to enforce agreements which are intended as steps
in the solution of conflicts.Peace enforcement appears particularly applicable in cases of cease-
fires which are agreed to but very quickly violated, often by militants who want to upset the
peace process and who succeed because of the response by the other side to the provocation
Peace enforcement units may have to be more heavily armed than normal peace-keeping
forces, and prepared and trained for armed action. In ethnic conflicts such a presence may be
essential, but it can still operate only where the parties are prepared to take steps towards
peace and can agree on some interim measures towards that end.Although studies of
peacekeeping have demonstrated that it can prevent conflict recurrence, we know little about
whether international actors can also help prevent conflict from spreading.Moreover, both
lighter and more substantial peacekeeping deployments can prevent conflict diffusion.Conflict
doesn't rise when peacekeepers are deployed.intense ethnic conflict is most often caused by
collective fears of the future. As groups begin to fear for their safety, dangerous and difficult-to-
resolve strategic dilemmas arise that contain within them the potential for tremendous
violence. As information failures, problems of credible commitment, and the security dilemma
take hold, groups become apprehensive, the state weakens, and conflict becomes more likely.
different types of peace operations: preventive deployments; traditional peacekeeping;
assisting transition; transitional administrations; wider peacekeeping; peace enforcement; and
peace support operations. These are used to keep peace and overcome conflicts.

Reference:
https://scholar.google.com.pk/scholar?
q=ethnic+conflict+and+peacekeeping&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart#d=gs_qabs&u=
%23p%3Dksk_0-YAHlsJ

https://scholar.google.com.pk/scholar?
hl=en&as_sdt=0,5&as_vis=1&qsp=3&q=origins+and+management+of+ethnic+conflict&qst=b#d
=gs_qabs&u=%23p%3DkMmHsiShaskJ

https://unige.ch/sciences-societe/speri/index.php/download_file/view/2043/931/

http://archive.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/uu12ee/uu12ee0q.htm