Ethnicity: Key Issue 4

WHAT IS ETHNIC CLEANSING?

Rubenstein

1. When boundaries were drawn in Europe after WWII, what was the effect on various ethnic groups?

2. Define the term ethnic cleansing:

3. How is ethnic cleansing different from normal warfare?

· ETHNIC CLEANSING IN YUGOSLAVIA

4. List the countries of the Balkan Peninsula.

5. List the important/interesting facts regarding the creation of the post-WWI country of Yugoslavia.

YUGOSLAVIA

6. Regarding the Yugoslav refrain that was common during the rule of Josip Tito, identify the following…

Yugoslavia’s

· FIVE NATIONALITIES…

· FOUR LANGUAGES

· THREE RELIGIONS

· TWO ALPHABETS

7. What ethno-political problems did the country face after the death of Tito in the 80s and fall of communism the 90s?

8. Why did Serbs and Croats in Bosnia (a.k.a. Bosnia-Herzegovina) ethnically cleanse themselves of Bosnian Muslims?

9. What was agreed upon at the accords signed between these rival ethnicities in Dayton, Ohio in 1996?

10. Who got the best deal? The worst? Explain.

11. Regarding the region of KOSOVO…

(a) Where is it located?

(b) What country was given control of Kosovo when Yugoslavia was created after WWI?

(d) When the Serbs went in and ethnically cleansed the Albanian majority, how many ethnic Albanians were forced from their homes?

(e) How did the U.S. and the U.N respond?

(f) Read the following excerpt from the CIA Factbook about recent events in Kosovo. Summarize these events in one sentence.

On 17 February 2008, the Kosovo Assembly declared Kosovo independent. Since then, over fifty countries have recognized Kosovo. Serbia continues to reject Kosovo's independence.

12. What is the meaning of the terms

· balkanized

· balkanization

· ETHNIC CLEANSING IN CENTRAL AFRICA

13. Give the historical background of the two rival groups of Central Africa’s countries of Rwanda and Burundi.

Hutus Tutsis

14. Who were the colonial powers over Rwanda and Burundi? How did they reinforce ethnic rivalries there?

15. What happened when independence came to the countries?

16. How did the problem spread to Zaire?

17. What is the situation today?