WorldWatch

a digest of current conflicts connected to religious belief

World WatchMost of this website is dedicated to the positive aspects of spirituality, the good news.

But we feel that it is also crucial to acknowledge the negative aspects, particularly how spirituality and religion can become a reason for or a part of conflict.  Awareness is always the first step towards engagement and then healing.

At the moment there is no clear web-based resource which delivers a simple global digest of conflicts fuelled by religion. We want to provide a useful, albeit brief, research tool.


The conflicts listed here are either active or simmering. By simmering we mean that the underlying political, cultural and psychological dynamics are still active. Few conflicts that have broken out since the end of the Cold War around 1990 are actually resolved.

There is also a division between conflicts where the faith element is explicit, such as in the Holy Land between Israel and Palestine, or in Northern Ireland between Catholics and Protestants; and those where it is just one ingredient in a brew of social, cultural and political factors, such as in the Balkans.

LINKS
Each entry has its own list of Links, but below are general Links relevant to the subject as a whole.

FEEDBACK AND SUGGESTIONS
We welcome hearing from you. In the first instance please write to us via the Contact Page.

Last updated 9 December 2008

Joburg General links:

    * BBC Country Profiles
    * BIPPI conflict map and list
    * Center for the Reduction of Religious-based Conflict
    * Chronology of Peacemaking
    * Conflicts Forum: Listening to Political Islam
    * Crimes of War Project
    * Guardian Weekly: Conflicts
    * Historical Atlas of the 20th CenturyUN logo
    * Human Rights Watch
    * INCORE guide to religious conflicts
    * International Crisis Group
    * New Internationalist country profiles
    * OnWar Armed Conflict Timeline 1800-2000
    * UN Peacekeeping site
    * Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation

      The WorldWatch section of this website is edited by Palden Jenkins

Blessed are the
PEACEMAKERS,
for they shall be known as
the Children of God.
But I say to you that hear,
love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you,
pray for those who abuse you.
To those who strike you
on the cheek,
offer the other also,
and from those who take
away your cloak,
do not withhold your coat as well.
Give to everyone who begs from you,
and of those who take away
your goods,
do not ask them again.
And as you wish that others
would do to you,
so do to them.

• More Peace Prayers
You may also be interested in the spiritual and meditation activities of the United Nations. For more information, visit these two websites:
• The NGO Committee on Spirituality Values and Global Concerns
• The United Nations Days & Years Meditation Initiative

Index of Conflicts

World Flags

Click on any country below
for the background to its conflict