1995-10-01a- CIA Conference Report: THE CHALLENGE OF ETHNIC CONFLICT TO NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ORDER IN THE 1990S GEOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVES 01-Oct-95

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It must be remembered that this aspiration derives Afghanistan and the religious complexity of Lebanon
from awareness of.linguistic affiliation rather than any are so striking that these countries might be described
realistic assessment of Turkey's political influence or as nonnation states.
economic power.
Significant Minorities
"Nations" in the Middle Eastern Context
In addition to the major groupings that create the
"Nation-states," although often alluded to, are rarely impression of a three-part linguistic division (Arabic,
found in the modern world. Perhaps only Iceland can Turkish, Persian) or a two-part religious division
be regarded as a perfect example. In the Middle East, (Sunni and Shia Islam), the Middle East has numerous
Tunisia (minus its several communities of Berber minority groups, and some of these have political
speakers) is an approximate example. Most Middle agenda that are in conflict with national policies. The
Eastern countries include more than one linguistic or tension between substate identity and national affilia-
religious group and so can be described as multina- tion, eviden't in most of the world, has several clear
tional states. For example: manifestations in the Middle East.
e Syria has Kurdish and other non-Arab ethnic minor- Minority-or otherwise unempowered-groups that
ities, and-besides its Sunni Muslim majority-has have expressed separatist ideals or at least a desire for
significant Christian, Druze, and Alawite religious an enhanced degree of national recognition include
groups. Uzbeks and Tajiks in Afghanistan; Baluchi in Iran;
Shiites in Iraq and Lebanon; Christians in Egypt,
e Iran has both Shia and Sunni Muslims and a number Syria, and Iraq; and Arabs in Israel and Israeli-occu-
of non-Persian linguistic groups, including Azeri, pied territory. Each of these groups has aspirations
Arabs, Kurds, Baluchi, Luri, Basseri, Bakhtiari, and that are in conflict with policies formulated by ruling
Turkmen. groups in the respective countries. The region's most
serious conflict along these lines is in southern Sudan
- Lebanon has six major religious groups-Maronite, where Arab or Arabized Muslims have been fighting
Greek Catholic, and Greek Orthodox Christians; linguistically diverse Christians and animists for sev-
Sunni and Shia Muslims; and Druze. eral decades.
- Egypt has a large population (about 10 million) of The largest minority group within the Arabic realm is
Coptic Christians. not politically significant. About 40 percent of the
people or Morocco and about 20 percent of the people
- Turkey has several million Kurds and many smaller of Algeria speak Berber rather than or in addition to
minority groups, including Arabs, Laz, Greeks, Arabic. However; the scattered distribution of these
Tatars, and Circassians. people, mainly in mountain areas, the numerous dia-
lects they speak, and the lack of any written or stan-
The idea that the Arabic or Turkish languages might dardized form of their language have precluded the
be the basis of a niultistate nation has already been development of any separatist movement among Ber-
alluded to and dismissed as having only tentative or bers.
hypothetical meaning. "Arabistan" and "Turkistan"
are debatable concepts rather than geopolitical reali- Some other minority groups are too weak numerically
ties. The same can probably be said of the idea of a to pose a threat to national authorities or compel rec-
"multistate nation of Islam." More important in the ognition of their linguistic or religious identity. The
context of the Middle East are nonstate nations, of Assyrians (Aramaic-speaking Christians) of northern
which Palestine and Kurdistan are the most conspicu-
ous examples. Finally, the linguistic complexity of
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