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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Summary of Discussion reparations that were not made three centuries ago
has also been raised. Reparations are a serious issue
because it is the objective of certain ethnic groups to
Discussant: Rex Honey raise the issue of who did wrong to whom and who
should pay for that wrong.
I would like us to be able to understand history but not
be trapped by it. One of the things that makes resolv- I would also like to make an observation on environ-
ing some problems in Africa more likely than in Bos- mental change as it relates to changes in the sociopo-
nia is that the Africans do not have the kind of written litical sphere. Although many people are sceptical of
history that dates back several hundred years. As such, interlinkages, I want to suggest seriously that many of
they cannot pinpoint who the villains were: the names the problems that we are seeing in the world today,
of the groups have changed. such as fragmentation, dislocation, migration, sunbelt
movements, and other locational changes, are in part
We need to understand that oppressed people have an instinctive human reaction to environmental
legitimate grievances, and we need to make sure that change. I would refer you to a book by Jean Grove
we do not support oppressive regimes. With the Cold called The Little Ice Age. It may be that our behavior,
War over, the latter may not be as likely as it has been including ethnic strife, has something to do with the
in the past. But we need to be a part of a forward-look- deteriorating environments in which relations among
ing movement that will establish institutions to help groups are being played out.
prevent problems and to respond to existing ones.
In addition, we need to support human rights globally, General Discussion
not just in terms of individual rights but also in terms
of cultural rights. This includes being able to study DR. WIXMAN: An interesting point that came out
in your own language rather than in an alien one. If particularly in this last session is that we talk about
people see themselves as being treated justly, then voluntarism on the part of the peoples involved.
existing problems will be lessened, and we will be
able to prosper along with the people with whom we The falling apart of the Soviet Union will probably be
share this globe, followed by a restructuring, and what Estonians,
Kazakhs, and Ukrainians can do voluntarily through
mutual respect and independence is probably a lot bet-
Discussant: Harm J. de Blij ter than the situation when the Soviet Union was dom-
inated by the center.
I was born in the Netherlands, and I'm interested in
the news ofthe day from there. Today, the news from I think one of the keys to future stability is not to
Holland had two items relevant to our discussion. oppose the secessionist movements but to tallower ela-
First, Curacao is considering holding a vote on whether tions between the seceder and the parent state.
to reenter the Kingdom of the Netherlands as a prov-
ince or a colony. Things are not going well economi- DR. DE BLU: But the problem with that is, "where
cally in Curacao, and the island is seriously considering does the secessionist sequence end?"
becoming the Martinique of the Netherlands' empire. DR. WIXMAN: True.
Second, the Province of Zeeland discovered about a
month ago that in 1648, when the seven states of the DR. DE BLU: Someone today talked about the neces-
Netherlands signed a peace agreement with Spain, it sity of providing recognition. Well, the problem in
did not sign the agreement. Although Zeeland is now the case of Bosnia was that recognition was given
planning to sign the agreement and is inviting Spain
to the signatory ceremony, the issue of paying the
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