Chapter 5: Conflicts among countries

Q6 Do you agree that disputes over resources are the most important reason why
conflicts arise between countries? Explain your answers.

I agreed that disputes over resources are the most important reason why conflicts arise
between countries. However, there are also other factors that cause conflicts among
countries.

Dispute over resources is a factor . Land, water, oil and food are the essentials needed
for survival and economic growth. Some countries are rich in these resources while others are
not and they would fight for it.

For instance, the case of conflict over fishing ground that is between Iceland and
Britain in the 1970s. Fish was Iceland's most bountiful resources, making up 79% of Iceland's
total export. Therefore, they need to extent its zone of control of its fishing ground.
However, Britain refused to recognize the extended area and continued to fish there. This
led to several collisions between Britain's frigates and Iceland's Coast Guard. Each side
accused the other party for the collisions. Eventually, Iceland threaten to broke off
diplomatic ties with Britain. Fortunately, the situation did not worsen into an armed conflict.
It was till 1976 when the conflict was resolved. An agreement was signed –Britain was allowed
to catch a limited amount of fish and a maximum of 24 trawlers were allowed in Iceland's
zone of control. This arrangement lasted for six months. This case-study shows how serious
resources can be a source of conflict.

* Another conflict is over water supplies between Israel and Jordon. Water is a very
important natural resource. The Jordan River supplies Israel and Jordon with most of their
water supply. In 1940s both countries began to develop their water programmes. In 1950s,
Israel built its National Water Carrier. This means that Jordan's water supply was
threatened as downstream users in Jordan could no longer get the water they needed. This
caused border clashes between Jordan and Israel. And after the Arab Israeli war in 1967,
Israel occupied Golan Heights. They gained control of the upper Jordan River. Thus, the
condition of Jordan worsens. These acts by Israel were seen by Jordan as a violation of its
vital interest. Jordan and Israel signed a peace treaty in Oct 1994, agreeing to share the
Jordan River and provide each other with water. In addition, they also agreed to build dams
and create storage facilities to hold excess rainwater. (*if you mention Iceland, there is no
need to mention about Israel and Jordon)

Another reason for conflict is the differences in political ideology. An example of

conflict between democracy and communism is the USA (democratic political system) and
USSR (communist system). Each claimed that its system was superior, and it would eventually
overcome the other, even though conflict is between North and South Korea. In August 1945,
after Japan was defeated, Korea was divided into two parts. North Korea became the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea while South Korea became the Republic of Korea.
Border clashes occurred when North Korea invade South Korea. UN troops assisted South
Korea. China joined in the war by supporting North Korea, resulting in the war becoming more
complex. In June 1951, UN-counter-attack pushes the Chinese and North Koreans back to
North behind the 38th parallel. Finally in 1953, both sides signed an agreement to stop
fighting. Thus differences in ideology is a source of conflict.

Another serious cause of conflict is the clash over territory. There is no clear border
around Aksai Chin and North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) between India and China in the
mountainous Himalayas. In 1958, China announced the building of the Aksai Chin Road and
there was a rising tension between India and China. In 1962, a war broke out. Fortunately, the
war ended quickly. However, there are several border incidents which are not resolved until
today.

Of all the above factors, natural resources are still the most important, such water
and raw materials. The lack of certain resources is immediately detrimental to the economic
growth and survival of a country. It follows then that conflicts over resources would create
the greatest impact between countries than ideological differences and border clashes. I
conclude that resources are the most important reason why conflicts arise between countries.
But it is important to note that sometimes all these factors are interlinked and countries do
not just do to war over a single factor.

301 : Nancy Tan, Pei Fen, Hui Xian, Ti Lin

303 : Sean Lee (22)