The threat of terrorism has allowed governments around the world to crackdown on the rights of ethnnic minorities, according to the latest annual report by the London-based Minority Rights Group International [2]. The report finds that key allies of the US in its "war on terrorism," including the governments of Pakistan, Turkey and Israel, intensified repression of particular ethnic communities in 2006. Afghanistan and Pakistan are in the top 20 list, and Turkey and Israel both show major rises in the rankings this year. Somalia, where a pro-West regime has just taken power, is listed as the world's most dangerous country for minority communities. Iraq is number two.
This is the report's top 20 list:
1 Somalia: Darood, Hawiye, Issaq and other clans; Bantu and other groups
2 Iraq: Shia, Sunnis, Kurds, Turkomans, Christians; smaller minorities
2 Sudan: Fur, Zaghawa, Massalit and others in Darfur; Dinka, Nuer and others in the South; Nuba, Beja
4 Afghanistan: Hazara, Pashtun, Tajiks, Uzbeks
5 Burma/ Myanmar: Kachin, Karenni, Karen, Mons, Rohingyas, Shan, Chin (Zomis), Wa
6 Dem. Rep. of Congo: Hema and Lendu, Hunde, Hutu, Luba, Lunda, Tutsi/Banyamulenge, Twa/Mbuti
7 Nigeria: Ibo, Ijaw, Ogoni, Yoruba, Hausa (Muslims), Christians in the North
8 Pakistan: Ahmadiyya, Baluchis, Hindus, Mohhajirs, Pashtun, Sindhis
9 Angola: Bakongo, Cabindans, Ovimbundu
10 Russian Federation: Chechens, Ingush, Lezgins, indigenous northern peoples, Roma
11 Burundi: Hutu, Tutsi, Twa
12 Uganda: Acholi, Karamojong
13 Ethiopia: Anuak, Afars, Oromo, Somalis
14 Sri Lanka: Tamils, Muslims
15 Haiti: Political/social targets
16 Cote d’Ivoire: Northern Mande (Dioula), Senoufo, Bete, newly settled groups
17 Rwanda: Hutu, Tutsi, Twa
18 Nepal: Political/social targets, Dalits
19 Philippines: Indigenous peoples, Moros (Muslims)
20 Iran: Arabs, Azeris, Baha’is, Baluchis, Kurds, Turkomans
See our last posts on Somalia [3], Iraq [4], Iraq's minorities [5], Sudan [6], Afghanistan [7], Nigeria [8], Pakistan [9], Nepal [10], The Philippines [11], Iran [12], and the politics of the GWOT [13].
See our post on last year's report [14].
