And now for the good news

by | Mar 25, 2008 | Conflict and security

° The number of armed conflicts around the world has declined by more than 40% since the early 1990s.

° Between 1991 (the high point for the post–World War II period) and 2004, 28 armed struggles for self-determination started or restarted, while 43 were contained or ended. There were just 25 armed secessionist conflicts under way in 2004, the lowest number since 1976.

° The dollar value of major international arms transfers fell by 33% between 1990 and 2003. Global military expenditure and troop numbers declined sharply in the 1990s as well.

° The average number of battle-deaths per conflict per year—the best measure of the deadliness of warfare—has been falling dramatically but unevenly since the 1950s. In 1950, for example, the average armed conflict killed 38,000 people; in 2002 the figure was 600, a 98% decline.

° The period since the end of World War II is the longest interval of uninterrupted peace between the major powers in hundreds of years.

° The number of refugees dropped by some 45% between 1992 and 2003, as more and more wars came to an end.

These and other happy tidings from the Human Security Report, which you should have read if you haven’t already.

Avaaz closes in on largest ever internet campaign

by | Mar 25, 2008 | Influence and networks, South Asia

Avaaz’s current petition, calling on China to begin “meaningful dialogue” with the Dalai Lama, looks set to pass has now passed the one million signature mark some time later today, which will make making it comfortably the largest petition ever organised on the internet.  Sign it here.

[Update: and they’ve also just won political video of the year on the 2007 YouTube video awards.  Quite a week.]

Still, you have to wonder (again) at the breathtaking incompetence of the Chinese at public diplomacy.  For heavens’ sake: the Dalai Lama has been calling for people not to boycott the Olympics; he’s arguing for autonomy rather than independence for Tibet; he called on rioters to halt, and maintain a nonviolent stance.  As the Economist noted on Friday, opening talks would boost China’s image around the world.  Instead, China “seems intent on using the Olympics to flaunt its control of Tibet, as the flame is paraded in Lhasa”.

‘Course, that same torch is coming through London a week on Sunday.  Expect fireworks…