Question

How did past decisions made by european powers cause ethnic conflict in many new african nations?

Answer 1

European colonization imposed arbitrary political boundaries in Africa, disregarding ethnic and cultural divides and causing lasting ethnic conflict. The Berlin Conference exemplified this, with borders plotted without regard for local peoples. Post-colonization, African nations struggle with this legacy, as seen in genocides and ongoing conflicts tied to these historical divisions.

Step-by-step explanation:

Past decisions made by European powers have had a lasting impact on ethnic conflict in many African nations due to the arbitrary political boundaries that were established during colonization. These decisions showed little regard for the ethnic and cultural divides that existed within the continent. As a result, during the colonial period, ethnic boundaries were disregarded, and communities were split while often-warring groups were forced together, leading to lasting tensions.

The colonization of Africa culminated in the Berlin Conference, where most current African borders were drawn with little to no consideration for local ethnic groups. European colonial powers sought to exploit the continent's resources through brutal measures and forced labor, while also playing favoritism among different ethnic groups, which further exacerbated conflicts.

In the aftermath of European colonialism, African nations have been trying to manage the complex legacy of borders that do not reflect ethnic or cultural realities. Examples include the genocide in Rwanda, which can be traced back to the Belgians exacerbating ethnic divisions between Hutus and Tutsis, and the ongoing conflicts in nations like Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria, which are rooted in the colonial past.

Answer 2

Answer: creation of colonial boundaries and artificial borders

Explanation: The boundaries created in Africa by the European colonizers were made on a map which was based on the power of European countries and not what was best on the ground. As a result of this, many ethnic groups and regions in Africa were divided by these new boundaries which saw some opposing ethnic groups being forced to live together while some were split apart. These boundaries became the new borders which eventually led to conflict between the opposing groups.

These artificial borders created by the Europeans led to several ethnic conflicts which resulted in wars and battles between opposing religious groups and traditional beliefs.

Additionally, the Europeans had introduced new ways of doing things that affected the African cultural values and beliefs and by the time the Europeans left, the Africans had all but forgotten their traditional ways of living and had not received training from the europeans on the new ways which also led to several ethnic clashes.