Ethnic+Cleansing


 * __Ethnic Cleansing__**




 * __What is Ethnic Cleansing?__**

Ethnic Cleansing is a policy or practice aimed at the systematic displacement and sometimes extermination of a certain unwanted race from an area in order to make a society ethnically "pure." This term is often misinterpretted as "genocide" which is the just the extermination of a group. Ethnic cleansing is usually just involved with moving a group of people from one area to another, usually less desirable, area. If the group that is being moved does not agree and attempts to resist the movement they are then usually killed or punished in some way.

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 * __History of Ethnic Cleansing__**

Ethnic cleansing is something that has occurred various times over history. Although it is recently being more globally recognized and condemned it is in no way a new concept. The actual term “Ethnic Cleansing” started being widely used in the 1990’s. One of the main causes of Ethnic Cleansing over history is nationalism. Nationalistic feelings spark ideas in people to want to “clean” or “purify” the area that they are living in from “aliens” or other undesired people. Over the years there has been a few different forms of Ethnic Cleansing. The first type of Ethnic Cleansing is just strictly cleansing of someone of a different ethnicity. In just plain Ethnic Cleansing the people being discriminated against do not have a choice of conversion. Their only choice lies between emigration and death. An example of strict Ethnic Cleansing is the American’s forcefully expelling millions of Native Americans from desirable lands and pushing them west. Many of the tribes ended up having to try to live in inhospitable lands and if the tribes did not agree they were usually shot. The other form of Ethnic Cleansing is a Religious Cleansing. Religious Ethnic Cleansing usually involves one socially more powerful religion driving out members of a socially weaker religion. Religious Cleansing usually has less killing and deportation than other kinds of Ethnic Cleansing because usually members of the religion that is trying to be expelled have the option to convert to the oppressing religion. A historical example of Religious Cleansing would be the forced conversion or expulsion of Hindus from Bangladesh in the mid-1900s.


 * __[[image:FortLaramieTreaty.jpg caption="This is a picture of Fort Laramine, a reuslt of the Fort Laramine Treaty."]]

Example:__** The United States was actually built off of Ethnic Cleansing beginning with the first settlers. In North American many American and British settlers cleansed millions of Native Americans to the worst part of America. The land they were forced to move to was the worst land America had to offer with little or no recourses and no form of government, so crime can run free. Many Native Americans were forced to live on reservations, which were on the worst land for natural resource. Many Native Americans where either physically forced to move onto the reservations or we’re tricked into signing peace treaties with the white settlers that forced them into moving into the reservation. The countries that had a major role in this act were mainly Spain and Britain when settling upon America. The massacre began in the 15th century and continued until the 20th century and is still seen today.

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The majority of the time with ethnic cleansing it is the majority going after the minority. When the ethnic cleansing takes place usually the minority have little to no chance of fighting back or being able to do anything to stop it. The minority is often treated unfairly and is given the short end of the stick when it comes to rights and land. Eventually the ethnic cleansing could maybe even lead to the worst things such as Genocide and the end of race. Take Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party as an example they started off with just cleansing the jews but it eventually got out of hand and lead to Genocide.
 * __[[image:may17-03-744.jpg width="156" height="170"]]Why Should You Care?__**

=__Citations__=

Fort Laramine
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/WY-FortLaramie2.html__ (12/10/07)

Mexican Gangs
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/january2007/220107mexicangangs.htm (12/11/07)


 * Video**

Native American http://youtube.com/watch?v=FLLaZYmoOtY (12/11/07)

Black Mexican Gangs http://youtube.com/watch?v=-SNBUe52zYc&feature=related (12/11/07)


 * History of Ethnic Cleansing**

http://www.foreignaffairs.org/19930601faessay5199/andrew-bell-fialkoff/a-brief-history-of-ethnic-cleansing.html


 * Relgious Cleansing in Bangladesh**

http://www.mukto-mona.com/human_rights/ethnic_clensing_Bangladesh.html http://in.news.yahoo.com/060130/43/629kl.html


 * What is Ethnic Cleansing**

http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9390062/ethnic-cleansing

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ethnic+cleansing

http://www.chichakli.com/ethnic_cleansing.htm (12/11/07)
 * Example**