2.4 Case studies Flashcards
1
Q
Irish Aid Ethiopia - Description (4)
A
- Walls and vegetation put in place to protect soil from erosion and allow rainfall to soak in
- Research into what communities need and new agricultural technology developed accordingly
- Beekeeping skills taught to farmers
- 28 tonnes of seed varieties distributed - grow faster with higher yields
2
Q
Irish Aid Ethiopia - Impacts
A
- Water table has risen, allowing farmers to tap groundwater and irrigate
- Improvements in crop variety and yield
- Harvests have more than doubled
- Farmers now producing surpluses, which they can trade for profit. Lifted out of poverty and able to send children to school.
- 6,000 families have benefited
3
Q
Why is the Niger Delta important?
A
- Oil from the delta accounts for 75% of Nigerian government’s income and 90% of its exports earnings
- Area is home to 31 million people
4
Q
Why is money generated in the Niger Delta not reaching local people?
A
- 70% of delta residents live below the poverty line
- Local hospitals and schools are underfunded
- Poor sanitation and pollution reduce access to clean and safe drinking water
- Less than 20% of the region is accessible by good roads
- Poor care taken of the environment and safety due to poor governance
5
Q
Environmental impacts of oil extraction in the Niger Delta
A
- Oil spills are common and pollute groundwater, surface water, and soil (550 oil spills in 2014)
- oil spills expensive and time consuming to clean up
- Mangroves and rainforests frequently damaged
- Burning off of natural gas causes environmental and health problems (e.g. acid rain, cancer)
6
Q
Guantanamo Bay description
A
- US military detains high ranking terrorists in Cuba
- Set up in 2002 following 9/11
- Doesn’t comply with Geneva code as prisoners don’t have rights
- At its peak had more than 700 prisoners
- In 2004 Red Cross found evidence of torture, which the USA said was a ‘necessary evil’
- E.g. waterboarding, being left in a dark hole
- In 2009 president Obama banned ‘non-coercive methods’ of torture and ordered Guantanamo Bay to close (it didn’t)
7
Q
Sierra Leone military intervention - was it a success?
A
- British special forces were able to target RUF (Revolutionary United Front) and repel advances
- This allowed for peace since the civil war and democratic elections to take place
8
Q
Sierra Leone military intervention - reasons for success
A
- Plans recognised the precarious nature of government and UN control
- Identified regional factors
- Training of special forces in Sierra Leone allowed for sustained operations which caused panic within the RUF
- Well-coordinated task force
9
Q
Libya - description of conflict and intervention
A
- North African country, strategically close to Europe with large oil reserves
- Colonel Gaddafi ruled since 1969
- In 2011, Libyans demonstrated against the government but were brutally repressed
- UN urged the government to ‘protect citizens’ but it failed to do so so UN authorised use of force through R2P
10
Q
Evidence the Libya intervention was a success
A
Gaddafi was killed and a new government was put in place
11
Q
Evidence the Libya intervention was a failure
A
- Insufficient evidence to justify interfering with Libya’s national sovereignty
- Post-Gaddafi country is very unstable
- Many regions out of government control with Islamist, rebel and tribal militias controlling areas and having conflict with each other
12
Q
Timor-Leste - description of conflict
A
- Small country in SE Asia, former Portuguese colony that became independent in 1975
- Invaded by Indonesia just 9 days after independence
- By 1999, over 200,000 (25% of population) killed by violence, disease, and famine
- Human rights abuses occurred routinely
13
Q
Timor-Leste - description of intervention
A
- In 1982 UN started diplomatic efforts with Indonesian and Portuguese governments
- Independence vote in 1999, 78.5% in favour
- Anti-independence militia (supported by Indonesia) killed 7,000 people, displaced 400,000, and destroyed infrastructure and homes
- UK and USA began arms embargo against Indonesia
- UN intensified diplomatic efforts, pressurised Indonesia into maintaining security, and provided humanitarian aid
14
Q
Timor-Leste - Aftermath of intervention
A
- Indonesian forces withdrew peacefully
- Lack of skilled people in country
- UN set up structures to maintain law and allow for development
- In 2002, Timor-Leste was independent
- Human rights concerns remain - legal systems deprives citizens of fair trials and police use excessive force
15
Q
Zimbabwe - problems
A
- Systematic human rights abuses, opponents of government attacked and imprisoned
- 156th on HDI
- 72% of population below the poverty line
- Rural poverty increasing - 63% in 2003 to 76% in 2014
- Low life expectancy - 59 for men, 62 for women
- In 2014, 82% of government budget allocated to government salaries
- Dangerous levels of deforestation due to growing tobacco industry
16
Q
Zimbabwe - reasons for no intervention
A
- Former British colony so any intervention may link to neocolonialism
- Some countries argue that President Mugabe is no threat to global peace so won’t intervene
- Many governments wouldn’t take action without support of other African nations
- Unlikely that UN security council would agree to military action
- Difficult to enforce government action to reduce environmental damage
17
Q
Bolivia under Evo Morales - who is Evo Morales?
A
- Evo Morales, member of the indigenous Aymara group, became president in 2005
- Morales is a socialist with values of communal ownership and co-operation
18
Q
What was Bolivia like before Evo Morales became president?
A
previously indigenous people had been excluded from political system, and there was high inflation and poverty rates
