8.04 semester project the roots of conflict.

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Conflict results from disagreements among diverse parties, and it may result in bloodshed, loss of properties and economic deterioration. For the case of Northern Ireland and Balkan Conflicts, there was a loss of life and property that derailed development in the two regions.
The Northern Ireland Conflict refers to the disagreements between the Scottish and English settlers and the Native Irish. Over the years, Scottish and English settlers occupied the land belonged to the Irish, which fueled bloody violence between the two sides. It is essential to note the conflict evolved into a religious conflict considering most of the Scottish and English are Anglican Protestants while the Native Irish is predominantly Catholic (Great Britain 14). In fact, Penal Laws favor the Anglicans and suppress the Catholic and other Protestants such as Presbyterians in Northern Ireland. For instance, it was difficult for the Irish Catholic to rent land. The other cause of the conflict was differing political ideologies. The Irish Catholic favored linking the Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland while the Protestants pushed for the continued union of Northern Ireland with the United Kingdom.
The people from the two conflicting sides relied on farming as an economic activity. The division between the Catholic Irish and the Scots/English Protestants resulted from the unfairness in accessing land and ruling. However, the religious background of the two disagreeing parties is different with the Native Irish being predominantly Catholic while the English and the Scottish are Protestants of the Anglican faith.

Some of the approaches applied in solving the conflict is lifting the law that barred the Native Irish from accessing land. Besides, the armed forces and police were engaged to keep law and order in the regions affected by the conflict. The European Union has been a key player in resolving the conflict in the Northern Ireland and enhancing the healing process. Adoption of devolved government led to the decline of conflict as all the parties were included in local and national governance. The inputs from the local and international bodies have been successful in resolving conflict as indicated by surrounding of firearms and ceasing of killings. For the two sides to arrive at ultimate peace, it is essential to ensure fairness and implement the policies in the Good Friday Agreement.
In the case of Balkan Conflicts, there were diverse ethnic, religious and linguistic groups that resulted in violence to attain independence. Some of the groups included Slovenians, Serbs, Macedonians, and Croatians. The cause of the Balkan Conflict was the political differences where some of the regions such as Yugoslavia attained independence. Besides, the increment of the ethnic nationalism and bad governance led to conflict in the Ottoman Empire (Knight 2).
One of the similarities among the warring sides is the quest for independence and good governance. However, the conflicting parties had differing political ideologies where some sects supported communism while others favored non-communism. Thus, the conflict attracted the attention of the West that is predominantly Democratic and the Soviet Union that supports communism. The high rate of violence in the Balkan region drew the intervention of the United Nations to keep the peace. Besides, the talks among the leaders in the area led to the cessation of some countries from the Ottoman Empire and the Soviet Union. The conflict should be solved through voting processes and arbitration to avoid loss of life.
The Northern Ireland’s conflict took religious front while ethnic nationalism influenced the Balkan disagreements. However, the two conflicts emanated from differing political ideologies among the residents of the affected religion. Based on the analysis of the two conflicts, it is essential to engage peaceful resolution to avoid loss of life, destruction of property and economic deterioration.
Work Cited
Great Britain. Life in the United Kingdom: A Journey to Citizenship: the Official Publication Valid for Tests Taken from April 2007. London: TSO, 2007. Print.
Knight, Robert. Ethnicity, Nationalism and the European Cold War. London: Continuum, 2012. Print.