Date of Award

6-2015

Document Type

Open Access

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Political Science

First Advisor

Thomas Lobe

Second Advisor

Michael Hagerman

Language

English

Keywords

state, conflict, violence, wounds, actors

Abstract

Directly contrasting interstate warfare, intrastate violence comprises of violence in an individual state, typically between an opposition of anti-state actors versus the state and its coercive forces. This project particularly examines recent insurgent groups in opposition to the state. These conflicts, rooted in deep embitterment, are often regarded as enduring, lasting several years before cessation. This thesis considers both the legitimate grievances the anti-state insurgency experienced prior to the conflict, as well as the legitimate counterinsurgency initiative the state used to protect its monopoly of violence. These internal conflicts result in countless non-combatant casualties and human rights violations, creating “wounds” for survivors. Whether the conflict ends in peace agreement or military victory, nation-states need to determine how to deal with these imposing wounds. Once the conflict ends, the tendency of the state to give impunity to various state actors, remaining issues of human rights, and accountability for unjustified killings are all explored. The last section explores how transitional justice measures can potentially heal these wounds from conflict. Case studies on the insurgency movements of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN-M) against Nepal, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) against Sri Lanka, and the Shining Path (PCP-SL) against Peru, follow the chapters, offering concrete examples of the experience particular states have had, both during conflict and in post-conflict, analyzing the complexities and varying issues that result.

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