Essay on Rise of Water-Related Violence: Impact on India & Middle East

According to "Water-related violence rises globally in past decade," extra weather situations and water shortages are causing chaos in India and the Middle East. Conflicts that are related to water have occurred in the last ten years, and it has triggered problems that are happening in Syria with the civilian water systems getting adversely affected. India has experienced disputes that are emanating from the inadequacy of water. According to California-based Pacific Institute, water-related violence cases have doubled in the last ten years in comparison to the figures registered in 2000-2010. Reduction in the level of water supplies is triggered by the rise in population levels, extreme weather patterns, and poor management of the resource. The decline in this critical commodity is making people engage in any activity to get it, and this is making them start fighting for the little amount that is available. The resource is used as a weapon, while in most of cases; its availability is adversely affected by the existing conflicts. For example, a shelling incident happened in June 2019 in Ukraine leaving more than 3 million people without water (Safi, 2019). Another case was recorded in India where there was a shooting of farmers in India, and an attack on water convoys in West Papua.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

The reporting on these incidents is made possible by the advances in technology, and it is important to ensure that the right measures are undertaken to help manage the situation that is leading a significant number of people in problems. The fighting forces that are based in the Middle East are known to weaponise this commodity with Yemen, Syria, and Iraq are the other regions that have experienced wars that are related to water inadequacy. The civilian water infrastructure should be protected all the time to ensure that the public manages to access this precious commodity, and this is an indication that the arising conflicts in different parts of the world violate international law.

There was an attack in Syria in 2012 that left 3 million people without water, with the government being accused of playing a role in the bombing of pumping stations and disrupting the water-distribution networks. In 2014, there were accusations of the nation starting poisoning water, and it can be noted that water-related conflicts is an issue that is affecting many regions in the world, leaving the public in dismay. The practice is a breach of international law, and it has led to some leaders in the world getting arrested and convicted. Omar al-Bashir, the former Sudan president, was connected in the international criminal court for contaminating water sources for some communities in the country.

The water-related conflicts and the surface and groundwater flows are two concepts that have a high level of correlation between them. The fighting mostly happens when the surface and groundwater flows do not exist, or it is inadequate. It is important to ensure that there adequate water that everyone in society can use for basic needs and other related activities. The groundwater can be obtained through the drilling of boreholes while the surface water can be obtained from dams or flowing rivers. However, due to the conflicts, the surface water sometimes getting poisoned while the water points and pumps are damaged to ensure that a given section of society does not access it.

References

Safi, M. (2019, 31 December). Water-related violence rises globally in past decade. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/dec/31/water-related-violence-rises-globally-in-past-decade