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6 things wrong with war
6 things right with peace
6 Alternatives to war and armed conflict
10 ways to say NO to war and YES to peace
6 things wrong with war
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War kills people.
In the 20th century, wars killed a 100 million people. It used to be that those killed in war were mostly soldiers. Today approximately 90 percent of the victims are civilians, mostly women and children.
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War disables and traumatizes people.
Many people are permanently disabled by injuries from landmines, bombs, grenades and bullets. They experience severe mental and emotional trauma, including, often, post traumatic stress disorder. Rape, sexual violence, torture and other atrocities are common in war.
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War creates refugees.
There are approximately 12 million refugees world wide, as well as 25 million internally displaced persons. Many are never able to return to their homes. Millions languish in squalid refugee camps with few opportunities. Only a fraction of them are able to resettle in a new country.
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War makes people hungry.
War forces farmers from their farms and takes land out of food production. Even when farmers are able to return to their farms, the remnants of war — landmines, cluster bombs, and other unexploded devices — often make it impossible to cultivate the land.
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War harms the natural environment.
Military forces often destroy vegetation to improve the mobility of troops and to make it more difficult for "the enemy" to hide. They often bomb oil pipelines, refineries and water treatment plants, causing environmental catastrophes. Their vast use of fossil fuels contributes to global warming and climate change.
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War leads to more war.
Some wars can make life more secure for some people (usually the "winners") for the short-term. But because they don't deal with the underlying problems, they often simply reinforce existing tensions and hostilities and contribute to more conflict down the road. So war simply perpetuates a cycle of violence.
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For more information, check out these resources, commissioned by MCC
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