A time of peace and security

Or at least relativity… The Human Security Brief 2006 was released right before the turn of the year. The report follows up on the positive trends reported in the 2002 brief. So somehow I think there is hope.

• Between 2002-2005, the number of armed conflicts in the world was reduced by 15 percent, from 66 to 56.
  
• Between 2002-2005, the number of battle-deaths was reduced by almost 40 percent (see graph below).
  
• In 1989 there were 10 ongoing genocides worldwide, in 2005 there was one (Darfur).
  
• The number of displaced persons declined by 6 percent between 2003-2005. At the same time, some problems have grown worse, especially attacks on civilians:
  
• Between 2002-2005, the number of international terrorist incidents increased threefold (mostly in Iraq), and is now back where they were before the Cold War ended.
  
• Campaigns of organised violence against civilians have increased by 56 percent since 1989.