While it may not be as inspiring or as uplifting as John Lennon’s 1969 anti-war anthem, this chart from the Institute for Economics and Peace via the Economist Intelligence Unit certainly tells, or shows rather, an interesting story about peace around the world.
In the map of 2012, quantifiable measurements allowed researchers to select Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the list. Following closely behind are countries like North Korea (nuclear weapons, mass famine) and Pakistan (terrorism, militant Islamists, nuclear weapons) as well as Libya and Syria (civil war).
The addition of Syria is of particular interest, considering the brutality of the Assad regime on its own citizens, including recent massacres in outlying rural areas of men, women and children. Perhaps the UN needs to revisit this map if it wishes to follow the recent advice of the UN Legal Counsel.
UN Legal Counsel: Saving Civilians Means ‘Taking Action’ from on FORA.tv
