PAN, June 14, 2013

Afghanistan at bottom of Global Peace Index, below Syria

In fact, the country was deemed less peaceful now than it was in 2008

By S. Mudassir Ali Shah

Afghanistan remains at the rock bottom -- in 162nd position -- on the 2013 Global Peace Index (GPI), faring poorly in terms of political stability and respect for human rights.

Launching the index at the GPI headquarters in New York on Thursday, experts said the world had become less peaceful in the past year, calling Afghanistan the biggest faller.

“We take a key definition of peace as the absence of violence or the absence of fear of violence,” Institute for Economics and Peace Director Michelle Breslauer.

The index comprised 22 indicators measuring internal and external levels of peacefulness in society, including levels of militarisation, safety, security and organised conflict.

Afghanistan retained its dubious distinction despite a drop in the number of people killed as a result of internal conflict, refugees and displaced people.

On the other hand, Iceland continued to be the most peaceful nation, followed by Denmark, New Zealand and Austria, Breslauer said in a statement. Denmark’s status is attributed to political stability, low homicide rate and small prison population are

Afghanistan had always been in the bottom 10 since the index started in 2007, she said. In fact, the country was deemed less peaceful now than it was in 2008.

In addition to the bleak findings, there is also a positive aspect to the index that says hostility between states has declined.

The 2013 GPI shows:

- The world has become 5% less peaceful since 2008

- Europe is the most peaceful region, with 13 of the top 20 most peaceful countries

- War-ravaged Afghanistan returns to the bottom of the index

- Syria’s score has fallen by 70% sine 2008

- The total economic impact of containing violence is estimated to be $9.46 trillion in 2012

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