World Peace: PH in top 5 ‘most improved countries’

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines joins Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Bhutan and Guyana in the list of top 5 countries that registered “improvements in peacefulness” in the 2012 Global Peace Index.

The report which was prepared by the Institute for Economics and Peace noted that the robust rise in the Philippines’ score stems from improvements in the following indicators:

• homicide rate, 
• number of deaths from internal conflict,
• the likelihood of violent demonstrations and
• the incidence of terrorist acts 

 
The Philippines, according to the report, previously rated at moderate or high levels in the 4 indicators. Among incidents which affected the Philippine ratings in previous years:

• The conflict between the national government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which engulfed the southern province of Mindanao in mid-2007. 
• The Maguindanao massacre
• Violence in Sulu province in 2011, characterized by bombings and attacks by the Islamist Abu Sayyaf Group.

The Institute, however, noted that this year’s score is not directly comparable with that of the previous year owing to a change in the methodology.

Most, least peaceful

Ranking 133rd in a list of 158 countries rated by the Institute, the Philippines is nowhere near the list of 10 “most at peace” countries in the world. This distinction is enjoyed by the following:

• 1st: Iceland
• 2nd: Denmark & New Zealand
• 4th: Canada
• 5th: Japan
• 6th: Austria & Ireland
• 8th: Slovenia
• 9th: Finland
• 10th: Switzerland 

The countries the Institute rated as “least at peace” are:

• 158th: Somalia
• 157th: Afghanistan
• 156th: Sudan
• 155th: Iraq
• 154th: Democratic Republic of the Congo
• 153rd: Russia
• 152nd: North Korea
• 151st: Central African Republic 
• 150th: Israel 
• 149th: Pakistan

A copy of the report is embedded below. Do you agree with the findings? – Rappler.com