Religious fundamentalism, especially Islamic played a significant role in several conflict. Notable cases of involvement of religious fundamentalism could be seen in Arab-Israeli conflict, India-Pakistan conflict, Yugoslavian conflict, Chechen conflict and Iran-Iraq conflict. It could be argued that fundamentalist creates a new conflict with religious elements rather than adding religious elements in an existing conflict. However, it seems that in most cases religious fundamentalists are adding religious elements in conflicts between 1970 to 2000 rather than creating a new one.
Religious fundamentalism play significant role in fueling the tension in several conflict, derailing the peace process or simply complicating conflict that is already happening by adding religious elements in it. There are several examples of this kind of conflict, such as Arab-Israeli conflict, India-Pakistan conflict, Yugoslavian conflict, and Chechen conflict.
In the case of Arab-Israeli conflict, the emergence of Hamas served as a hindrance to peace process promised in Oslo. Hamas frequently launched attacks from the Gaza Strip which often frustrate the Israeli government. Hamas challenged the PLO government which was seen as too weak as not going to regain Palestinian land. Hamas is much more demanding compared to the PLO, they reject the idea of two separate states which is already accepted by the PLO. The victory of the Likud Party which is strongly Jewish fundamentalist in 1996 make the matter worse. Benjamin Nethanyahu as the leader of Likud insisted on biblical land which include the occupied zones of Gaza and West Bank. Under his leadership, Jewish settlement in occupied territory is continued against the spirit of Oslo, much to the dismay of Palestinian. This creates much unhappiness among the Palestinians who seek refugee in Hamas who promised to remove Israel from the map. This derailed the peace effort as the fundamentalist Israeli government and religious motivated Hamas refuse to recognize the Oslo Accords, thus prolonging the conflict with this added religious elements.
The Yugoslavian conflict could be seen as another example of a conflict that turned more bloody with the involvement of religious fundamentalism. With the withdrawal of Red Army and Collapse of Soviet Union, there is no longer a force to keep this multi-ethnic and multi-religious country united. Conflict arisen between the Serbian Christians and the Bosnian Muslims. In the middle of the conflict, battle hardened Afghan fighters join side with the Bosnians, training them and leading them to fight the Serbians. There was a huge influx of foreign jihadis since 1992. The involvement of this battle hardened fighters prolongs the conflict as it is harder to end a conflict which involve more skilled fighters. After the conflict resolved, many of these Mujahideen fighters stayed in Bosnia as clerics, preaching for another struggle against the Serbians.
India-Pakistan conflict could be seen as another conflict where fundamentalist complicates matter. Before the conflict, Kashmir served as a platform for India and Pakistan ideological rivalry. India's secularism and Pakistan's theocracy. With the influx of fundamentalism, the mosque in Kashmir become central rallying point of Kashmiri Muslim while the rapid growth of madrasah sponsored by Iran further injected fundamentalist doctrines in Kashmiri society. Afghan fighters who are left aimless with the withdrawal of Soviet Union joined in the conflict,believing that they are carrying out another jihad against India. With the victory of Hindu hardliners, the BJP casted Kashmir problem as a thread to Indian national security, leading to huge military expenditure. In addition their call for protection of Hindu minority casted an image of Hindu tyranny, further angering Kashmiri Muslim. The BJP decided to continue the nuclear programme planned by previous government. This very act provoked Pakistan to do the same, thus further fueling the conflict the the possession of nuclear arsenal on both sides.Thus fundamentalism, make the conflict worse as it changed the nature of the conflict and escalates the tension between both sides.
Even though religion act as a factor escalating conflicts, there are times that the motivation of starting a conflict comes from religion itself. A clear example can be seen from Iran-Iraq conflict.
Iran-Iraq conflict caused as Iraq feel threatened with Shiite based theocratic government of Iran formed after the Iranian Revolution which might supports the Shiite majority in Iraq to rebel against the Sunni based government. This conflict is a form of clash between a nationalistic and militaristic regime against Islamic regime. Saddam decided to launch a preemptive attack, making use of the hole left by purging of the Shah army by the new republic. Saddam underestimated the religiously committed Iranian Revolutionary Corps ability to repel attacks by recruiting large number of young men, leading to 8 years long war. Therefore it could be seen that religion played a role in sparking new conflict as what is seen from the case of Iran-Iraq conflict as Iraq feel threatened by religious movement in Iran that might influenced oppressed Shiite majority in Iraq.
Without a doubt, we can see that religion often mix in a conflict, be it as the main cause or prolonging the conflict or intensify the conflict. Since the ancient past we already had a lot of religiously motivated conflicts as at that time a lot of countries are theocratic monarch. It is true that there are many conflict caused by religion. However, from 1970s - 2000, most of the conflict are secular conflict that turned religious with the involvement of fundamentalist into the conflict. With the involvement of religion, the conflict turns more bloody with indiscriminate suicide bombings motivated by religious believe that dying for religion guarantee a place in heaven. Therefore I would say that fundamentalist worsen a conflict rather than starting a new one.
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