The trading town of Rabdore, Somalia had a well. In most towns around the world a well is essential but not the focal point of the lives of the people. But in Rabdore, this well was better guarded than the local bank. Life for the residents of the drought stricken town was tough, but it was only going to get tougher. One day armed conflict broke out between rival clans in order to gain control of the well. The conflict lasted two years and when it ended, 250 people dead. The villagers now call this the "War of the Well".

The harsh reality is this; 97% of the world's water is salty leaving just 3% that is fit for human consumption. Two-thirds of this is frozen in glaciers and the polar icecaps, leaving 1% i.e. approximately thirteen and a half million cu. km. of water to satisfy over six and a half billion people.

According to Thomas Malthus, "The power of population is so superior to the power of the earth to produce subsistence for man that premature death must in some shape or other visit the human race." Recent estimates lead us to believe that by 2020, the world's population would increase by one billion. The maximum growth would be seen in the developing regions of the Near East, Asia and Africa. These regions are red zones in terms of the availability and sustainability of fresh water sources. They also play host to some of the present water wars.

In India, the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are waging a continuous battle for the supply of water from the river Cauvery. This river is one of the most important watersheds in the south of India, supplying fresh water to the cities in Karnataka and providing irrigation for Tamil Nadu's most fertile agricultural land. However, political mismanagement has led to rising tensions between the people of both states. The case of the Cauvery Issue usually brings with it with burning buses, rioting in the streets, destruction of private property and even deaths.

In Southeast Asia, China's dams on the Mekong have raised tensions in Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. If the planned dams on the Tsangpo Brahmaputra are constructed, it would stir up India's volatile North East and Bangladesh.

Similar tensions abound in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, South East Asia and Africa. The Middle East and North Africa regions face extreme climatic conditions causing these countries to be some of the worst hit. The region is home to eight water scarce countries and seven more are expected to

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