Genocide

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Tanner Cortez

Mr. Pitcher

English 12

03/19/10

                                             GENOCIDE

       The term genocide came to the forefront of political attention after WWII. Before this

time the term did not exist. It has become a serious problem because it is a major issue in many

countries today and their governments try to cover it up, many people around the world are

unaware it is happening, and despite our best efforts it still hasn’t been stopped. It is in the

world’s best interest to do something about genocide.

       Genocide was not an existing issue before 1944 and was not a legal term until 1948.

(UNHMM) Genocide is defined as any act to destroy a national, ethnical, racial, or religious

group by killing members of a group, causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of a

group, deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about it’s

physical destruction, Imposing measures intended to prevent births, and forcibly transferring

children of the group to another group. (Rummel) Since 1948 the United Nations knew that

countries around the world were committing violent acts of genocide. However, the first

conviction for genocide did not come until 1998 after 500,000 civilians of the Tutsi minority

were brutally murdered while the world looked on. This conviction gave way to the permanent

establishment of the International Criminal court to prosecute crimes of genocide, crimes against

humanity, and war crimes. This new court could convict during times of war or peace. This was

a great step in moving towards a world without genocide and other various crimes against
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humanity. It establishes that the world is no longer going to deal with these autocracies any

more.

        While many people today think that genocide was just a terrible issue that happened

during WWII and that it is no longer a problem, they are far from knowing what is happening in

the world. Genocide is taking place today and the countries whose government is committing

genocide has done a great deal at covering it up due to the fact that they scarcely consider

whether or not their crimes constitute genocide. (USHMM) Recently genocide has taken a major

toll on eastern countries, mostly third world countries. In the Democratic Republic of Congo

there is major violence against civilians and mass sexual violence against women. It is estimated

that 5.4 million civilians and children have died since 1998. In 1992 Bosnian Serb leaders

targeted Bosnian and Croatian Civilians, the called it “Ethnic Cleansing.” (USHMM) An

estimated 100,000 people were killed. This was the largest massacre in Europe since the

Holocaust. This occurred not too long ago. In Rwanda the government launched plan to kill the

entire Tutsi minority, a religious group that was a huge percentage of the population. At least

500,000 were killed. Burundi is another country that has a history of ethnic conflict and human

rights abuses. In 1993 300,000 were civilians were killed and 800,000 men, women, and children

were displaced. In the Russian Republic of Chechnya, Russian military forces entered Chechnya.

Civilians were severely abused by Russian forces through arbitrary arrest, extortion, physical and

mental torture, and murder. The most recent conflict however has been going on in Sudan. The

civil war between the south and the north has killed around two million people and has left four

million homeless. (USHMM) Sudan’s entire population faces continuing and new violence every

day. One of the most regions with conflict is Darfur, which is about the size of Texas and is the

Western part of Sudan. (GIN) Many of the Sudanese governments actions include mass
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starvation, rape, enslavement, and bombing. The leader Omar Al-Bashir is held primarily

responsible and has been indicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity. (USHMM) The

holocaust was a dark mark for humanity, but just because the concentration camps of Nazi

Germany were put to an end that doesn’t mean the problem has dissipated from society, it is still

very much at large.

       Just like how very few knew about the concentration camps during WWII, many people

don’t know that genocide is going on outside of their countries borders. Many people could be

saved today if the world did not ignore what is happening in Darfur. In the movie Hotel Rwanda

the United Nations peace keeper says “… ‘That’s horrible,’ and then go on eating dinner…” this

is exactly what people do when they hear bout what is going on in Darfur today. When the news

Mentions Darfur people change the channel. (freewebs) Because of this lack of interest many

people do not know anything about what is happening. Members of a support group for Darfur

decided to go out and see how may people knew what Darfur was. The found that many refused

to speak on camera without given knowledge on the issue. (Hancock) However, 2 people were

found that were willing to speak. One man said that his Church group prays for those in Darfur.

How much are prayers going to help the million of people homeless and starving? It is easy to

take a stand on things with items like wristbands, t-shirts, and banners which spread knowledge

and help to those in need quickly. The only thing lacking is the fact that we need to educate

ourselves on what’s happening. In a question and answer session with director Sean Fine of War

Dance at the Sundance Film Festival 2007 he said “ We are were out there, literally filming

mounds of dead bodies and people don’t even know.” (Cortez) It is amazing to believe that such

horrors could be happening and know one knows about it.
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       The crime of genocide got its name in 1944 and since then a lot action has gone into

preventing it. One of the first efforts to prosecute people who have committed such autocracies

came in 1945 when the principle of crimes against humanity became enforceable law. Then in

1948 The UN Convention of the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was

unanimously adopted, more than twenty countries ratified it. (USHMM) In the years following

not much preventing or punishing happened. The very same countries that signed the Genocide

convention committed massive crimes. Forty years later the United States joined in and signed

the convention with the push of senator William Proxmire. Finally in 1991 came the start of

action to the prevention of genocide. The United Nations acted to punish the former Yugoslavia

for targeting civilian groups. However, it did nothing to stop the government from doing the

terrible and horrible things they had been doing way before the United Nations acted. The very

first conviction to be won for the execution of genocide on civilians came recently in 1998, this

glorious conviction establish a permanent court, The International Criminal Court. It seemed as

though finally something was going to be done to put and end to the terrible crimes against

humanity and genocide that has been wreaking havoc and destruction on countries and it’s

civilians. That didn’t happen. The terrible crime of genocide is still occurring today and it looks

like no one person, no one organization, and no one government can do anything to stop

genocide.

       This is an important and extremely serious problem that is happening. After the liberation

of the Nazi concentration camps the Jewish people embraced the slogan “Never Again.” I deeply

believe this simple yet powerful slogan should be applied to every country. It describes how we

shouldn’t stand by and watch thing happen. Millions of innocent and unfortunate people and

children can be saved today if the world would stop ignoring what is happening right under their
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noses. Every day that we don’t do something to help the situation thousands of innocent people

are dying and dying horrific deaths. While we don’t pay attention and we shut our eyes an awful

lot of horrendous killing is going on. (Clooney) If we as prominent citizens of not only our

countries but of the world stood up and put a stop to the horrors of genocide, the amazing slogan

“Never Again” would become a reality and it would apply to the entire world. The War in Darfur

shows no mercy or limits whatsoever. We should be the ones to step up and show the mercy that

is so desperately needed in the third world countries that are being abused by genocide. We can

set the limits that aren’t there if not stop it from happening immediately all at once.

       There are many ways to combat the crime of genocide. If everybody were to get up out of

their chairs, and their couches and beds, and called their congressmen or wrote to their president,

it would make a world of difference, especially to those who live in fear of their current situation

getting worse than it currently is. Another wonderful way is to get educated and help others get

educated as well. The use of banners, wristbands, t-shirts etc. can say a lot and help a lot of

people become aware of what is happening. Making donations helps greatly too. There are many

organizations that are currently helping those in need and every single penny counts.

Organizations that you can donate to include the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the

Red Cross, U.S. Agency for International Development, Doctors Without Borders are just a few

of the many governmental and non governmental organizations that are making an effort to stop

genocide. (USHMM) Make your own personal pledge to take action against genocide and share

it with your friends and family to help them become aware. You can also contact the media and

tell them that you want better coverage of the places at risk of genocide or other crimes against

humanity. Spread the world about what you've learned with your friends, family, members of

organizations you belong to, and coworkers. Schools, churches, synagogues, mosques, and
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groups across the country are making a difference. (USHMM) We would all be equally horrible

to not take a stand and at least try to inform ourselves on ways to help.

       Genocide has been a recurring problem for a long time. Many innocent people outside

our country face this problem constantly everyday. Since we are so blissfully unaware there is no

help for them as they hope for the best. The few people who are trying to do something cannot

stop genocide alone. Everyone needs to take a stand.
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Works Cited
Clooney, George. ABC News. 30 April 2006. 15 February 2010 <Web>.

Cortez, Alexandra. Interview. Tanner Cortez. 20 February 2010.

Encina, Gregorio Billikopf. Milgrams's Experiment on Obedience to Authority. 2004 November
2004. February 2010 <Web>.

Freewebs. Why does genocide matter today? 13 February 2010 <Web>.

Genocide Intervention Network. Genocide in Darfur. 12 February 2010 <Web>.

Hancock, Drick. 14 February 2010 <Web>.

Rummel, R.J. Democide V. Genocide. 23 November 2002. 14 February 2010 <Web>.

The Psychology of Political Violence. 13 February 2010 <Web>.

Time Magazine. Darfur Map. 02 February 2010 <Web>.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Preventing Genocide: Learn More & Take Action.
02 February 2010 <Web>.