What is Genocide?

The concept of genocide evolved in 1933 when Raphael Lemkin coined the term. Fifteen years later on December 9, 1948 the United Nations General Assembly, in light of the events of World War II, adopted the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, herein referred to as the United Nations Genocide Convention (UNGC). Article II of the UNGC States:

In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:

1. Killing members of the group;
2. Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
3. Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its destruction in whole or in part;
4. Imposing measures intending to prevent births within a group;
5. Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

In defining genocide Lemkin writes, “By “genocide” we mean the destruction of a nation or of an ethnic group…Generally speaking, genocide does not necessarily mean the immediate destruction of a nation, except when accomplished by mass killings of all members of a nation. It is intended rather to signify a coordinated plan of different actions aiming at the destruction of essential foundations of the life of national groups, with the aim of annihilating the groups themselves.”*

In discussing genocide, it is imperative to understand that based on the criteria listed in the Article II of the UNGC and the definition of genocide proposed by Raphael Lemkin, genocide is far more complex that the “mass killing of all members of a nation.” Genocide is fundamentally based on a “coordinated plan” of mass extermination. It is substantiated by the “intent to destroy.” Genocide may be used to destroy national, ethnical, racial or religious groups. In short, genocide is aimed at the immediate or future destruction of members from any of the aforementioned groups.

What can be done to Prevent Genocide?

The greatest misconception about preventative measures pertains to the belief that there is little that can be done to prevent genocide. Firstly, genocide is preventable. The key to understanding how to prevent genocide is to understand that awareness = empowerment. Simply educating yourself and others about genocide, its process, and stages, can dramatically influence how governments respond to allegations of genocide within and beyond their borders. Governments are institutions constructed to serve and protect the people. Thus, the more educated and informed global citizens are, the more educated and informed their respective governments will need to be.

Secondly, we all have the power to use the education we’ve gained to serve the communities we live in. Changing how we think about difference and diversity is important. Understanding that diversity is a benefit rather than a determinant is essential to curbing the proliferation of genocide. Human communities will always be composed of diverse groups. It is unnatural and immoral to attempt to regulate the natural occurrence of diversity within a given population because of nationalistic or ideological aspirations for uniformity. Uniformity is not attainable. Recognizing the similarity rather than the differences we share is often trivialized. The truth is, however, genocide is based in the dehumanization of another group. To do this, perpetrators of genocide devalue and dehumanize their intended targets. Recognizing the similarities we share, despite the national, ethnical, racial or religious difference of members within a given population makes exceedingly difficult to dehumanize others. Thus, communities benefit from diversity and are threatened by uniformity.

Thirdly, though it is undeniable that education is an important component in preventing the spread of genocide, education is not enough. People must get organized and actively press lawmakers to enforce stricter sanctions against those governments incapable or unwilling to intervene. Intervening on behalf of those targeted for extermination can potentially save the lives of millions. Intervening on behalf of those populations adjusting to life after a genocidal event can also aid in saving many lives. Successful interventions, however, is a difficult process, which requires coordinated measures between NGOs and the targeted population, governmental agencies and humanitarian organizations.