Genocide

Understanding Genocide: A Crime of Crimes

Genocide is a term that sends shivers down the spine—violence targeting individuals because of their group membership, aiming at destroying a people. It’s more than just mass killing; it involves disintegrating institutions, culture, language, national feelings, religion, and economic existence. Throughout history, genocide has been a tragic reality, especially in colonial empires, wars, and repressive governments. How much do we really know about this ‘crime of crimes’? Let’s delve into the origins, definitions, and impacts of genocide.

The Genesis of Genocide

Polish-Jewish lawyer Raphael Lemkin coined the term “genocide” between 1941-1943. His definition combined ‘race’ with ‘killing,’ proposing a more ambitious approach than just banning atrocities, aiming to promote tolerant societies. Lemkin defined genocide as destroying a nation or ethnic group, not targeting individuals but rather members of the group. He saw it as an inherently colonial process and applied his definition broadly to various human collectivities.

The First Legal Verdict

The 1946 judgement against Arthur Greiser was the first legal verdict mentioning the term using Lemkin’s definition. However, the Genocide Convention limited this definition to five acts, excluding powerful countries’ actions from classification as genocide. This opposition led to changes making the convention unenforceable and applicable only to geopolitical rivals’ actions but not their own. The result diluted Lemkin’s original concept, transforming it into a colonial power favoring.

The Impact of Genocide

Genocide has occurred in various situations, including imperial expansion, colonial empires, world wars, and repressive governments. Although Lemkin credited women’s NGOs with securing the passage of the convention, the gendered violence of forced pregnancy, marriage, and divorce was left out. Additionally omitted was the forced migration of populations—which had been carried out by the Soviet Union and its satellites, condoned by the Western Allies, against millions of Germans from central and Eastern Europe.

The Convention on Genocide

Two years after passing a resolution affirming the criminalization of genocide, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Genocide Convention on 9 December 1948. It came into effect on 12 January 1951 after 20 countries ratified it without reservations. The convention defines genocide as any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such. Attempted genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, incitement to genocide, and complicity in genocide are criminalized.

Convictions and Trials

The first conviction for genocide in an international court was in 1998 for a perpetrator of the Rwandan genocide. On 25 January 2010, Iraqi official Ali Hassan al-Majid was executed by hanging after being convicted of committing genocide by using chemical weapons against Iraq’s Kurdish population during the 1997-1998 Al-Anfal campaign. The first head of state to be convicted of genocide was in 2018 for the Cambodian genocide. Trials often serve purposes beyond punishment, such as shaping public perception of the past.

Genocide Studies and Definitions

Genocide studies emerged in the 1970s and 1980s, and exploded in the 1990s due to events like the Bosnian and Rwandan genocides. Revisionists argued that Western ideas led to genocide, while pioneers studied settler colonialism’s genocidal logic. The definition of genocide is controversial, with scholars using different definitions and criteria. Some define it as mass killing or violence against defenseless groups, while others consider cultural and structural violence as well.

Perpetrators and Methods

The foot soldiers of genocide are not demographically or psychologically aberrant. People who commit crimes during genocide are rarely true believers in the ideology behind genocide, but are affected by it alongside other factors such as obedience, diffusion of responsibility, and conformity. Methods used to carry out genocide include forced displacement, killing, cultural destruction, and controlling victims at a specific location.

Historical Context

Genocide is mentioned in ancient sources, including the Hebrew Bible, and was committed by empires. Settler colonialism is characterized by militarized populations and a desire to acquire land, making genocide more likely than classical colonialism. Genocide occurred during both world wars, with the Holocaust being a prototypical example of large-scale logistics.

Prevention and Aftermath

Rational choice theory suggests that labeling crimes as genocide increases the chance of effective intervention. However, states are often reluctant to recognize crimes as genocide while they are taking place. The ‘Responsibility to Protect’ doctrine emerged in 2000 to balance state sovereignty with international intervention to prevent genocide. Scientific racism and nationalism drove many twentieth-century genocides. The Genocide Convention was established after WWII to prevent such atrocities, but genocide has continued into the twenty-first century.

Aftermath of Genocide

After a genocide, there is an attempt to prosecute perpetrators and provide reparations to survivors. However, few victims receive reparations, and perpetrators often deny responsibility. Research on genocide’s effects focuses on victim testimonies, examining mental health outcomes and demographic recovery. Most societies recover from genocide demographically, but this depends on their position in the demographic transition.

Conclusion

The term ‘genocide’ is widely considered the ‘crime of crimes,’ and events are often denounced as such. Yet, despite its legal framework, the prevention and prosecution of genocide remain challenging. Understanding the complexities of this crime helps us to better address it in the future.