Global Conflict & Citizenship - Introduction - Isabela (PDF)

Introduction - We teach people like they are passengers of history - You don't get a pass because you're not a political leader; you are who you vote for - This course is also about the role we play in this society What is a crime against humanity? (according to the ICC) ❖ Murde...

Introduction - We teach people like they are passengers of history - You don't get a pass because you're not a political leader; you are who you vote for - This course is also about the role we play in this society What is a crime against humanity? (according to the ICC) ❖ Murder ❖ Genocide ❖ Slavery ❖ Indefinite imprisonment without a trial ❖ Torture ❖ Forced Pregnancy ❖ Rape (historically, rape is not about sexual desire but rather power) ❖ Apartheid ❖ Disappearance Basic Definitions: Euphemism: A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing. Ex. Nazis called the holocaust ‘the final solution’. Geno: Meaning race Cide: Meaning killing *The word Genocide was coined by Rafeal L* Low information voters: People who only vote on their emotions rather than logic. Genocide: Killing members of the group. Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group. Deliberately inflicting in the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.  Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group. Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group. Genocide: Refers to the coordinated and planned destruction of a group of people (as that ‘group’ is defined by the perpetrators). While genocide is almost always accompanied by mass killing, this crime is an attempt to destroy the group, not necessarily to murder every member of that group. 1st Genocide in human history? (Interbreeding VS. Replacement Theory) - When Homo sapiens landed in Arabia, most of Eurasia was already settled by other humans - There are two conflicting theories The interbreeding theory - Tells a story of attraction, sex and mingling - As the African immigrants spread around the world, they bred with other human populations. - People today are the outcome of this interbreeding. The replacement theory - Tells a very different story - one of incompatibility, revulsion, and perhaps even genocide - Sapiens and other humans had different anatomies, and most likely different mating habits and even body odours - They would have had little sexual interest in one another - Sapiens replaced all the previous human populations without merging with them - Added Complexity: Why is replacement theory considered more politically correct? Even if it is based in possible mass violence Major Genocide of the 20th Century The Herero Genocide, Namibia (1904-05) The Armenian Genocide (1915-23) The Ukrainian Famine (1932-1933) The Nanking Massacre (1937-38) The World War II Holocaust (1942-45) The Cambodian Genocide (1975-79) The East Genocide (1975-1999)  The Mayan Genocide (1981-83) Iraq (1988) The Bosnian Genocide (1991-95) The Rwandan Genocide (1994) The Darfur Genocide (2003- Present) The Eight Stages of Genocide - The first 6 stages are “Early Warnings”: ❖ Stage 1: Classification “US vs. Them” (ex. Immigrants) Distinguish by nationality, ethnicity, race, or religion Bipolar societies (Rwanda) most likely to have genocide because no way for classification to fade away through inter-marriage Classification is a primary method of dividing society and creating a power struggle between groups. ○ Prevention: Promote common identities (national, religious, human.) Use common languages (Swahili in Tanzania, science, music.) Actively oppose racist and divisive politicians and parties. ❖ Stage 2: Symbolization Names: “Jew”, “German”, “Hutu”, “Tutsi” Languages Types of dress Group uniforms Homosexuals = pink triangles Identified homosexuals to SS guards in the camps Caused discrimination by fellow inmates who shunned homosexuals Reducing people to a symbol ○ Prevention: Protect negative or racist words for groups ❖ Stage 3: Dehumanisation One group denies the humanity of another group, and makes the victim group seem subhuman. Dehumanisation overcomes the normal human revulsion against murder. Hate propaganda in speeches, print and on hate radios vilify the victim group. Members of the victim group are described as animals, vermin, and diseases. Dehumanization invokes superiority of one group and inferiority of the “other”. ❖ Stage 4: Organization Genocide is a group crime, so must be organized. The status usually organizes, arms and financially supports the groups that conduct the genocidal massacres. Almost all leaders who are responsible for genocides are elected. ○ Rwanda The government and Hutu Power businessmen provided the militias with over 500,000 matches and other arms. Set up camos to train them to “protect their villages” by exterminating every Tutsi. ❖ Stage 5: Polarization Extremists drive the group apart. Hate groups broadcast and print polarizing propaganda. Laws are passed that forbid intermarrige or social interaction. Political moderates are silenced, threatened and intimidated, and killed. Attacks are staged and blamed on targeted groups. In Germany, the Reichstag fire was blamed on Jewish Communists in 1933. Cultural centres of targeted groups are attacked. On Kristallnacht in 1938, hundreds of synagogues were burned. Vigorously protest laws or policies that segregate or marginalised groups, or that deprive whole groups of citizenship rights. ❖ Stage 6: Preparation Members of victim groups are forced to wear identifying symbols. Death lists are made. Victims are separated because of their ethnic or religious identity. Segregation into ghettos is imposed, victims are forced into concentration camps. Victims are also deported to famine-struck regions for starvation. Weapons for killing are stock-piled Extermination camps are even built This build-up of killing capacity is a major step towards actual genocide. ○ Prevention: ➔ With evidence of death lists, arms shipments, militia training, and trial massacres, a Genocide Alert should be declared. ➔ UN Security Council should warn it will act (but only if it really will act) ❖ Stage 7: Extermination (GENOCIDE) The killing is “extermination” to the killers. Because they do not believe the victims are fully human. ○ Stopping Genocide ➔ Regional organizations, national governments, and the UN Security Council should impose targeted sanctions to undermine the economic viability of the perpetrator regime.  ➔ Sales of oil and imports of gasoline should be stopped by blockade of ports and land routes. ➔ Perpetrators should be indicted by the international criminal court. ❖ Stage 8: Denial Denial is always found in genocide, both during it and after it. Continuing denial is among the surest indicators of further genocidal massacres. Denial extends the crime of genocide to future generations of the victims. It is a continuation of the intent to destroy the group. The tactics of denial are predictable. Deny that there was any mass killings at all - Question and minimise statistics Block access to archives and witnesses (history) Intimidate or kill eye-witnesses Attack the motives of the truth tellers - Say they are opposed to the religion, ethnicity, or nationality of the deniers Blame the victims: - Emphasise the strangeness of the victims - They are not like us (savages, infidels) - Claim they were disloyal insurgents in the war. Why has the UN not stopped genocide? - Genocide succeeds when state sovereignty blocks international responsibility to protect - The UN represents states, not people ❖ Genocide continues due to: - Lack of authoritative international institutions to predict it - Lack of ready rapid responsive forces to stop it ❖ Lack of political will to peacefully prevent it and/or to forcefully intervene to stop it. Although you may view every life as equal, this world does not. Test Outline: Paragraph Topic: denial (stage 8) 1. Widespread or systematic attacks on the civilian population, irrespective of whether the people are nationals or non-nationals and irrespective of whether the attacks are committed in time of war or in time of peace A. Genocide B. Crime against humanity C. War cime D. Human rights violation 2. The answer to this question is A. A. You Got IT! B. Ehhhhhhhhhh.... Not here C. Definitely not C D. Don't Choose Me 3. Forced pregnancy and disappearance are considered crimes against humanity True False 4. The term 'Genocide' was coined by A. Henrich Himmler B. Adolf Hitler C. Raphael Lemkin D. My imagination 5. Forcing victims to wear Identifying marks/clothing is a form of A. Symbolization B. Preparation C. Organisation 15. Most genocides are committed by A. Militia Groups B. Fringe Groups C. Governments D. Mercenary Groups COLUMN A COLUMN B 1. Lack of Political Will ○ Hate propaganda in speeches, print and on 2. Denial hate radios vilify the victim group ○ Political moderates are silenced, threatened and intimidated, and killed.