Studying Genocides:
A Gradual Process to Prevention
There have been hundreds of genocides throughout history, but it is only within the past few centuries that their impact has come to be fully understood. The word “genocide,” which is now a concept understood by most people, was first used only 73 years ago. As genocides continue to occur even today, a deeper insight of what is at their roots continues to develop. By teaching about genocides, one can continue to learn about and understand the prominent circumstances and conditions that lead to a genocide. As a direct result, people can comprehend how they are involved, what can be done to prevent them, and what can be done to reduce their impact. The distinct dissociation between two or more …show more content…
In the case of the Rwandan genocide, many reporters did not know whether they should classify the killings as a civil war or something more than that. In her essay, Anne Chaon says, “Using the word genocide would have necessitated action, under the genocide convention (UN 1951). For weeks, AFP and other media used the word only if it was able to quote a source using that term” (163). With serious repercussions for falsely identifying the situation as a genocide, numerous inexperienced reporters were hesitant to identify it as such. Along the same lines, the US government also failed to identify the genocide as more than a civil war until weeks had passed since they first got reports of the killings (Kuperman 36-7). By failing to promptly investigate and identify the situation for what it was, the perpetration of a largely uninterrupted genocide occurred. Consequently, the severity of such a situation should now be understood to its fullest extent and there should be no hesitation for future involvement to prevent a …show more content…
After the Rwandan genocide, the European Union declared, “It is clear that tragic mistakes were made by the international community before and during the genocide. The international community's response to the genocide came too late and proved insufficient” (Grünfeld and Huijboom 236). An important part of human nature is acknowledging mistakes and using this insight to avoid repetition in the future. Now that the European Union understands the severity of such genocides and the speed at which they can be enacted, they can prepare to send an adequate amount of assistance in an appropriate amount of time. Another example can be seen at a local scale when Bill Clinton said, “In hindsight, the American decisionmakers that were interviewed for this study underline that they never discussed and even never thought of the possibility of linking the evacuation force with a possible military force to halt the atrocities in Rwanda.” (Grünfeld and Huijboom 233). Unfortunately, the solution was not thought of at the time, but it can now be implemented in similar situations should they arise in the future. Each mistake made by the international community in prior genocides continually builds a better understanding of how to limit the impact future genocides
A Gradual Process to Prevention
There have been hundreds of genocides throughout history, but it is only within the past few centuries that their impact has come to be fully understood. The word “genocide,” which is now a concept understood by most people, was first used only 73 years ago. As genocides continue to occur even today, a deeper insight of what is at their roots continues to develop. By teaching about genocides, one can continue to learn about and understand the prominent circumstances and conditions that lead to a genocide. As a direct result, people can comprehend how they are involved, what can be done to prevent them, and what can be done to reduce their impact. The distinct dissociation between two or more …show more content…
In the case of the Rwandan genocide, many reporters did not know whether they should classify the killings as a civil war or something more than that. In her essay, Anne Chaon says, “Using the word genocide would have necessitated action, under the genocide convention (UN 1951). For weeks, AFP and other media used the word only if it was able to quote a source using that term” (163). With serious repercussions for falsely identifying the situation as a genocide, numerous inexperienced reporters were hesitant to identify it as such. Along the same lines, the US government also failed to identify the genocide as more than a civil war until weeks had passed since they first got reports of the killings (Kuperman 36-7). By failing to promptly investigate and identify the situation for what it was, the perpetration of a largely uninterrupted genocide occurred. Consequently, the severity of such a situation should now be understood to its fullest extent and there should be no hesitation for future involvement to prevent a …show more content…
After the Rwandan genocide, the European Union declared, “It is clear that tragic mistakes were made by the international community before and during the genocide. The international community's response to the genocide came too late and proved insufficient” (Grünfeld and Huijboom 236). An important part of human nature is acknowledging mistakes and using this insight to avoid repetition in the future. Now that the European Union understands the severity of such genocides and the speed at which they can be enacted, they can prepare to send an adequate amount of assistance in an appropriate amount of time. Another example can be seen at a local scale when Bill Clinton said, “In hindsight, the American decisionmakers that were interviewed for this study underline that they never discussed and even never thought of the possibility of linking the evacuation force with a possible military force to halt the atrocities in Rwanda.” (Grünfeld and Huijboom 233). Unfortunately, the solution was not thought of at the time, but it can now be implemented in similar situations should they arise in the future. Each mistake made by the international community in prior genocides continually builds a better understanding of how to limit the impact future genocides