IRS 328

Sophia Khalid

20-0189

How Risk factors of Genocide Can Aid in its Prevention

Introduction

Genocide never occurs at random; rather, it is the outcome of a number of social

factors that influence its likelihood to occur. These elements can contribute to

genocide by escalating intergroup conflict, marginalizing minorities, and getting

individuals ready to follow their leaders' genocidal orders.

Genocide risk is influenced by a number of factors. It will be possible to recognize

entrance points where quick action can be taken to stop the manifestation of risk

factors and, in doing so, establish an environment that is resilient to the commission

of horrific crimes.

Genocide is frequently preceded by less pervasive or systematic violations of civil,

political, economic, social, and cultural rights. These violations are frequently

connected to trends of discrimination against or exclusion of protected groups,

populations, or individuals based on their ethnicity, race, nationality, or religion.

Therefore, it is crucial to address issues related to human rights, including

discrimination, in order to help societies become more resilient. This entails creating a

society that celebrates variety, accepts it, and allows communities of many identities

to coexist together. Nations should create state institutions and legal frameworks that
are legitimate, uphold international human rights law and the rule of law in general,

and have the ability to confront and diffuse potential sources of friction before they

become more serious. They can do this individually and through membership in and

cooperation with sub-regional, regional and international organizations or initiatives

(Brehm, 2016).

Case study:

The Holocaust

The study of the Holocaust raises concerns about how the international community

can identify and react to signs that a nation is at risk of mass tragedy or genocide.

Although each genocide is distinct, there are common risk factors and warning

indicators in the majority of genocide-prone regions.

The systematic extermination of Jews in Europe by the Nazis and their allies during

the Second World War is known as the Holocaust. The Nazis' larger plans to establish

a new world order based on their ideology included this campaign of targeted mass

murder (The Holocaust Galleries, n.d.).

As soon as Hitler assumed power in 1933, the Nazis' campaign of anti-Jewish

persecution got under way. They initially utilised virulent propaganda, antisemitic

laws, and limitations to foster a culture of hate and segregation. This victimisation

strategy was used to separate Jews from the general community and persuade them to

depart. In truth, the number of persons departing fluctuated since it was hard to locate

someplace to go and it was expensive to do so.

Late in the 1930s, the persecution process intensified; later, during the Second World

War, it transformed into a campaign of mass murder. The widespread murder started

in June 1941, during the German invasion of the Soviet Union. Behind the advancing
German line, mobile Einsatzgruppen, or Nazi killing squads, assisted by local

collaborators, were in operation. In the pretext of security, they killed nearly a million

Jewish residents in their recently captured regions. As part of this operation, tens of

thousands of Roma people were slaughtered with Jews.

These atrocities were combined into a coordinated destruction effort at the beginning

of 1942. Jews were transported from ghettos or concentration camps to be slaughtered

in their millions.

However, as the war progressed, thousands more people were transferred to

concentration camps to be worked to death in support of Germany's faltering war

effort. The majority were sent to a small number of specifically designed killing

centres known as death camps. Although the Nazis played a major role in this process,

they did not act alone and relied on the assistance and cooperation of hundreds of

thousands of individuals throughout Europe.

Thousands of other people who had been victimised and sold into slavery by the

Nazis in order to establish their new global order were housed in concentration camps

alongside Jews who had been transported there. Political opponents, homosexuals,

prisoners of conscience, Roma, Poles and others perished in camps due to abuse,

malnutrition, or neglect (The Holocaust Galleries, n.d.).

Risk Factors And How They Can Help In Preventing Genocide

With insight into the risk factors of genocide, we are now able to notice the trends that

occur before such an atrocious act occurs. Today we have social media, access to

international news stations as well as the Internet to be able to notice the alarming risk

factors associated with Genocide and thus be able to be at the forefront of prevention.
Large-scale unrest is one of the most telling indicators that there could be a genocide.

Armed conflict or events that put a regime's authority in jeopardy, including a coup,

revolution, or rebellion, can cause instability. For a number of reasons, instability may

make genocide more likely. Citizens may feel uneasy, leaders may feel threatened,

and the legislation may be ignored or suspended. Leaders and citizens may be more

likely to use violence to defend themselves and their values in such settings.

Ideology: Genocide frequently occurs when political authorities hold the opinion that

certain members of their population are subhuman or dangerous as a result of their

race, religion, or national or ethnic background. Hutu leaders in Rwanda claimed that

the Tutsi minority sought to rule over the Hutus. Leaders of the Orthodox Christian

Serbs in Bosnia feared that the Muslim Bosniaks posed a threat to their freedom and

way of life.

Discrimination and violence against groups: Genocide frequently follows prior acts of

prejudice, repression, and violence against members of a particular group. Tutsis in

Rwanda experienced a variety of forms of prejudice. In prior decades, there were a

number of instances of mass violence against Tutsis. Before perpetrating genocide at

Srebrenica, Bosnian Serb forces also committed a number of war crimes and crimes

against humanity against Bosniak and Croatian communities.

Using the USA as an example of potential genocide occurring even though there is

indication of some of the risk factors, they don’t always lead to genocide.

Hate speech and Armed groups: President trump came up with a campaign slogan that

some people took entirely out of context “make America great again” this phrase was
then used by white supremacist groups as they performed violent acts on individual of

different races across America.

In conclusion the ability to identify the indicators of genocide and establish ways to

stop them before they come to fruition would help incredibly. This will help curb

further damage and help show the world that the international community is watching

and is taking active steps to curb further atrocities.

Brehm, H. B. (2016). Re-examining risk factors of genocide. Taylor & Francis.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14623528.2016.1213485?

scroll=top&needAccess=true

The Holocaust Galleries. (n.d.). What Was The Holocaust? Imperial War Museums.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/what-was-the-holocaust

United Nations. (2016). Protecting Vulnerable Populations from Genocide.

https://www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/protecting-vulnerable-populations-

genocide