The genocidal process grid presents the different stages of genocide: to categorize, to dehumanize, to polarize, to organize, to persecute and to murder, to deny and justice. In each of these stages, the manifestations (actions of the perpetrators), the effects on the victims and the prevention by individuals and states are highlighted. This creates a deeper reflection by students about genocide and the signs that allow their recognition.
There are at least three different racist ideologies that were developed in different historic contexts and still coexist in today’s society.
MANIFESTATIONS (ACTIONS BY PERPETRATORS OF GENOCIDE)
- Public discourse organized in dichotomous terms (e.g. “them” and “us”)
- Presentation of social groups as homogenous, with general traits and characteristics attributed to all members of the group
- Actions possibly going so far as to impose the wearing of symbols, colours, clothing
IMPACT ON VICTIMS
- Victims saw their identity defined in a negative way by others (State, society).
- They no longer felt like full members of their own society.
- They are afraid to go out and carry on their daily activities.
PREVENTION
AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
- Refusal to use terms that portray social groups as inferior and to use generalizations about social groups
- Intervention if other people used these terms
- Public demonstration of their discontent with public discourse and discriminatory measures
AT THE STATE LEVEL (LOCAL OR INTERNATIONAL)
- Establishment of common institutions where individuals can contribute to the development of common values (e.g. schools, churches, committees, organizations)
- Laws forbidding discriminatory expressions or symbols
- Support for the people targeted by the discrimination
MANIFESTATIONS (ACTIONS BY PERPETRATORS OF GENOCIDE)
- Denial of the human nature of a group (especially through propaganda and public discourse)
- Eradication of the target group members’ humanity in the eyes of the perpetrators of genocide and the general public, which facilitates the acceptance of persecution and even murder
IMPACT ON VICTIMS
- To counter dehumanization, victims clung to their culture and their social, family and friendship ties.
- They are in danger of being killed in unpremeditated attacks.
PREVENTION
AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
- Refusal to use terms that portray social groups as inferior and to use generalizations about social groups
- Intervention if other people use these terms
- Public demonstration of their discontent with public discourse and discriminatory measures
- Sounding the alarm to awaken public opinion and draw international attention
- Pressure on the government through letters, petitions, etc.
- Creation of associations
AT THE STATE LEVEL (LOCAL OR INTERNATIONAL)
- Laws against hate speech and propaganda
- Anti-discrimination laws
- Criminal laws against insults, violence of a racial, religious, homophobic nature, etc.
- Guarding freedom of the press and the free circulation of information (e.g. involvement of Reporters Without Borders)
MANIFESTATIONS (ACTIONS BY PERPETRATORS OF GENOCIDE)
- Sharpening of classification in the discourse in terms of “them” and “us” allowing for no grey areas
- Propaganda against relations between groups, extreme stances against moderation
- Use of laws and institutions by the majority to infringe on the rights of minorities
IMPACT ON VICTIMS
- Victims find themselves powerless to defend their rights and express their culture.
- They find themselves jobless, homeless, isolated, etc.
- They have to go into hiding.
- They are in danger of being killed in unpremeditated attacks.
- Similarly, members of the group plotting the genocide who held moderate positions or who oppose discriminatory measures and discourse are imprisoned or killed.
PREVENTION
AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
- Refusal to use terms that portray social groups as inferior and to use generalizations about social groups
- Intervention if other people use these terms
- Public demonstration of their discontent with public discourse and discriminatory measures
- Sounding the alarm to awaken public opinion and draw international attention
- Pressure on the government through letters, petitions, etc.
- Creation of associations
In short, all of the above activities, but they become more dangerous for the individual who wants to help.
AT THE STATE LEVEL (LOCAL OR INTERNATIONAL)
State actions on the international level:
- Seizure of extremists’ property (e.g. freezing their bank accounts)
- Encouraging and supporting human rights advocacy organizations
- Restriction of hate speech
- Instituting or strengthening the rule of law, the recognition of individual rights: facilitating access to justice (legal aid giving access to a lawyer)
MANIFESTATIONS (ACTIONS BY PERPETRATORS OF GENOCIDE)
- Preparation for action, often by militias
- Planning of killings, genocide
IMPACT ON VICTIMS
- Victims’ travel is often restricted; at this stage, it becomes very difficult to flee.
- They are in danger of being killed in premeditated or unpremeditated attacks.
PREVENTION
AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
- The local population may agree to hide members of the group targeted by the perpetrators of genocide or help them to flee.
AT THE STATE LEVEL (LOCAL OR INTERNATIONAL)
State actions on the international level:
- Embargo on arms shipments to these militia and the country’s leaders
- Accusations of incitement to genocide
- Start of proceedings before international authorities
MANIFESTATIONS (ACTIONS BY PERPETRATORS OF GENOCIDE)
- Identification (lists), dispossession, expropriation and segregation of victims
- Systematic mass killings
IMPACT ON VICTIMS
- Victims lose their points of reference and are forced to leave home, friends and family without knowing what will become of them.
- Families are decimated.
- Survivors find themselves without resources, in ill health, and have often lost everything (home, family, job).
PREVENTION
AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
- Organization of resistance to the genocidal action (may take different forms: sabotage, helping victims)
AT THE STATE LEVEL (LOCAL OR INTERNATIONAL)
State actions on the international level:
- Military intervention, international military force
- Humanitarian aid (refugee camps)
- Welcoming of asylum seekers, based on the Geneva Convention
MANIFESTATIONS (ACTIONS BY PERPETRATORS OF GENOCIDE)
- Destruction of evidence (documents, bodies), denial or misrepresentation of the facts by the leaders
IMPACT ON VICTIMS
- Truth and justice provide healing for the victims. Even though truth and justice cannot erase the horrors experienced by the victims, they can help victims recover the human dignity that was stripped from them.
PREVENTION
AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
- Compilation of testimonies, listening to victims
- Support for the victims throughout the process
AT THE STATE LEVEL (LOCAL OR INTERNATIONAL)
State actions on the international level:
- Establishment of local courts of law (e.g. Truth and Reconciliation, Gacaca court model in Rwanda)
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