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Genocide Process

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The year is 2017 and you have just been informed that you have three weeks to evacuate your community with whatever you can fit inside a suitcase. What would you do if a genocide began that targets you? The concept of genocide and the actions taken have created many deaths and mass atrocities through history. Defined during the Holocaust era, genocide has had a direct impact on history; however, future genocides can be preventing by following Dr. Gregory Stanton’s 10 stage process. Although many people understand the basic concept, they may not know the many different definitions of genocide and how the word “genocide” can be used in different contexts.
Raphael Lemkin coined the term “genocide” in 1944 when describing the policy of the German …show more content…

Extremists drive groups apart, hate groups broadcast propaganda, and laws forbid social interaction. By this stage genocide has most likely begun. When the polarization stage has taken full effect the governmental planning begins. National group leaders plan “The Final Solution”. These leaders often use euphemisms to disguise their intentions, such as referring to their goals as “ethnic cleansing”, “purification”, or “counter-terrorism”. Armies are built, weapons are bought, and the the troops are trained. The armies then proceed to persecute the targeted groups. Each victim is identified and separated by their ethnic or religious identity. Death lists are drawn up. Victims may be forced to wear an identifying symbol and many times their property is expropriated. The genocidal massacres begin and victims are segregated into concentration camps or confined to famine struck regions. Extermination begins, and quickly the mass killing can legally be called “genocide”. Sometimes the genocide results in revenge killings by groups against each other. The final stage of genocide is denial. It lasts throughout and always follows a genocide. The perpetrators of the genocide begin to dig up the mass graves, burn the bodies, and try to cover up the evidence and intimidate the witnesses. They deny that they have committed any crimes. Investigations of the crimes are blocked and they continue to govern until driven from power by force, then flee to

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