Genocide
Definition
Genocide can be defined as the deliberate and systematic extermination, through mass killings, of a significant part or the entirety of a particular racial, ethnic, religious, or national group.
Key Characteristics
- Intention: Genocide involves a clear intention to destroy a specific group, either in whole or in part.
- Systematic Approach: It is carried out systematically, often with government or organizational involvement, aiming to eliminate the targeted group.
- Mass Killings: Genocide involves the mass killings of individuals belonging to the targeted group, depriving them of their life.
- Targeting Specific Groups: It targets a specific group based on racial, ethnic, religious, or national factors.
- Deliberate Action: Genocide is a deliberate act, carefully planned and executed to achieve the annihilation of the targeted group.
Historical Examples
Some well-known examples of genocide include:
- The Holocaust: The systematic extermination of six million Jews by Nazi Germany during World War II.
- Rwandan Genocide: The mass killing of approximately 800,000 Tutsis by the Hutu ethnic majority in Rwanda in 1994.
- Bosnian Genocide: The targeted killings and ethnic cleansing of Bosnian Muslims by Bosnian Serb forces during the Bosnian War from 1992-1995.