Unit 2 (Eight Stages Of Genocide)

Question 1

The 8 stages of genocide:

Answer 1

•Understanding the genocidal process is one of the most important steps in preventing future genocides.
•The Eight Stages of Genocide were first outlined by Dr. Greg Stanton, Department of State: 1996.
•The first six stages are Early Warnings:
•Classification.
•Symbolization.
•Dehumanization.
•Organization.
•Polarization.
•Preparation.

Question 2

Stage 1: classification:

Answer 2

•”Us versus them”.
“Distinguish by nationality, ethnicity, race, or religion.
•Bipolar societies (Rwanda) most likely to have genocide because no way for classifications to fade away through inter-marriage.
•Classification is a primary method of dividing society and creating a power struggle between groups.

Question 3

Prevention (classification):

Answer 3

•Promote common identities (national, religious, human.)
•Use common languages (Swahili in Tanzania, science, music.)
•Actively oppose racist and divisive politicians and parties.

Question 4

Stage 2: symbolism

Answer 4

•Names: “German”, “Hutu”, “Tutsi”.
•Languages.
•Types of dress.
•Group uniforms.
•colours and religious symbols:
•Blue checked scarf Eastern Zone in Cambodia.

Question 5

Prevention: symbolism

Answer 5

•Get ethnic, religious, racial, and national identities removed from ID cards, passports.
•Protest imposition of marking symbols on targeted groups.

Question 6

Stage 3: dehumanization

Answer 6

•One group denies the humanity of another group, and makes the victim group seem subhuman.
•Dehumanization overcomes the normal human revulsion against murder.

Question 7

Dehumanization:

Answer 7

•Hate propaganda in speeches, print and on hate radios vilify the victim group.
•Members of the victim group are described as animals, vermin, and diseases.
•Dehumanization invokes superiority of one group and inferiority of the “other.”
•Dehumanization justifies murder by calling it “ethnic cleansing,” or “purification.” Such euphemisms hide the horror of mass murder.

Question 8

Prevention: dehumanization

Answer 8

•Vigorously protest use of dehumanizing words that refer to people as “filth,” “vermin,” animals or diseases.
•Deny people using such words visas and freeze their foreign assets and contributions.
•Prosecute hate crimes and incitements to commit genocide.
•Jam or shut down hate radio and television stations where there is danger of genocide.
•Provide programs for tolerance to radio, TV, and newspapers.
•Enlist religious and political leaders to speak out and educate for tolerance.
•Organize inter-ethnic, interfaith, and inter-racial groups to work against hate and genocide.

Question 9

Stage 4: organization:

Answer 9

•Genocide is a group crime, so must be organized.
•The state usually organizes, arms and financially supports the groups that conduct the genocidal massacres. (State organization is not a legal requirement –Indian partition.)
•Plans are made by elites for a “final solution” of genocidal killings.

Question 10

Prevention: organization

Answer 10

•Treat genocidal groups as the organized crime groups they are.
•Make membership in them illegal and demand that their leaders be arrested.
•Deny visas to leaders of hate groups and freeze their foreign assets.
•Impose arms embargoes on hate groups and governments supporting ethnic or religious hatred.
•Create UN commissions to enforce such arms embargoes and call on UN members to arrest arms merchants who violate them.

Question 11

Stage 5: polarization

Answer 11

•Extremists drive the groups apart.
•Hate groups broadcast and print polarizing propaganda.
•Laws are passed that forbid intermarriage or social interaction.
•Political moderates are silenced, threatened and intimidated, and killed.

Question 12

Polarization:

Answer 12

•Attacks are staged and blamed on targeted groups.
•Cultural centers of targeted groups are attacked.

Question 13

Prevention: polarization

Answer 13

•Vigorously protest laws or policies that segregate or marginalize groups, or that deprive whole groups of citizenship rights.
•Physically protect moderate leaders, by use of armed guards and armored vehicles.
•Demand the release of moderate leaders if they are arrested.
•Demand and conduct investigations if they are murdered.
•Oppose coups d’état by extremists.

Question 14

Stage 6: preparation

Answer 14

•Members of victim groups are forced to wear identifying symbols.
•Death lists are made.
•Victims are separated because of their ethnic or religious identity.

Question 15

Preparation:

Answer 15

•Segregation into ghettoes is imposed, victims are forced into concentration camps.
•Victims are also deported to famine-struck regions for starvation. Weapons for killing are stock-piled.
•Extermination camps are even built. This build- up of killing capacity is a major step towards actual genocide.

Question 16

Prevention: preparation

Answer 16

•With evidence of death lists, arms shipments, militia training, and trial massacres, a Genocide Alert™ should be declared.
•UN Security Council should warn it will act (but only if it really will act.)
•Diplomats must warn potential perpetrators.
•Humanitarian relief should be prepared.
•Military intervention forces should be organized, including logistics and financing.

Question 17

Stage 7: extermination (genocide)

Answer 17

•Extermination begins, and becomes the mass killing legally called “genocide.” Most genocide is committed by governments.

Question 18

Extermination (Genocide)

Answer 18

•The killing is “extermination” to the killers because they do not believe the victims are fully human. They are “cleansing” the society of impurities, disease, animals, vermin, “cockroaches,” or enemies.
•Although most genocide is sponsored and financed by the state, the armed forces often work with local militaries.

Question 19

Extermination: stopping genocide

Answer 19

•Regional organizations, national governments, and the UN Security Council should impose targeted sanctions to undermine the economic viability of the perpetrator regime.
•Sales of oil and imports of gasoline should be stopped by blockade of ports and land routes.
•Perpetrators should be indicted by the International Criminal Court.

Question 20

Stage 8: denial:

Answer 20

•Denial is always found in genocide, both during it and after it.
•Continuing denial is among the surest indicators of further genocidal massacres.
•Denial extends the crime of genocide to future generations of the victims. It is a continuation of the intent to destroy the group.
•The tactics of denial are predictable.

Question 21

What are the 8 stages?

Answer 21

-stage 1: classification.
-stage 2: symbolism.
-stage 3: dehumanization.
-stage 4: organization.
-stage 5: polarization.
-stage 6: preparation.
-stage 7: extermination.
-stage 8: denial.