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Welcome to Perspectives’ new Community Space. Below are some of the comments we received as we were putting together April’s edition on “Preventing Genocide.” While some have been edited down for space reasons, we have taken pains not to alter the “voice” of the contributors. Add your thoughts to the interactive Community Space page on the OneWorld Web site!

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While it may be only natural for people to focus on the genocide that affects different cultures and societies, it often seems to me that, in general, people

Ceasing to live beyond our means seems like a good way for citizens around the world to begin stopping the mass atrocities.

fail to respond to the environmental genocide that affects everyone, and quite often leads to the genocide of people who have been marginalized because they lack power in a political sense. Focusing, as we often do, on power and rights seems only to lead to more disagreement and conflict and genocide. Focusing instead on needs and spirituality offers the possibility of transforming those occurrences. Ceasing to live beyond our means seems like a good way for citizens around the world to begin stopping the mass atrocities. An interesting discussion about conflict transformation by Christopher Mitchell can be found at: www.gmu.edu/academic/pcs/CM83PCS.htm. Ernest J.P. Muhly Walkersville, Maryland, USA

What can I say about “genocide”? I realized after a few hours—and now I am onto my second day engaged on this—that, not only I do not have anything I can say of importance on the subject, but that I doubt I really know the meaning of the word itself. That is how far from my reality this question is. Yet I know this much. There is a country in Africa, called Sudan, where war has been raging out of control for years and nothing seems to get in the way of “killing.” Killing what? People killing other people and, yes, for years! Politicians seem to have little to say about it.…The news media say little about it.…When it comes to genocide, most of us are going about our day oblivious to the fact that a group of humans on this planet is at risk now—an idea so painful that all we can do is turn away and block it from our conscious thoughts. It is just too hard to think about an event that might render a culture extinct in the 21st Century.

Are these groups of humans who fight each other not worth saving? Why is this subject not spoken of? Does it tire us out in such way that we are in

It is just too hard to think about an event that might render a culture extinct in the 21st Century.

seconds driven to unconsciousness about it?…There are areas of the world today faced with grave problems. One could mention poverty, health, education, floods or famine, but genocide? The idea of it is for some of us a paralyzing prospect. For others like me, it renders us not only impotent, but silent as well. It is common knowledge that the one important step in the process of inventing a way out of addiction, or creating a solution or cure, is to “recognize there is a problem.” I can start by recognizing that I have little, or nothing of worth, to say about the subject of genocide, but do get that there is something wrong going on that requires the attention of the human race. Olivia Lead American citizen; born in Uruguay

While some regimes have orchestrated genocide and organized mass killing instead of preventing them, others are still banging the drum for these acts of bestiality. This is a tragic reminder of how far short leadership has fallen in the global commitment to human and minority rights. At any rate, the character of leadership is significant, not only in preventing genocide, but also in defusing the hiccups that precede them. Only a constructive leadership can play this role. Such leadership must have the stoic political will to institutionalize respect for human rights and minority rights, rule of law, social justice, good governance, and promotion of free media. These provisions will then provide a melting pot for groups to always see themselves as one people bound by a common destiny. Charles Ebere Department of Social Sciences University of The Gambia Gambia, West Africa

Mainstream media’s portrayal of the crisis in Darfur as an ethnic war between Africans and Arabs obscures a more complex reality. Because ethnicity is a fluid, partial, and somewhat subjective facet of identity, ethnic divisions are sometimes created (not merely reflected) when ethnicity is invoked to mobilize people for political ends. All of Darfur’s communities are Muslim, black, Arabic-speaking, African, and indigenous to the region. While historical differences do exist between “Africans” and “Arabs” in Darfur, there are as many political as ethnic labels, delineating communities that have been pitted against each other by scarcity and an abusive national government. For more information about MADRE's work on the crisis in Darfur, and our campaign to send humanitarian relief to women and children, please visit: http://www.madre.org/darfur. Yifat Susskind, Communications Director MADRE, an International Women’s Human Rights Organization

We tend to treat genocide like a natural disaster, providing humanitarian relief, but nothing more. Food and medical aid are useless when civilians are being hunted down and murdered; they need more—they need protection.

We tend to treat genocide like a natural disaster.

Governments have a responsibility to provide protection and when they don’t act, citizens must step in. The Genocide Intervention Network is working to help individuals pressure their governments and directly support civilian protection. For more about how you can make a difference, visit us at: www.GenocideIntervention.net. Dr. Christine Mahoney Advocacy and Education Associate Genocide Intervention Network Washington, DC

The problem and dilemma with the issue of preventing genocide is that of power and self-interest. The powerful nations will only deal with it if there is self-interest, e.g. oil, resources, etc. involved. Otherwise, they will leave the countries alone under some bureaucratic process—leaving people to die and wither away until it is too late, in Rwanda and Bosnia, for example. Unfortunately, the powerful decide what, how and when to act in the cases of genocide rather than the weaker nations who may want to act, but are unable or prevented from doing so due to long winded processes and procedures established by self-interested groups. Dr Ghulam Ashraf Thinkers Forum International, U.K.

Genocide is undoubtedly a terrifying topic to think about. When we first learn of atrocities like the Holocaust or the Rwandan genocide, our reaction is

Unfortunately, “Never Again” is not that simple. It demands much more of us than our emotional reaction.

immediate and visceral—we experience immense grief, anguish, shock, anger, etc. We solemnly declare never again shall this happen to anyone else. Unfortunately, “Never Again” is not that simple. It demands much more of us than our emotional reaction since, during the past century, this crime against humanity has effectively become a viable government-sanctioned option for dealing with conflict. The first step to genocide prevention is to learn about it. And, it is up to us—the general public—to be engaged and alert on this issue. Otherwise, we will unwittingly become complicit bystanders to something as horrific as genocide. Heddy Nam American Coordinator Never Again International

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