#Kwibuka26 Digital Commemoration

We start our Genocide Education with Gregory Stanton's 10 Stages of Genocide.

I'll be explaining what happens at each stage and sharing examples from the Genocide against t the Tutsi, and the Holocaust

But first, a few notes:

#Thread

Note 1: Genocide NEVER just happens. It is always the result of a long process of preparation, that takes years, if not dozens of years. That is why it is important to understand how it occurs, in order to prevent further occurences

Note 2: These stages are not linear. Although it's often the case, one stage doesn't necessarily occur after the other. They can occur simultaneously.

Furthermore, one stage doesn't stop the moment another begins. All of them remain operational throughout the genocidal process

1. CLASSIFICATION
It is fundamental human behavior to distinguish people by various categories (race, religion, political affiliation, gender, nationality, economic class...).

This in itself is not a bad thing, because it helps people have a structured understanding of society

The problem becomes when these categories become the basis of an "Us vs Them" outlook. This often denies, the categories a previously existing mobility, and they then become the basis of divisions.

This change in attitude towards another group can be brought about by a variety of factors, which we'll explore more in the Continuum of Violence.

Now a prevention method at this stage is promoting universalistic institutions that promote tolerance, understanding, and categories that trascend these divisions.

In the case of Rwanda, this would have meant promoting a national identity, that trascended the Hutu, Tutsi & Twa

identities. The Catholic Church held enough sway over the population to play this unifying role, but unfortunately, it played the opposite role of cementing the divisive identities.

2. SYMBOLIZATION
Again, symbolization is universally human. It's a visual representation of one's identity (like the Rwandan umushanana, or the Jewish Star of David).

But when coupled with genocidal intent, these symbols quickly become am instrument of hate, or of dehumanization

In this instance symbols are often forced on an unwilling pariah group, thus helping the oppressing group to single them out for abuse

That's how German & Polish Jews were forced to wear the Star of David in 1939 under threat of severe punishment if they didn't wear it in public

For Eastern Cambodians, deemed by the Khmer Rouge to have "Cambodian bodies but Vietnamese heads", the blue checkered scarf was their Yellow Star.

Every man, woman and child was issued one and forced to wear it at all times. These became the easiest markers of those fated to die

In the case of Rwanda, physical attributes and ID cards became the identifying symbols of who was who.

Symbolization also works in the opposite direction, giving the oppressing group a standard or banner of their "cause" to rally under. Such was the case of the Nazi Swastika

3. DISCRIMINATION
At this stage, the dominant group uses an array of tools at its disposal (laws, customs, political power) to roll back or even completely suppress the rights of the oppressed group(s)

In Nazi Germany, the 1935 Nuremberg Laws stripped Jews of their citizenship

(and hence citizenship rights), declaring them "enemies of the state" and effectively making them stateless in their own country. As such they could not secure government jobs or be employed by universities.

The laws also banned marriages and even sex between Germans and Jews.

These laws (and punishments to go with) economically & socially crippled Jews, whose stores closed for lack of customers and whose middle class was all but destroyed by being forced to take up menial jobs

In Rwanda, discrimination was institutionalized by the Kayibanda regime

by only availing the Tutsi 9% of high school and university seats, as well as civil service jobs. Habyarimana initially abolished the policy, but had reinstated it by the 80s as "Iringaniza".

This denied many Tutsi education and employment opportunities

A modern day example of discrimination is the continued denial of citizenship of Myanmar's over 1 million Rohingya people under the country's 1982 Nationality Law.

The Rohingya's rights to freedom of movement, state education and civil service jobs are also restricted.

4. DEHUMANIZATION
The dominant group uses various methods to deny the humanity of the oppressed group, often equating members of the latter group to animals, insects, vermin, diseases...

This often happens under the guise of "free speech" and through heavy media propaganda.

In Rwanda, the RTLM radio and newspapers like Kangura were used to portray Tutsi as snakes and cockroaches, bloodthirsty and untrustworthy fiends, and much much more.

In a society not known for its drawing prowess, caricature took on a whole new meaning

Jews were also compared to rats, often drawn with grossly misshapen faces, portrayed as money loving and more

The purpose of dehumanizing propaganda is simple: the more a person's "less than human" nature is empashized, the less human they appear.

And now the thought of killing them doesn't repulse you as much, does it? After all, they're only cockroaches that you need to get rid of...

5. ORGANIZATION
Genocide is always organized. It requires meticulous planning, usually by the state.

Special army units or militias are created and trained and armed for this purpose. It was the case of MRND's Interahamwe and CDR's Impuzamugambi in Rwanda, the SA and SS in Nazi

Germany, and the Croatian Ustase militia.

The Dallaire "Genocide Fax" of 11 Jan 1994 detailed the existence of Interahamwe training for the purpose of killing Tutsi, the existence of kill lists and that of weapons caches. It was never acted on. More here http://bit.ly/2XlicJS 

6. POLARIZATION
Here, extremists and hate groups increase polarizing propaganda efforts to drive the groups further apart.

A favorite tactic is to stoke fear and a sense of self preservation in their audience to make it seem like the imminent murder spree is just self defence

They make this polarization physical by banning or highly discouraging intermarriage or social interaction.

Two examples are the aforementioned Nuremberg Laws, and Joseph Gitera's "10 Commandments of the Hutu" published in Kangura by Hassan Ngeze (English translation below)

The often kill arrest or otherwise intimidate moderates from their own group into silence, as these are most able to galvanize public opinion away from the killing frenzy.

In Nazi Germany, before 1941, concentration camps were mostly full of political dissidents and opponents