Don't look away from genocide history

Such an important article; thank you Catherine. Evidence offered at a recent conference shows not all humans have regularly engaged-in/benefitted-from genocide. Check out the original hunter/gatherer pygmy peoples. And, of course, Australia's very ancient Aboriginal cultures. Many of the 'First Peoples' had learned two lessons we desperately need: how to live in ecological balance with their country and how to live lawfully with neighbouring ethnic groups. Funny isn't it, that we 'Second Peoples' have the audacity to look down on them as 'primitive' and 'uncivilized' and (at our best) try to brain-wash them with our ways, including regular sectarian wars (guess who supplied the weapons for the Hutus?). More details are offered in 'Humanitarian Cosmology' and 'The Anthropocene Misnomer' - both free on-line. Next in this trilogy: a paper considering what impacts millennia of fierce warfare, regular genocides, famines, and plagues have had on the genomes of us 'civilized' farmer/civic Second Peoples. If your interested in how it was humanity first broke with the eco/social sanity of First Peoples, please check the 'Gobekli Tepe' web-site. Also, the author(s) of 'Genesis' graphically represent what appeared as an horrific ethnologic change-over (compare e.g. Chapter 1 with Chapters 2-4). We ain't who-we-think-we-are!

I brlieve a slow-moving genocide is happening to the Weat Papuans at the hands of the Indonesian military and police. It's time more people realised this and contacted our politicians on behalf of these oppressed people.

I wonder what these kids from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev took home with them from the exhibition, and whether it would have been the same as a visiting party from somewhere safe and suburban such as, say, the University of Canberra.

I imagine the Israeli university students would be wondering how many of the Tutsis who sought refuge in Catholic churches could be slaughtered at the hands of church members within. When religion becomes tribalism and humans abandon their humanity and crucify each other again and again.

Thanks for your very thought-provoking article, Catherine. If we broaden our focus, we'll perceive a category of nations that are "GENOCIDALLY INTENT". These are major countries (and their allies) that, whilst publically standing against genocide, have themselves stock-piled intercontinental missiles with hydrogen bomb warheads, deadly new genetic and other infectious biological weapons, hyper-toxic chemical-warfare agents, and who-knows-what-other mass-murdering perversions of scientific inventiveness. If we draw the graph, we'll find a strong correlation between wealthy, civilised nations and genocidal intent. Food for thought . . . Most of these same nations are also responsible for "COLATERAL GENOCIDE" through the extremely unjust global distribution of the necessities of life and by the planetary destruction that results from their 'devil-may-care', hubristic scramble for industrial, commercial, and political dominance. On-going genocide may be a lot closer to us than we realise.

Thank you Catherine for your reflection on genocide in Rwanda and mass killing of targeted communities in many other countries since. Without wishing to be critical of your reflection, I do request that you include Muslims in the list of communities facing extermination in Iraq and especially Syria "...those people who are being exterminated this very minute, as we converse upon these blood-stained hills: Christians and Yazidis in Iraq and Syria, ..." The first target for the Salafist-Jihadist extremists are the non-Salafi Muslims, particularly their clerics and other community leaders. With their extreme interpretation of Islam, the Salafists deem every other Muslim as not a "real Muslim", but an apostate, and therefore deserving of death. Meanwhile the attacks in Syria by government forces and their Russian allies do not specifically target Christian and Yazidi communities, but the population distribution of the different religions ensures that, again, Muslims account for the majority of fatalities, although they are non-combatants.

Powerful piece, Catherine! Thanks.

Dr Catherine Marshall’s article raises some very important principles – especially its title- “Don't look away from genocide history”. The Rwandan Genocide was appalling and we also need to be aware that all other genocides are appalling too – including the one in our country that affected our First Nation. Those of us who follow history will know that at least many of those who caused the Rwandan Genocide were brought to justice. Sadly, this has not been the same for all genocides. We know that the Indonesian military (TNI) has been involved in genocide in West Papua, East Timor, Acheh and in Indonesia. We also know that the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has been responsible for gross human rights abuses against the Palestinians and the stealing of their land. The TNI and the IDF have the strong backing of the US and its allies. We must urge our leaders to change our international policies not to turn a blind eye towards genocide or other forms of inhumanity and instead work towards peace, social justice, fairness in international relations and caring effectively for the environment. And, of course, to pay back to Timor-Leste the royalties on its oil and gas which our leaders have stolen which has led to such great shame for Australia in the International Permanent Court.

Dr Catherine Marshall’s article raises some very important principles – especially its title- “Don't look away from genocide history”. The Rwandan Genocide was appalling and we also need to be aware that all other genocides are appalling too – including the one in our country that affected our First Nation. Those of us who follow history will know that at least many of those who caused the Rwandan Genocide were brought to justice. Sadly, this has not been the same for all genocides. We know that the Indonesian military (TNI) has been involved in genocide in West Papua, East Timor, Acheh and in Indonesia. We also know that the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has been responsible for gross human rights abuses against the Palestinians and the stealing of their land. The TNI and the IDF have the strong backing of the US and its allies. We must urge our leaders to change our international policies not to turn a blind eye towards genocide or other forms of inhumanity and instead work towards peace, social justice, fairness in international relations and caring effectively for the environment. And, of course, paying back to Timor-Leste the royalties on its oil and gas which our leaders have stolen which has led to such great shame in the International Permanent Court

Sadly it is far from clear that Rwanda has overcome hatred. A highly repressive government representing a minority represses public speech discussing divisions within the country let alone anyone pointing out how far the political elite is from being representative of the people.

That you for this reminder I remember hearing about the Rwandan atrocities and wondered how can this happen in our time. Then Ive read about others that rarely get a mention or are covered by the word famine when their was food to feed the starving as in Bangali during the second world war. I suppose we have one atrocity that no-one wishes to see past which leaves the others voiceless.