Genocide in the 20th Century

Why the 20th Century?

Historical Context:
- Armenians were ruled by Ottoman monarchs since the 15th century.
- They were a minority Christian population governed by Muslim rulers.
- The Ottoman Empire was multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, and multi-religious.
Armenian Nationalism:
- Developed in the 19th century.
- Repressed by Sultans through massacres and incarceration.
World War I:
- In 1914, the Ottoman Empire joined the Central Powers.
1915 Genocide:
- Campaigns against the Armenian minority began.
- Propaganda described Armenians as internal threats who undermined war efforts.
- Forced labor and systematic killing of the male Armenian population occurred.
- Arrests, deportations, and death marches of women, the elderly, and the sick were carried out.

Considered the first modern "genocide" and cited by Raphael Lemkin.
Paris Peace Conference:
- Established Malta Tribunals, but all Ottomans subject to incarceration were returned to Turkey.
Armenian Diaspora:
- Communities formed throughout Europe and the U.S.
Turkish Denial:
- The Republic of Turkey refuses to acknowledge the genocide throughout the 20th century.
- This is a contentious issue in foreign relations, with Turkey exerting leverage to dissuade recognition.
Continued scholarship has increased awareness.
U.S. Recognition:
- In 2019, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution recognizing the genocide as official policy.
- On April 24, 2021, President Biden acknowledged it as genocide.

Khmer Rouge Regime:
- The Khmer Rouge came to power in Cambodia in 1975.
- They attempted to create an "agrarian paradise" for four years.
- Supported by Chinese and North Vietnamese.
Methods of Extermination:
- Forced relocations and forced labor were imposed.
- Mass executions were carried out, often with shovels, bamboo sticks, and poison.
- Victims were sometimes smashed into trees.
Casualties:
- From 1975 to 1979, 1.5 to 3 million people died, representing about 25% of the population.
Ideological Basis:
- Based on Maoist ideals.
- Targeted religious groups (particularly Muslims) and ethnic minorities.
- Intellectuals and professionals were purged.
End of the Regime:
- Ended in 1979 with the Vietnamese invasion.
Killing Fields:
- Mass graves are still being discovered.
Late 20th-century successful prosecution of high-level officials

Colonial History:
- Rwanda was a German colony, then Belgian after World War I.
- Europeans favored Tutsis over the Hutu majority, considering them more Caucasian and ruling through the Tutsi monarchy.
Ethnic Violence:
- From 1959 to 1961, there was a first wave of ethnic violence, with reprisals against Tutsis.
1990s Conflict:
- International pressure was placed on the Hutu government to share power with Tutsi refugees.
- This angered conservative Hutus in the military, leading to the "Hutu Power" movement.
1994 Genocide:
- From April to July 1994, 500,000 to 1 million Tutsis were slaughtered at the direction of the Hutu-led military.
- This represented about 70% of the Tutsi population.

Widespread criticism of the U.S., Great Britain, Belgium, and the United Nations for inaction.
France supported the Hutu government.
Tutsi Victory:
- In July 1994, Tutsi forces regained control of Rwanda, sparking a massive exodus of Hutus fearing reprisal.
Regional Destabilization:
- Refugees destabilized neighboring countries, leading to a Zaire coup in 1997.
Health Crisis:
- Massive infections of HIV, AIDs, and STDs occurred.
Justice and Reconciliation:
- The UN established an international tribunal.
- The Rwanda government established local court systems but were undermined by enduring ethnic tensions.

Commonalities:
- All three genocides (Armenian, Cambodian, Rwandan) took place during times of war and civil strife.
- All three drew upon long-standing racial, ethnic, or religious animosities, targeting minorities.
- All three demonstrated the weakness of international response.
- All three were wrapped up in politics and traumas of memory, forgetting, and history.