Genocide & Ethnic Cleansing

Genocide and ethnic cleansing are two phrases that are commonly used interchangeably. This is not necessarily correct because they do differentiate somewhat. Genocide is when a group purposely destroys another group. Ethnic cleansing is when a group which is not liked is taken out of society through the means of genocide or by forcing them to migrate somewhere else. In one of the readings it is discussed how genocide once only brought thoughts of the Holocaust or other mass killings, but in today’s society we now think of the topic in a more in depth way. We not only think of certain situations in which there has been a killing of a group because of the race, religion, gender, etc. Now we also incorporate what we think might have caused it, who did it, what made them turn to genocide as a possible solution for their prejudice against another group. In Rwanda there was a premeditated killing of two million Cambodians. In Bosnia, not only was genocide carried out by also ethnic cleansing. In Bosnia two hundred thousand people were murdered as well as many women were viciously raped, and children and fathers were taken away to concentration camps. These vicious killings were most times carried out by the government and happened throughout the war. This ethnic cleansing that took place in Bosnia lasted many years. Many people were put in concentration camps, killed, or forced to flee their homes. Sarajevo, which is the capital of Bosnia was one of the only places that escaped the “cleansing”. In Bosnia there were a total 10,000 people killed in 1992 and almost 50,000 people injured. Later on in 1997, there were still roughly 21,000 people missing. In May of 2005, was the last update and there were still 14,444 people missing without any trace. Since these people were forced to migrate out of their homes and their country it has been extremely difficult for their family and friends to be able to contact them. I believe that what was done to all these people in Bosnia, Rwanda, and Darfur is cruel and unfair in every humanly way. Genocide and ethnic cleansing should be illegal and those who carry it out should be persecuted. The most difficult thing about having it be illegal is that most times the government is the one who helps carry these actions out.