Reflections on Rwanda and Cambodia
Determining what, exactly, motivated the mass killings under the Khmer Rouge government, from 1975-1979, and marked certain victims for death is an ongoing source of exploration among global human rights activists.
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Museum Hosts Expert Panel on Incitement and Free Speech
The Museum co-sponsored a panel discussion about how to address inflammatory language with policies and practices that do not infringe on free speech.
White House Signs New Law to Help Track Down Individuals Sought by ICC
President Obama today signed legislation expanding the State Department’s Rewards for Justice program to give the Secretary of State the authority to offer a reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of anyone wanted by any international tribunal for genocide or other serious human rights violations.
Sectarian Tensions Rising in Syria
As the war between the Assad regime and rebel forces continues, rising sectarian tensions are leading to more actors taking up arms, according to a report released by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The periodic updates from the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria paint a troubling picture of self-defense groups arising within Christian, Alawite Muslim, and other minority groups inside the country. The report describes clashes in areas formerly controlled by the government between rebel groups and armed "Popular Committees." These committees are formed by those minority groups—sometimes with direct government support—who are worried that the rebels will not protect their communities may take reprisal steps against them. In addition, it notes that newly forming rebel factions are increasingly resistant to positioning themselves under the umbrella of the Free Syrian Army.
Debating R2P: Can It Make a Difference?
On December 13 at the 92nd Street Y in New York City, the Museum co-sponsored a lively discussion about the Responsibility to Protect, or R2P, the emerging international doctrine aimed at protecting civilians from genocide and other forms of mass atrocities.
“The World’s Next Genocide”
In a New York Times op-ed, Simon Adams, executive director of the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (external link), discusses the potential for genocide to unfold in Syria. Adams warns that as the current conflict intensifies, the risk increases of a violent backlash against Alawites and other minorities. He calls on governments to take decisive action to prevent further crimes against humanity from being committed, and to put an end to impunity for such crimes by engaging the International Criminal Court to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable.
Failure to Act: UN Releases Report Examining its Conduct During Final Days of Sri Lankan Conflict
A UN internal review panel released a report (external link, PDF) highly critical of the organization’s actions during the final five months of the conflict in Sri Lanka between the government and separatist rebels. During that period, January—May 2009, thousands of civilians were killed and wounded as government forces advanced on the stronghold of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)—a group designated as a terrorist organization by the US and other governments. The Sri Lankan Army’s advance and the LTTE’s use of civilians as human shields resulted in hundreds of thousands of people being caught between the warring parties. The report examines the failure of various UN bodies to adequately respond to the crisis as the human toll mounted, and evidence emerged of potential violations of international law by both parties.
Preventing Genocide: An Interview with UN Ambassador Susan Rice
Video: US Permanent Representative to the United Nations Susan Rice discusses the work the United Nations and the US government are doing to better prevent genocide and mass atrocities.
The Tech Challenge for Atrocity Prevention
USAID and Humanity United have launched the Tech Challenge for Atrocity Prevention, an initiative calling for innovative tech tools and solutions—big and small—to make advances in preventing atrocities.
Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan’s Border Regions
The Museum asked Pete Muller, an experienced photojournalist who has lived in South Sudan for three years and traveled repeatedly to the border region, to share his photos and report on the crisis.
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Country Case Studies
Find information on historical cases of genocide and other atrocities.