December 9, 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the adoption by the UN General Assembly of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention). The Genocide Convention’s adoption, ratification, and effective implementation have been significant JBI priorities since its founding in 1971. JBI’s 2001 publication An Epitaph for Raphael Lemkin, by Dr. William Korey, led the UN to formally recognize Lemkin’s role in developing the Genocide Convention for the first time. JBI also developed, in cooperation with the UN Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, a Compilation of Human Rights-Related Risk Factors for Genocide, a Manual on Human Rights and the Prevention of Genocide, and the 2022 UN Policy Paper Combating Holocaust and Genocide Denial: Protecting Survivors, Preserving Memory, and Promoting Prevention.
In recognition of these efforts, JBIs work was featured in two of the official events commemorating the landmark 75th anniversary of the Genocide Convention: the official UN event marking the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide, at which JBI was recognized by the UN Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide as a "Champion of Prevention," and an event convened by JBI in cooperation with the UN Special Adviser on Genocide Prevention reflecting on the legacy of Raphael Lemkin, the "Father of the Genocide Convention."
UN Celebration of the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide (December 8, 2023)
On December 8, JBI was recognized by the UN Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide (UNOSAPG) as a "Champion of Prevention" a International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide in recognition of its many years of work to elaborate on the links between human rights protection and genocide prevention.
Speaking at the official UN event celebrating the landmark 75th anniversary of the Convention, JBI Director Felice Gaer recalled these efforts and called for urgent action to address Holocaust and genocide denial, a major focus of recent collaborative efforts between JBI and the OSAPG. Recalling the principal recommendations of the UN policy paper, Combating Holocaust and Genocide Denial: Protecting Survivors, Preserving Memory, and Promoting Prevention which JBI produced in cooperation with the UNOSAPG, Gaer expressed alarm at widespread ignorance of the history of past genocides, including the Holocaust, and the discrimination & demonization that preceded them. Expressing alarm that some communities that previously experienced genocide are currently experiencing significant threats to their safety, she called for urgent action "to avoid the repetition of the darkest chapters of human history."
Other speakers at the December 8 event addressed the significance of successful efforts to hold accountable perpetrators of the genocides in Rwanda and at Srebrenica and establish incontrovertible records of their commission before international tribunals, which the Genocide Convention made possible; acknowledged the international community's failure to mobilize necessary will to act on the Genocide Convention's obligation to prevent genocide there and in other situations, including Darfur, Myanmar, and Iraq; and appealed for more effective action in response to warning signs of genocide in these and other places. the webcast of the UN event is available here.
Reflecting on Raphael Lemkin's Legacy on the Genocide Convention's 75th Anniversary (December 6)
On December 6, JBI and the OSAPG jointly convened an event marking the Genocide Convention's 75th anniversary and reflecting on the singular contribution of Raphael Lemkin to the conceptualization and realization of the international legal prohibition of genocide in which several UN ambassadors and members of the diplomatic community participated.
Lemkin, called “the father of the Genocide Convention,” sought for the Convention to “safeguard the very existence” of national, racial, ethnic, and religious groups and to deter those who would seek to destroy them.
The UN Special Adviser, Under-Secretary-General Alice Wairimu Nderitu, said that Lemkin “fought to bring the voices of victims to the halls we occupy so that they would not be forgotten and justice could be done.” She cited Lemkin’s emphasis on the need to prevent genocide, a critical component of which is recognizing the patterns of hatred and discrimination that have preceded efforts to destroy entire groups.
Under-Secretary-General Nderitu also recalled that communities that have experienced genocide, notably Jews, Tutsis in Rwanda, and Muslims in Bosnia had faced discrimination and violence over long periods of time, and noted that some of these patterns are continuing. She drew attention to rising antisemitism “everywhere,” saying “we never imagined that after the Holocaust that Jewish people would walk around feeling unsafe,” and also observed ongoing anti-Muslim bigotry and genocide denial. She stressed “we need to speak about these things, and we need to speak out consistently.” She added, “We cannot continuously leave it to the communities who have faced these atrocities against them. We cannot allow them to face it, and then expect them to then stand in that space and keep defending themselves, defending, first, that it happened, and then to defend themselves from it happening again.”
JBI Director Felice Gaer recalled JBI’s and AJC’s longstanding efforts to support Lemkin's efforts and work to ensure the United Nations recognized his legacy. She observed:
- Lemkin's singular desire to understand and learn from genocides of the past and his experience in the Holocaust as factors that instilled a driving moral imperative in him to change international law to eliminate genocide;
- Lemkin’s unique recognition and ability to convey the singularly evil nature of genocide and the need for exceptional efforts to combat it;
- Lemkin's conviction that an international treaty piercing state sovereignty, both by prohibiting genocide and committing the international community to action to prevent and punish it, was necessary;
- Lemkin's rigorous advocacy and diligent efforts to catalyze State and international action, which made him the consummate non-governmental advocate and an “unsung hero of the human rights movement,” and;
- Lemkin’s example as a Pole, a Jew, and a universalist who believed the rule of law and its practical application to everyone was essential, and who became even more committed to his goal in the midst of and following the tragic refusal of the international community to prevent the Holocaust.
Gaer observed that reflection on Lemkin's legacy is more important than ever today given the groundswell of antisemitic expression that has caused fear and insecurity for Jews in countries around the globe. She noted further that Jews are not alone, as other groups in places such as Darfur are once again facing the horrible specter of genocide. She urged those motivated to action by Lemkin’s legacy to “strive for a world where the rights of all are respected and protected.”
Gaer also applauded Special Adviser Nderitu for being “ a critical voice speaking out against and warning of the danger posed by rising global antisemitism, particularly Holocaust denial, as well as genocide denial and other forms of identity-based hatred which pose such a threat to human rights and societies.” She expressed appreciation that the United Nations, as represented by Special Adviser Nderitu, had recognized Lemkin’s important legacy and resolved to continue his work.
Ambassador Ernest Rwamucyo, Rwanda's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, called for enhanced efforts by the international community to ensure justice and accountability for victims of genocide, highlighting the negative impact of genocide denial and disinformation and stressing the importance of education. Sejla Durbuzovic, Chargé d'affaires a.i., Permanent Mission of Bosnia and Herzegovina, stressed the importance of accountability for genocide as Lemkin's greatest achievement and called on the international community to reflect on its failure to prevent genocide and learn from its mistakes. Other speakers included representatives of Israel, Poland, the United States, and Ukraine.
The event recording is available here:
Comments