Genocide: The big picture

After shifting through the blogs of several other students, the reasons for why genocide still happens today is clearer. Genocide usually happens due to a struggle for power fueled by religious differences. However, though these are the main causes for genocide, it can only happen because we let it happen. No one wants to get involved with mass killings because of the likely hood of losing lives to the conflict, and the potential political back lash. In Srebrenica, the UN could not get to involved with the struggle because of the fear of losing their own troops and all they could do was declare a demilitarized zone, which did nothing to stop the execution of some 8,000 people. Again in Rwanda, the UN withdrew from the power struggle between the Hutu and the Tutsi because of Casualties. It is unlikely that genocide will ever end due to the want of power, and the failure to commit to putting an end to it.

Modern Genocide

If you ask someone what genocide is most people will reply with the holocaust. While the holocaust is by far the most well known genocide, and quite possible the worse, it is not the latest one. Since the holocaust there have been a number of genocides taking place around the world one being the Somali holocaust now known as: “Worlds worst humanitarian disaster.”

             Beginning in 1991, Somalia has been in a state of chaos with several groups of warlords each vying for control over the country. After overthrowing the government in 1991 the attending warlords failed to agree upon a new leader for their country resulting in a power struggle between the clans. Somali insurgents with Ethiopian troops backing them are responsible for the displacement of over one millions civilians as well as crimes against humanity. These crimes include murder, rape, use of civilians as body shields, and looting. However, the worst of their crimes include the starvation of some four million civilians who are in need of food aid.

               In response to these crimes several unsuccessful attempts have been made to put an end to the chaos. In 1992 U.S. marines were sent into the capital city of Mogadishu to restore order to the city and protect relief supplies. During their time there two Blackhawk helicopters were shot down resulting in the deaths of eighteen U.S. soldiers. The death of the eighteen soldiers forced the then President Clinton to pull out of Africa and refrain from any future involvement. A UN peacekeeping force later went in but was forced to withdraw shortly after due to heavy casualties. Despite the attempts to bring peace to Somalia the power struggle continues and more innocent civilians die every day.

Sources:

http://worldwithoutgenocide.org/current-conflicts/somalia

http://www.genocideintervention.net/educate/crisis/somalia

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11216325