Genocide facts for kids
Genocide is a terrible crime where a large group of people are killed because of who they are. This means they are targeted because they belong to a certain ethnic, religious, or national group. The goal is to destroy that group completely.
Genocide is usually carried out by a government or a military group, not just one person. It is often done for political reasons.
The word "genocide" was created in 1944 by Raphael Lemkin. He was a Polish Jew. He combined "genos," a Greek word meaning "family" or "tribe," with "-cide," a Latin word meaning "to kill."
The word was first used to describe the Nazi Holocaust. During this time, many groups, including Jews, were killed in large numbers.
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Understanding Genocide
Genocide is not just killing individuals. It is about trying to wipe out an entire group of people. This can include killing them, but also harming them in other ways to stop them from having children or making them leave their homes.
History of the Term
Raphael Lemkin was very concerned about mass killings. In 1933, he spoke to the League of Nations about a "Crime of Barbarity." This idea later grew into the concept of genocide.
He was inspired by events like the killing of Assyrians in Iraq in 1933. This also reminded him of the Armenian Genocide that happened during World War I. These events showed him that there was a need for a special word and law to describe such terrible crimes.
Examples of Genocide
One sad example of genocide happened in Rwanda in 1994. About a million people from the Tutsi group were killed. Some Hutus who tried to stop the killings were also killed.
Another example from World War II involved the Ustashe in Croatia. Many Serbs were killed in camps during that time.
Genocide and International Law
Today, genocide is against international law. The Genocide Convention makes it clear that this crime is forbidden. Anyone who commits or encourages genocide can be judged by the International Criminal Court. This court works to bring justice for such serious crimes.
Images for kids
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Nuon Chea, a leader of the Khmer Rouge, at the Cambodian Genocide Tribunal in 2011.
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Nazi leaders at the Palace of Justice, Nuremberg after World War II.
See also
In Spanish: Genocidio para niños
