Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide

Official Name

Signatories

Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Columbia, Cuba, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Liberia, Mexico, Myanmar, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Sweden, Ukraine, United States and Uruguay

Other Nations

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Hungary, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lesotho, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zimbabwe

Dates

The treaty was first announced on 9 December 1948 in New York. It came into effect on 12 January 1951. The above nations have signed from 11 December 1948, with the latest nation to recognise the Convention being United Arab Emirates on 11 November 2005.

Languages

The Convention was written in English, French, Chinese, Spanish and Russian

After the disastrous loss of life as a consequence of World War II the newly formed United Nations introduced this basic standard for the ultimate human right - the right to live. This Commission made genocide - the mass murder of a people connected by race or culture - illegal in the eyes of international law. Unfortunately throughout the 20th century, despite international efforts to prevent such a dramatic loss of life, genocide has been committed once again.

Key Points

The most significant point of the Convention is the recognition of genocide as a crime under international law, regardless of whether it is committed during war time and peace time.

Along with genocide other acts, including conspiracy to commit genocide; public encouragement to commit genocide; any attempts to commit genocide; and being an accomplice to committing genocide, are all punishable by international law.

Anyone who is convicted of committing any act of genocide shall be tried in the nation which the act was committed in, as long as the tribunal is considered able minded.

Some Instances of Genocide since 1948

Guatemala 1966 - 1990

The Guatemalan Government issued orders for the Guatemalan Army to stifle Mayan Indians who wanted change and land reform from the government since the late 1960's. They were seen to be allies of the guerrilla forces attempting to bring down the Government, however the guerrillas were too few in number and did not rise to protect the Mayan people. It is estimated that 200 000 people were murdered during the genocide between 1966 and 1990.

Bangladesh 1971

The Bangladesh genocides were a result of a rise in East Pakistani, now Bangladesh, nationalism against Pakistan. East Pakistani peoples were Hindi or Muslim, converted to Hindu. Following an election in December 1970 where a majority was given to the nationalists the generals of Pakistan decided to interfere and eradicate 'non pure' Muslims. The targets of the genocide were Hindu people, students, political figures, intellectuals and local police. Following a military intervention by the Indian Army, the Pakistan Army surrendered in December 1971 and the nation of Bangladesh was born. The number of people murdered is not known. It has been reported to be as low as 10 000, but is most likely over several million.

Burundi 1972 and 1993

The genocides of Burundi took place between the Hutu and Tutsi groups. In 1972 the Hutu majority lashed out at the Tutsi minority, who held the power in the new nation as a result of arrests being made by the Tutsi leaders against the Hutu. Once the insurrection was brought under control by Tutsi military massacres were carried out in retaliation by the Tutsi. A tense peace followed till 1988 when the Hutu hit out again with ethnic fuelled rage. Once again killing took place backwards and forwards between the Hutu and Tutsi. Finally in 1993 Melchior Ndadaye, a Hutu, was elected President. The Tutsi majority army arrested and murdered him, resulting in further violence, which is still taking place today.

Cambodia 1975 - 1979

Under the bizarre ideal of creating a country from scratch and basing it on Communist China, Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge government of Cambodia began to drive people from the cities and towns into pastoral areas, killing anyone who opposed or stayed behind, as well as intellectual, educated and non-communist people. Hospitals and schools were shut down, with doctors, lawyers, teachers, scientists and the like murdered. Also targeted were ethnic minorities, such as Chinese, Vietnamese, and Thai, Muslim and Christian peoples, or peoples with ethnic ancestors. It is estimated that over 2 million people were killed by the Khmer Rouge.

Bosnia and Herzegovina 1992 - 1995

See North Atlantic Treaty.

Resources Used:

"Convention on Genocide." The Human Rights Web Home Page. 30 Feb. 2009 <http://www.hrweb.org/legal/genocide.html>.

"Multilateral treaties deposited with the Secretary-General- TREATY I-IV--1.asp." OHCHR Homepage. 29 Feb. 2009 <http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/treaty1gen.htm>.

"GENOCIDE - GUATEMALA." Peace Pledge Union. 28 Feb. 2009 <http://www.ppu.org.uk/genocide/g_guatemala1.html>.

1971 Bangladesh Genocide Archive. 02 Mar. 2009 <http://www.genocidebangladesh.org/>.

"Burundi: Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity." 02 Mar. 2009 <http://www.enotes.com/genocide-encyclopedia/burundi>.

"GENOCIDE - CAMBODIA." Peace Pledge Union. 02 Mar. 2009 <http://www.ppu.org.uk/genocide/g_cambodia1.html>.