The Humanitarian Genocide - 1103 Words

Humans tend to feel morally compelled to help others in times of tragedy and chaos; however, there are limitations on the force of compassion. During recent and historical genocides, many outsiders’ universes of obligation have narrowed due to social and political factors, turning them into bystanders of ethnic crisis. Similarly, the world was unresponsive to the ethnic eradication of Tamils in Sri Lanka since 1983. For twenty-six years, tens of thousands of helpless Tamils suffered as human shields for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and were caught in the crossfire of a civil war between the extremist group and the national government. The collective desire for the United States, UN, and Sri Lankan government to maintain†¦show more content†¦This conflict of personal versus moral obligations caused the officials to disregard the Tamils and delay their liberation. The weakness of the UN’s management also permitted this, as there was no decisive aut hority figure or clear command to guide them toward intervention (Bhalla). Without true leadership, the workers were allowed to make decisions for themselves, fostering a selfish mentality as their responsibilities to the world were forgotten and ethnic obliteration persisted. To this day, the Sri Lankan government acts as a perpetrator for the ongoing tensions by seeking vengeance from the LTTE and attempting to conceal their crimes. It was found in 2013 that there was an â€Å"absence of first-person newspaper reports and independent television footage† and that the government â€Å"repeatedly alleged that there were no civilian casualties during the war† in order to cover up the atrocities they committed against the Tamils (Nelson; Legal). By making media coverage of Sri Lanka unavailable, the government tried to put up a respectable image for the world to lessen the international backlash. The reality of the genocide was hidden from the world public and left them as an unknowing bystander since individuals weren’t informed enough to protest against the brutality. This prevented the Tamils from receiving the international help they needed and prolonged the ethnic extermination.Show MoreRelatedHumanitarian Crisis and Genocide2063 Wor ds   |  9 PagesAbstract: Humanitarian crises and international politics goes hand in hand. One can cause the other, while the only way to fix the other is to rely on politics. This paper will highlight the cause of genocide, violent massacres and crisis, how to solve them, and key roles politicians and nations must take up wholeheartedly in order to make a difference. Personal and political reconciliation must occur in the parties involved ever want to have a mutual co existence. Read MoreGenocide: The Worst Humanitarian Disaster Essay2655 Words   |  11 PagesGenocide: The Worst Humanitarian Disaster I am not a refugee. I am a white, middle-class, female American. I am a student at a public high school in the suburbs. My country is not being torn apart by genocide. My parents haven’t been killed. My government does not rape me. My family does not live in a tent in the middle of the desert. My community does not get by on a $1.00 per week for food, but my desires and passions connect to those who do. There are hundreds of us spread out on the lawnRead MoreHumanitarian Intervention Essay1198 Words   |  5 PagesHumanitarian intervention is the act when states intervene in the affairs of another state because that state is violating the basic human rights of its civilians or because it is in the intervening state’s self interest to get involved. (Humanitarian, 2008) These interventions are not specifically aimed at violating the sovereignty of a state, but rather their purpose is to protect the basic human rights of civilians during civil wars and during crime against humanity. (Humanitarian, 2008) RealismRead MoreWhy Have Some American Attempts At Humanitarian Intervention Been Successful And Others Not?987 Words   |  4 PagesWhy have some American attempts at humanitarian intervention been successful and others not? Humanitarian interference positions a hard trial for an international society constructed on the doctrines of sovereignty, intervention, and the use of force. Directly after the holocaust, the society of states recognized the laws prohibiting genocide, forbidding the exploitation of civilians, and identifying plain human rights. These humanitarian values often clash with doctrines of sovereignty. SovereignRead MoreAn Imperfect Offering by James Orbinski1250 Words   |  5 Pagesfront-line humanitarian work in the worlds worst conflict zones. Despite its dark chapters, it is also a hopeful story about the emergence of Mà ©decins Sans Frontià ¨res (MSF) as a new and independent agent of civil society, and the possibilities of making the world a better place. In â€Å"An Imperfect Offering†, James Orbinski tells the story of people who have been harmed by war, and humanitarian workers who have come to heal them when possible. He engages in deep reflection on the nature of huma nitarian responseRead MoreThe Legal Foundation For Humanitarian Intervention Essay1219 Words   |  5 PagesThe legal foundation for humanitarian intervention was established in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Prevention of Genocide and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Lecture 11/15/16). Genocide, as decided by the, Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide: genocide, whether committed in time of peace or in time of war, is a crime under international law which they (contracted members) undertake to prevent and to punishRead MoreHumanitarian Intervention: Calling on the United Nations for Help1065 Words   |  5 PagesHumanitarian Intervention: Calling on the United Nations for Help The United Nations is an international organization that fights for world peace, and strives to control international law, international security, economic development, social progress, and human rights. In the United Nation’s preamble, it states the organization is â€Å"determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"†¦to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.† However, the U.NRead More The Crisis in Darfur, Sudan Essay832 Words   |  4 PagesThe Crisis in Darfur, Sudan Genocide, the attempt to destroy a people because of their presumed race or ethnicity, remains alive and well. The definition of genocide as given in the Websters Dictionary is The deliberate and systematic extermination of a national, racial, political, or cultural group. This definition depicts the situation in 1994 of Rwanda, a small and poor central African country. What makes this crisis particularly shocking is the structural character of the violence:Read MoreRed Cross Involvement Of The Rwandan Genocide1712 Words   |  7 Pages Red Cross Involvement in the Rwandan Genocide Marcy McNeal POLS 241 Summer 2014 INCOMPLETE Introduction The birth of Red Cross can be traced back in 1828 when Jean-Henri Dunant was born in Geneva. Dunant’s character and education drove him to aid the distressed and the unfortunate and to be concerned about social work. It was until 1853 when Dunant was appointed as an accountant to a secondary firm in Algeria. This appointment involved a lot of traveling. In 1859, he arrived at SolferinoRead More Compare and Contrast Between Rwanda and Darfur Genocide, from the Constructivism and Realism Perspectives1508 Words   |  7 PagesThe analysis of the genocides that took place both in Rwanda and Sudan’s Darfur region exhibit some similarities as well as differences. The character of violence was similar in both cases, but in Rwanda the violence was more intense, participatory, and extraordinary. The violence in these two places took place in an environment that had experienced civil wars. It was a period of political transition which was further aggravated by ethnic nationalism and a conflict of ethnic populations that were