Religious genocide

Nature

Religious genocide is the systematic, deliberate extermination or destruction of a religious group, motivated by hostility toward their beliefs or practices. This atrocity involves mass killings, forced conversions, displacement, and cultural erasure, aiming to eliminate the targeted group’s existence. Recognized as a grave violation of human rights and international law, religious genocide devastates communities, erodes cultural diversity, and perpetuates cycles of violence and trauma. Addressing this problem requires global vigilance, legal accountability, and interfaith dialogue to protect vulnerable populations and uphold the fundamental right to freedom of religion and belief.

Background

Religious genocide emerged as a recognized global crisis in the 20th century, notably after the Holocaust, which exposed the systematic extermination of groups based on faith. Subsequent atrocities, such as the Armenian Genocide and the Bosnian War, further highlighted the vulnerability of religious minorities. International awareness grew through documentation by organizations like the United Nations and Human Rights Watch, prompting ongoing debates about prevention, accountability, and the complex interplay between religion and mass violence.

Incidence

Term used by the International Commission of Justice in 1960 to characterize the practices of China in Tibet where monasteries were systematically destroyed and monks were killed.

Claim

Religious genocide is an urgent and horrifying crisis that demands immediate global attention. The systematic extermination of people based on their faith is a gross violation of human rights and an assault on humanity’s moral core. Ignoring this atrocity enables hatred, fuels cycles of violence, and erodes the foundations of a just society. We must confront religious genocide with unwavering resolve, ensuring justice and protection for all vulnerable communities.