A press review conducted as part of my studies on the news of genocide .
Press: The news of genocide, issues of authority and power.
Genocide is not only a historical fact: the exclusive domain of historians, but is a reality of our times, steadily covered by the press, which constantly influence our societies. Genocide is a product of modernity, genocide has indeed relied on the concepts of state, bureaucracy, health, and a political goal that gives the state to achieve social peace (Zygmun Bauman).
The genocide is also an issue of power: between duty to remember the need for justice, but also denial for political indifference. An issue of power, too, when it weighs on international relations. It is this aspect, the genocide as issues of authority and power that occupies mainly the news and that needs to be understood.
We will make a brief presentation by the definition of genocide. Then we will consider the issues of power in the two genocides that have occupied the news since early September: the genocide of Tutsis in Rwanda and the Armenian genocide.
I. The concept of genocide
Raphael Lemkin invented the term genocide. Polish-Jewish jurist that had been struck by the indifference which had taken place in Armenia during World War I, the first genocide. During World War II, Lemkin sought refuge in the United States. It develops a legal review of policies of the Axis to expose the crimes perpetrated by the Nazis. In 1944 he coined the term genocide of the Greek word "genos" which means "race, tribe, and the Latin suffix" cide "meaning killing. Lemkin obtained recognition of the term genocide by the United Nations 11 December 1946 and the genocide will be penalized by the UN in 1948. The legal definition of genocide, written in a Cold War context, is insufficient.
For our part, taking the thinking of many historians, which characterizes genocide is the specific "The thinking and doing." Genocide is a deliberate act, genocide is an end and not a means. To quote the historian Bernard Brumeteau "genocide is the annihilation of specific groups, presented technically and ideologically legitimized as a solution. "Finally
in this definition of genocide it is important to emphasize the genocidal process. For many years it has differentiated the incubation phase (genocidal priming) to the phase of action (activation genocidal). It now seems essential to introduce a third time, the phase of denial which aims to complete the final genocide by denying the victim's identity as a victim. It is this design that makes Holocaust denial, not only as a serious weakness intellectual revisionism, but an integral part of the genocidal process that needs to be legally sanctioned.
recent weeks have been marked by two events: the ambiguous relationship of France and Rwanda and the case of a possible recognition by the United States of the Armenian genocide.
In both cases, the recognition of genocide or not, whether the recognition of responsibility has direct implications international politics.
Genocide is not only a historical fact: the exclusive domain of historians, but is a reality of our times, steadily covered by the press, which constantly influence our societies. Genocide is a product of modernity, genocide has indeed relied on the concepts of state, bureaucracy, health, and a political goal that gives the state to achieve social peace (Zygmun Bauman).
The genocide is also an issue of power: between duty to remember the need for justice, but also denial for political indifference. An issue of power, too, when it weighs on international relations. It is this aspect, the genocide as issues of authority and power that occupies mainly the news and that needs to be understood.
We will make a brief presentation by the definition of genocide. Then we will consider the issues of power in the two genocides that have occupied the news since early September: the genocide of Tutsis in Rwanda and the Armenian genocide.
I. The concept of genocide
Raphael Lemkin invented the term genocide. Polish-Jewish jurist that had been struck by the indifference which had taken place in Armenia during World War I, the first genocide. During World War II, Lemkin sought refuge in the United States. It develops a legal review of policies of the Axis to expose the crimes perpetrated by the Nazis. In 1944 he coined the term genocide of the Greek word "genos" which means "race, tribe, and the Latin suffix" cide "meaning killing. Lemkin obtained recognition of the term genocide by the United Nations 11 December 1946 and the genocide will be penalized by the UN in 1948. The legal definition of genocide, written in a Cold War context, is insufficient.
For our part, taking the thinking of many historians, which characterizes genocide is the specific "The thinking and doing." Genocide is a deliberate act, genocide is an end and not a means. To quote the historian Bernard Brumeteau "genocide is the annihilation of specific groups, presented technically and ideologically legitimized as a solution. "Finally
in this definition of genocide it is important to emphasize the genocidal process. For many years it has differentiated the incubation phase (genocidal priming) to the phase of action (activation genocidal). It now seems essential to introduce a third time, the phase of denial which aims to complete the final genocide by denying the victim's identity as a victim. It is this design that makes Holocaust denial, not only as a serious weakness intellectual revisionism, but an integral part of the genocidal process that needs to be legally sanctioned.
recent weeks have been marked by two events: the ambiguous relationship of France and Rwanda and the case of a possible recognition by the United States of the Armenian genocide.
In both cases, the recognition of genocide or not, whether the recognition of responsibility has direct implications international politics.
II. The news of genocide: Issues of power and power
A. Franco-Rwandan relations
Since early September the French press, and to a lesser extent Belgium relayed developments in relations between Paris and Kigali. Since November 2006, Kigali has ended its diplomatic relations with France following the judge's order that Bruguiere accused Kagame, the Rwandan President and his entourage to be responsible for the attack against President Habyarimana 1994 which was the justification the launching of the genocide against Tutsis. New international arrest warrants have been issued. At the time the three major French newspapers, like the evening in Belgium, the Nouvel Observateur and Le Monde Diplomatique have shown that most critical of the order of Judge Bruguiere.
Since the election of Nicolas Sarkozy and the appointment of Bernard Kouchner, there is a desire to thaw relations between the two countries (the first page of the World, 2 October).
Pierre Pean author of a book with dubious arguments suggesting a reverse genocide of Tutsis against Hutus, has signed an article in Libération (11 September) Kagame again accused of being solely responsible for the genocide and who gives the right role for France. He accuses Bernard Kouchner and on appeal to the President and asking him not to succumb to the temptation of repentance for him is baseless. His platform has led many answers first Kagabo Jose (release of 24 September) lecturer at the EHESS, but also in Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday September 19 that accuses Pean of "racist phraseology" and "Denial" . This controversy
September is particularly echo secret documents submitted to a judge this summer from the fund Archives Mitterrand and proves that the administration of the Elysee was aware long before the genocide preparations thereof undermining again the official theory including Hubert Vedrine as revealed in the World .
However, the press also widely opened its columns to the newspaper Liberation free 20 minutes (12 October), the writer and journalist Jean Hatzfeld, who has just published his third book, The Strategy of Antelopes, who transcribed the story of survivors and "perpetrators" who are now forced to live together in the same villages in the name of national reconciliation in Rwanda. The number of Charlie Hebdo dedicating a forum against Pean also gave an interview to Hatzfeld complemented by a cartoon very useful to understand what Holocaust denial. This author in his book as relayed in the press how the French revisionist theories were taken up by the genocidal Hutus.
In this context the issues of authority and power are numerous. This is for example the support of France to the appointment of a Rwandan general to head the African Union forces sent to Darfur as it is accused of atrocities including Human Rights Watch as relays Cross September 25. This support reflects the desire of France to normalize relations with Rwanda. However, the refusal of the French state to recognize its responsibilities and to open its archives is linked to the fear of a challenge to its African policy. France, oscillates between the denial of repentance and the need to resume dialogue with a country that has more and more in Africa and that while the French influence is declining in the region (Young Africa). Kagame uses these conflicting reports for the support of France in the AU and prevents ask questions about what is happening in the DRC.
Rwanda's case illustrates how the news of genocide presents issues of authority and power. Our second example confirms this position.
B. The Armenian genocide issues of power in the Middle East
The second front of the news concerning the recognition of genocide by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives of the United State of America Armenian Genocide against the advice of the White House Wednesday, October 10. The vote was largely covered by the international press and the three major French newspapers. The debates around the recognition of the Armenian genocide have strong repercussions on the international stage. From September 3
Figaro relays that a major American Jewish organizations recognize the Armenian genocide. The President therefore called on Israeli Prime Minister Turk to assert that under no circumstances Israel will not recognize this genocide. Turkey is the largest economic partner of Israel and its only ally in the region. The situation of Israel on the issue is very delicate, some members tried unsuccessfully to vote a text recognizing this genocide but the government is pushing to dissuade them. In Israel there is no question of denial but to defend the economic and especially military in the region. The existence of genocide is challenged by any university but note the refusal to use the term in the textbooks and Shimon Peres called the event a disaster and not a genocide as stated, not without criticism, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz in its edition of October 11. The newspaper Haaretz
insists denouncing the idea of Turkish and Armenian that only the recognition by Israel and the American Jewish lobbies allow recognition by the U.S. administration.
It should be noted that the White House had strongly opposed the passage of the Foreign Affairs Committee. This has had immediate impact with the recall of the Turkish ambassador in Washington. The Turkish president has called the vote unacceptable for him "it is unacceptable that the Turkish nation has been charged with a crime they never committed during its history."
Turkey is in denial activist, actively funding research scholars denying the genocide.
The reluctance of the administration U.S. is not new. She had already had occasion to speak in 2000 under the Clinton administration but it is expressed more strongly today. The NY Times, Washington Post, Haaretz, the Jerusalem Post as Le Monde summed up the problem. The U.S. military did pass 70 percent of its supply in the direction of Iraq by Turkey. Moreover the situation is tending more and more in northern Iraq with the approach of self-determination referendum in Kirkuk. The Turkey since 1991 were declared protectors of Turkey in the region as it is considered by the Kurds as a possible basis for an independent Kurdish state or a federation in Iraq. Turkey is concentrating more and more troops to the border and the Turkish parliament gave permission valid for one year's invasion of the Kurdish zone in Iraq. It is therefore difficult for the U.S. to allow it to sour relations with Turkey.
Moreover the last Iraqi Christians have sought refuge in this region where they live so good about with the Kurds, while Turkey's Christians just the other side of the border suffer abuses. These Christians of the border between Turkey and Iraq have also been victims of genocide at the same time as the Armenians. It means trouble for Turkey to recognize genocide that would require him to admit today minorities like the Kurds and Christians that it refuses to do his very French concept of national unity.
In conclusion, the genocide issue raises the question not only of memory but also of justice. If the denial is part of the genocidal process must be condemned as such, and states should be more concerned with the respect due to victims. However this news Genocide proves that we must not confine the issue of genocide issues and historical memory. If genocide is a topical issue that it is also an issue of power and strength. In many conflict zones around the world come the Great Lakes region and that of Turkey and Iraq can not be understood without an intelligibility of genocide. Genocide is unfortunately not an object of study of the past.
indication bibliography:
Bauman, Zygmunt, and Paule Guivarc'h. 2002. Modernity and Holocaust. Paris: La Fabrique
Bruneteau, Bernard. 2004. The century violence genocide, massacres and genocidal process of Armenia to Rwanda. Paris: A. Colin.
Hatzfeld, Jean. 2007. The Strategy of Antelopes narratives. Fiction & co. Paris: Seuil
Power, Samantha. 2002. A Problem from Hell America and the Age of Genocide. New York: Basic Books.
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