ETHNOCIDE PERSPECTIVE
Ethnocide is synonymous to cultural genocide; a term that is related to genocide, but particular to the destruction of a peoples’ culture, as opposed to the elimination of a race of people. This phenomenon is marked by its negative, often destructive effects on an ethnic peoples’ culture, that being the disintegration or break down of language, customs, religious beliefs, as well as political and societal structures. Direct or indirect actions contributing to ethnocide have long-term effects, including the interference with the transmission of education and culture upon younger generations, and in some cases erasing a group’s identity and practices from historical record. Intentional ethnocide cases have been provoked by a strong belief in a manifest destiny, in other words, the belief that one supreme form of governance and culture is suitable for all people. The repercussion of such a vision to unite societies has led to the dissolution and exploitation of many ethnic groups within multicultural states. In today’s society, with a greater emphasis on universal human rights, as outlined by the United Nation’s intentions to promote such rights, ethnocide is a clearly contradictory to what the world is aiming towards.
INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVE
Residential School Legacy (1874-2008)
The Canadian Government introduced Residential Schools as a component of the assimilation process to put an end to the “Indian Problem”—the question to move or exterminate the “Indians.” Institutionalized religion-based education was hoped to systematically eliminate Indigenous culture, customs, and language, and to fully integrate the Natives into mainstream society. Following the Gradual Civilization Act of 1857, the Canadian Government established a series of Residential Boarding Schools across Canada under the complete control of the Roman and Anglican churches. By 1920, there were 82 Residential Schools that were compulsory by law for Youth ages 5-16, many Youth were forcibly taken from their families by missionaries, Indian agents, and police officers, and placed into isolated residential schools. At these schools, children were forbidden to speak their native language and were to speak English at all times; the religious values of a colonized society were enforced by various disciplinary methods, and came to replace their traditional belief and governance system. In 1996, the Gordon Residential School in Saskatchewan was the last to close.
Many youth returned to their communities as traumatized, displaced and disconnected from family, community, language, and customs. In the 1980’s former students began to speak out on issues of abuse, violence, and even on murders that took place in residential schools. An investigation of the claims was tended to after an experiential statement of abuse made by Chief Phil Fontaine. A public nation-wide apology was made by the Canadian Government to Former Residential School Students on June 11, 2008.
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Since Lemkin coined the term, genocide has been defined as a crime under international law in the United Nations’ Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1951):
“Genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
a) Killing members of the group;
b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group."
This definition has been criticized by some because it hard for prosecutors to prove “intent”, the phrase “in whole or in part” is unclear, and political groups are excluded. Despite some criticism and confusion, the Genocide Convention has been adopted into national law by most states in the world.It was not until the mid-1990s, when the United Nations created international tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, that individuals were prosecuted and convicted for genocide.
Genocides have occurred throughout history. Such events include the Roman annhilation of Carthage in 146 BCE and the destruction of aboriginal communities in North America and Australia during colonization. The twentieth century has also witnessed a number of notorious genocide around the world, some of which include:
Armenia (1915-1918): 1-1.5 million
Germany (1933-1944): 6 million
Cambodia (1975-1979): 1.7 million
Bosnia (1992-1995): 200,000
Rwanda (1994): 800,000-1 million
Darfur (2003-Present): 200,000-400,000
Genocide is so shocking because it kills hundreds of thousands of civilians, displaces many from their homes, who then must become refugees. When genocide occurs, sexual violence against women is perpetuated, and children become separated from their families or are forced to join military groups. Even the physical resources of a country are affected, as property, buildings, and land are stolen or destroyed during the violence. When genocide ends, the government and victims of violence often rely on the international community for support and to rebuild.
References
Gradual Civilization Act. Web Address:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_enfranchisement_in_Canada
Indian Residential School Unit. Web Address:
http://www.afn.ca/residentialschools/history.html
Indian Residential Schools Resolution. Web Address:
http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ai/rqpi/index-eng.asp
Video:
A Lost Heritage: Canada’s Residential Schools. Web Address:
http://archives.cbc.ca/society/education/topics/692/
Residential School Apology. Web Address:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAmUe17nUdY
Organizations:
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. Web Address:
http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca
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