A History of Genocide North America • 1492: Estimated indigenous population before European contact ~12 million • 1900: Estimated population ~250,000 USA • Indian (Native) Wars • Assimilation • Indian Removal policy (Reservations) Canada • Beothuk (Newfoundland) wiped out by conflict with European fishermen • Tuberculosis (laced in traded clothing) South America • 1880’s: Campaign by Argentine President Julio Roca to exterminate native population Australia • 1800’s: The Black War • Conflict between British Colonists and Tasman Aborigines • Introduced Eurasian infectious diseases, to which the Tasmanian Aborigines had no immunity • Tasmanian Aboriginal population that they were reported to have been exterminated Congo • 1800’s: Belgium slavery of Congo for rubber production • Starvation, exhaustion Namibia • Early 1900’s: Germans poisoned water sources in combat against native peoples Ireland • 1845: Potato Famine (crop failure) • British policy was to allow mass starvation • Approximately 1 million people died and a million more emigrated from Ireland • Led to eventual Irish indepedence from British Crown Japan • 1615: Tokugawa bans Christianity • Tens-of-thousands of Christians ordered to be persecuted • Fear of takeover from Portugal and Spain at the advice of Dutch and British (wanting to secure trade routes) Philippines • • • • • 1898: USA wins the Spanish War USA takes control of Philippines Philippines declares Independence USA employs “Kill & Burn” tactics Close to 1 million killed over 15 years Russia • 1800’s: Russian Empire conducts Ethnic Cleansing of Circassians (Muslim) • Along the northeast shore of the Black Sea. It is the ancestral homeland of the Circassian people. Nazi Germany • 1941-1945: Holocaust • Targets: Jews, Gypsies, Polish, Soviets, Homosexuals • 5-7 million people killed Croatia • 1941-1945: Ustasha regime conducts mass murder of Serbians, Jews and Gypsies • Concentration camps (independent of Nazis) Turkey • 1915-1923: Extermination and deportation of Armenian people by the Ottoman Empire • Was implemented in two phases: 1) killing of able-bodied male population 2) deportation of women, children and elderly to death march through the Syrian Desert. • 1-1.5 million people killed Soviet Union • 1932-33: The Holodomor: Ukrainians hit by deliberate famine orchestrated by Russians (Stalin) • An attempt to re-direct resources (mainly grain) to Russia • ~10 million die of starvation • Slightly ironic considering what is happening today… China • 1958-1962: Social and Economic reform under Mao Zedong • “The Great Leap Forward” – transformation from agrarian economy (agricultural dependant) to an industrial one. • Almost 70 million dead • Starvation, forced labor, execution Bangladesh • 1971: Pakistani attempt extermination of Bengali and Hindus • 1-3 million killed Burundi • 1972: Hutus massacred by Tutsi in response to rebellion • 150,000 killed Cambodia • 1975: Khmer Rouge (Communist party) organizes mass killing of suspect groups, enforcing of selfsufficiency • Targets: Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai • 1.7 million killed (some from treatable diseases such as malaria) • 1996: Democratic National Union Movement, led by former leader of Khmer Rouge is formed (granted Amnesty) • Khmer Rouge officially dissolved in 1999. Lebanon • 1982: Sabra-Shatila Massacre • Massacre at Palestinian refugee camps • More than 3,000 (unconfirmed) civilians killed • Led by Lebanese Christian militia Afghanistan • 1979-1989: Soviet Invasion • Afghans killed by Soviet-led Afghan Forces to suppress resistance (Two alliance groups: Peshawar Seven and the Tehran Eight) • Weapons and money supplied from US, UK and Saudi Arabia Iraq • 1988: Campaign to destroy Kurdish factions from two differing political parties • Kurdish factions from Iran and Turkey drawn into war • Involvement from the US • Chemical weapons, poison gas Tibet • 1988• China under investigation of genocide in Tibet • Goal of cultural assimilation of Tibetans • Government assisted exile East Timor • 1975-1999: Invasion of East Timor by Indonesia • 150,000 killed • Starvation • Chemical weapons Bosnia • 1992-1995: organized killing of Bosnian Muslims by Serbian Republic Rwanda • 1994: Tutsis and moderate Hutus killed by Hutu extremist militia • 1 million people killed in 100 days • “Fastest Genocide in History” Sudan • 2003-2006?: Janjaweed militia conduct Ethnic Clensing of non-muslim groups in Darfur region • Supported by Sudanese government • 500,000+ killed • http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-most-horrific-genocides-in-history.php • http://listverse.com/2013/05/03/10-atrocious-genocides-in-human-history/ • • http://www.tiki-toki.com/timeline/entry/56861/GenocideTimeline/#vars!date=1914-06-28_15:30:50! • • • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sjLrd8-Zdc