The Writings of African-Americans®: What is Genocide?

Best Blogs 2010 in Crisis Reporting by Tres M. Scott on The Writings of African Americans

Raphael Lemkin (1900-1959) coined the term from Greek geno, meaning tribe and Latin cide, meaning killing. Genocide is an International Legal Term from the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide.

Genocide is the deliberate and systematic killing or destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group. Genocide decribes violent crimes commited against groups with the intent to destroy, kill, or remove the existence of the group.

The Groups are defined as:

• National Group-identity is defined by a common country of nationality or national origin.
• Ethnic Group-identity is defined by common cultural traditions, language or heritage.
• Racial Group-identity defined by physical characteristics.
• Religious Group-identity is defined by common religious creeds, beliefs, doctrines, practices, or rituals.