Recently, I had the opportunity to see a film brought to town by the Tallahassee Film Society. The film was about the Massacre at Nanking in China, when Japanese troops occupied Nanking prior to WWII. I was so amazed that I had never heard of this event, I spent two hours on the internet when I came home. Chinese civilians and soldiers were massacred, and women of all ages were horribly violated. The pictures on the internet were even more atrocious than those in the film. Interestingly, most all the books about this event were published in the past ten years. Most of us are familiar with the atrocities that occurred in Germany during WWII, but the Massacre at Nanking, in which even more civilians were killed, is being referred to by aat least one Professor as, The Forgotten Holocaust.
Consider that such atrocities have not ceased since WWII…..here’s a list:
| Time | Location | Perpetrators | Victims | Number of VIctims |
| 1949 to 1987 | China | Communists | Chinese Public | 40 Million |
| 1975 to 1979 | Cambodia | Khmer Rouge | Public | 1.7 to 2 Million |
| 1975 to 1999 | East Timor | Muslims | Roman Catholics | 200,000 |
| 1985 | Sudan | Mainly Muslim Militia & Government | Initially, mostly Animists & Christians; now mainly muslims | About 200,000 deaths, millions dislocated |
| 1994 | Rwanda | Mainly Hutus | Mainly Tutsis; some moderate Hutus | About 800,000 |
| 1995 to 1999 | Bosnia Herzegovina | Serbian Orthodox Christians (mainly) | Muslims (mainly) | 200,000 |
| 1998 to 1999 | Kosovo | Mainly Serbian Orthodox Christians | Mainly Muslims | 400,000; deaths unknown |
| 1997 to Present | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Government, Army, Army Irregulars & Rebels | General Public | About 6 million killed. Others suffered rape, destruction of property, etc. Deaths continue |
| 2010 to Present (if proposed law is passed) | Uganda | Judicial Murder (influenced by US Evangelists) | Lesbians, Gays & Bi-Sexual Adults who engage in same-sex sexual behavior | If detected, about 5% of the adult population may be legally murdered |
One side against another: sides defined by religion, ethnicity, government/militia, lifestyle. We have all heard about many of these events, but my guess is that this list is quite surprising for many of you, as it was for me. If we can’t stay aware and be involved in helping avoid such atrocities around the world, can we at least be aware of events in our daily lives that can contribute to conflict escalation. Change is always initiated by just one person!
It has always occurred to me that a war could never occur unless there are “two sides”. If we keep this in mind, is this a concept that would helpful to us in trying to avoid conflict and “war”? Wars of some sort, though maybe not formally declared, are when many human atocities occur. Certainly, the taking of sides has been said to be impeding our recent progress in America.
If “taking of sides” is one prerequisite of war. Are there others? And, could there be early warning signs to prevent war, and most importantly, preventing the atrocities against humanity that take place. Or, as human beings are we destined to always have these experiences, as I’ve heard some people say. Or, that war is the inevitable way we keep down our population? And, of course, I have also heard the only way we can know peace is to know war! Could mankind evolve past this prehistoric tendency toward war and conflict?
My research indicated early warning of conflict can be considered in two parts: (1) Collecting data for important variables and (2) Persuading political leaders to act upon the warning. Both have daunting challenges. However, warning signs include the following:
- Sudden demographic changes and displacement
- Rising unemployment rates
- Economic shocks or financial crisis
- Destruction or desegration of religious sites
- Discrimination or legislation favoring on group over another
- Government “clamp-downs”
- Destabilizing referenda or elections
- A rise in “societal” intolerance and prejudice
- An increase in numbers of demonstrations or rallies
- Foreign intervention
- Contagion
- An Influx of Refugees
Do we have any of these conditions in our country? Do you see a common emotion or emotions that underlie these events? Could they be fear, anger, anguish, frustration? How do we move from these emotions to the positive emotions we enjoy?……love, compassion, kindness, happiness, contentment?
There is some monitoring of the early warning signs. The notion of an early warning system has been engaged through the development of non-governmental organizations, referred to as NGO’s, around the world. These organizations are attune to local organizations and are often the only eyes and ears the international community has in many parts of the world. But, analysis of anecdotal data and information coming from NGOs is also a daunting task. Academics have also shown interest in early warning of conflict and crimes against humanity. A number of their projects collect data.
We can all give great thanks to those that have had the courage to stand up for and preserve our freedom, and we must be ever vigilant in its preservation. Perhaps I have given you “food for thought” today, and perhaps you now have ideas how to help overcome conflict in your own lives and community. And, may this be a very special Thanksgiving weekend to you all!
