Genocides and Atrocities Portfolio: Reflect In the next lesson, you will submit your portfolio assessment. There is one component to the Genocides and Atrocities Portfolio: the Genocides and Atrocities Activity. Review your completed activities that are to be submitted to your teacher and consider the following:
1. Describe the risk factors for atrocity crimes.
2. Differentiate between crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide.
3. Explain some of the similarities and differences between the atrocity crimes that happened in Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, and South Sudan
4. Hypothesize as to why atrocity crimes, and genocide in particular, continue to occur.
1. Risk factors for atrocity crimes include political instability, social and economic inequality, discrimination and persecution based on ethnicity, religion, or political beliefs, lack of accountability and rule of law, and the presence of armed conflict or tensions between different groups.
2. Crimes against humanity are widespread and systematic attacks against a civilian population, war crimes are violations of the laws of war committed during an armed conflict, and genocide is the intentional destruction of a particular group based on their ethnicity, religion, or nationality.
3. In Rwanda, the genocide against the Tutsi population in 1994 was fueled by long-standing tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups, instigated by political leaders. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, atrocity crimes have been fueled by armed conflict and competition for resources. In Sudan, the Darfur genocide was driven by ethnic and political tensions, while in South Sudan, the conflict has been fueled by power struggles and ethnic divisions.
4. Atrocity crimes, including genocide, continue to occur due to a combination of factors such as deep-seated ethnic or political tensions, lack of accountability for perpetrators, failure of international intervention, and a culture of impunity. Additionally, the presence of armed conflict and power struggles can exacerbate existing tensions and lead to mass atrocities. Addressing the root causes of these conflicts, promoting human rights and accountability, and strengthening international cooperation and intervention are crucial in preventing and addressing atrocity crimes.