Houston says NO to genocide
Houston says NO to genocide is a coalition of organizations and individuals who are concerned about genocide. At this time, we are focusing on genocide in Darfur.
Genocide as defined by the United Nations in 1948 means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, including: (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, and (e) forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
Some examples of genocide in the 20th century (from the online History Page)
* Bosnia-Herzegovina: 1992 -1995 - 200,000 deaths
* Rwanda: 1994 - 800,000 deaths
* Pol Pot in Cambodia: 1975 - 1979 - 2,000,000 deaths
* Nazi Holocaust: 1938 - 1945 - 6,000,000 deaths
* Rape of Nanking: 1937 - 1938 - 300,000 deaths
* Stalin's Forced Famine: 1932-1933 - 7,000,000 deaths
* Armenians in Turkey: 1915 - 1918 - 1,500,000 deaths
U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide
This convention was adopted by the U.N. General Assembly on December 9, 1948. Article I of the Convention states that "The contracting Parties confirm that genocide, whether committed in time of peace or in time of war, is a crime under international law which they undertake to prevent and punish."
Crisis in Darfur
Amnesty International reports that hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have lost their lives since the Darfur conflict erupted in February 2003. Systematic human rights abuses have occurred, including killing, torture, rape, looting and destroying of property by all parties involved in the conflict, but primarily by the Sudanese government and government-backed Janjawiid militia. Although direct government participation in human rights abuses in Darfur has subsided, the Janjawiid militia remains active in Darfur and Eastern Chad, despite the negotiated Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA). Civilians are increasingly at risk because of inter-rebel fighting due to deep divisions among the rebel groups concerning the DPA.
Activities of the Coalition
Outreach - We plan to reach out in the community and ask organizations and individuals concerned with genocide to join the Coalition.
Education - We plan to have several educational programs on genocide and specifically about the current crisis in Darfur.
Action - We plan to promote different types of action regarding Darfur such as letter-writing to officials, signing of petitions, articles/letters in the newspaper, vigils, etc.
Websites with information about Darfur
For more information, call Ellen Burns at 713-522-9850.