Cultural Genocide: A Brief Guide
JVL Introduction
Cultural genocide is the attempt to prevent a people knowing about themselves and recognising their history and their particular way of seeing and relating to the world.
When Raphael Lemkin first coined the term “genocide” he recognised that the deliberate destruction of the artifacts and institutions that linked a people to their past was a form of genocide. The Nazis did not just try to kill all Jews they destroyed their synagogues, libraries, cultural centres, cemeteries – everything they could find.
When the UN Genocide Convention was finalised in 1951, the USA and the colonising countries like Britain and France did not want their own histories of inflicting Cultural Genocide to be covered so ensured the convention excluded the term.
The world needs to revisit this omission since the deliberate destruction wrought by Israel of historic buildings and universities in Gaza deserved to be called by its proper name: Cultural Genocide
MC
This article was originally published by The Wire. Read the original here.
A brief guide to Israel’s cultural genocide
Since its genocide against Palestinians in Gaza began, the Israeli military has destroyed hundreds of historical and religious sites, and centers of culture and learning like libraries, archives, and museums.
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‘We know that Israel’s assault on Gaza is textbook genocide. From the beginning, Israeli officials made their genocidal intent abundantly clear…’
Thing is that the British public in general are unaware of most of these genocidal statements because the msm blanked them and, for example, I have little doubt that’s the reason why the BBC didn’t cover south Africa’s submission to the ICJ. But we have the potential to change that by putting leaflets together listing all said statements and putting them through people’s doors, whether it be ten or twenty or fifty or a hundred or more, and finish the leaflet by saying in bold capital letters: Please copy and/or scan and circulate to friends and relatives and work colleagues etc. I also intend to include the summary of the doctors letter to Starmer and Lammy AND proof that only one baby was killed on October 7th, and that the 40 beheaded babies story was complete fabrication and a big lie as such.
Just after WW2 If someone had said, in the future a group Zionists would create their own Holocaust, you would have told them not to be so ignorant but here we are, campaigning to stop the Genocide/Ethnic Cleansing of the Palestinians and more, much more, ie the beating and raping of male prisoners, the majority of these prisoners have never been charged or had a Court Case for their supposed crimes, which are carried out in their own Land, which has been stolen from them by the same people that are sending them to prison.
The whole thing is a total disaster for them!! PS and our Prime Minister has supported these Zionists from the start.
While nothing like genocide – the elimination of cultural identity was attempted in Wales and Scotland and Ireland by the UK Government. In my lifetime children were beaten in Wales when they attempted to speak in the Welsh language. Incidentally one example of Colonialism in the British Isles coincided with one policy during the British Mandate for Palestine in the 1920s. The “Black and Tans” previously involved in brutality and murder in British Ireland were subsequently sent to Palestine to serve in the Police there.
As for what is happening in Gaza and the West Bank – I cannot see why the UK Government is still selling arms to Israel. In 1982 – Margaret Thatcher suspended sales because of the invasion of Lebanon – saying firmly that it was for Israel’s own good. In 2002 there was a partial ban by Tony Blair of sales of weapons which would likely be used in Gaza and the West Bank.
Five months ago on 30th May 2024 a Guardian article stated that starvation was the key to legal advice about the cessation of Arms sales. In short – according to a leaked recording -.the British government had failed to make public received advice from its own lawyers stating that Israel had breached international humanitarian law in Gaza:
“Chair of foreign affairs select committee Alicia Kearns said at a Tory fundraiser that legal advice would mean the UK has to cease all arms sales to Israel without delay”
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[Guardian 30th March 2024 ]
So FIVE MONTHS have passed and still nothing changed – except the rapidly worsening conditions in Gaza for the Palestinians and the rising death toll.
For any settler colonial project to succeed it must eradicate the history and culture of the indigenous population. The settler colonial project succeeded in the USA, until recently reducing the First Nations to Hollywood baddies, and this is the model followed by tbe Zionists from 1948 with the active participation of their sponsors.
Peterborough PSC will be mounting an exhibition in October/November at theCity Museum with associated events, showing Palestinian history and culture. We would welcome input particularly from anyone with pre-Nakba experiences and/or materials.
There should be a motion to include ‘Cultural Genocide’ within the main definition. How on earth was this omitted? Just recently the newly appointed New Zealand right wing government are attempting to wind back on the Waitangi Treaty ensuring Maori rights, by attempts to prevent the Maori language being used in government departments and scrap the Maori Health Department. That’s the start of trying to destroy a people.