In Canada, April marks a time to reflect and remember the millions of victims who suffered and lost their lives to genocide. This month was established to commemorate the victims of genocides that have occurred or are developing today.
Genocide is an act committed with the intent to partially or entirely destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group. The trauma it inflicts carries on for generations, and this is the month to support the survivors and their descendants as they heal and rebuild their communities and histories.
“We commemorate [Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month] by having a special day for each of the genocides set aside to remember the victims and to have educators teach about the specific genocide that is commemorated on that day,” said Lesia Demkowicz, a member of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.
For groups such as the Ukranian Canadian Congress, Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month symbolizes the multiple forms of human rights abuses in our world.
“It’s significant because, despite our attempts to learn about the different genocides, we have not been able to eradicate genocides from occurring throughout the world,” said Demkowicz . They provided an example by referring to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Holodomor, the Ukrainian Famine Genocide of the 1930s under Soviet rule.
Demkowicz explains that learning how genocides evolve is critical and key in helping prevent abuses from escalating to genocide. For example, bullying can escalate into discrimination against a group and if left unchecked, can lead to dehumanization. If these behaviours are not stopped, they may escalate further, potentially resulting in government-led genocides.
This commitment to remembrance must go beyond words. The international community aimed to support these values through frameworks like the Genocide Convention, which represents a pledge to prevent and punish genocide. However, history has shown that this commitment has not always been upheld, as seen in the lack of intervention in Rwanda and Bosnia.
In response, Canada played a key role in formulating the Global Responsibility to Protect. The R2P came into being to ensure that the international community never again fails to prevent war atrocities including genocide. Today , R2P has dropped from national and international priorities and we are witnessing genocide in Gaza, committed, ironically, by a state that rose from the ashes of the Holocaust. Bringing awareness to past genocides and holding up our moral and legal international obligations to prevent and stop genocides should be a priority.
Some communities within Canada, such as the Canadian-Palestinian community, feel they are not getting proper recognition.
“If Canada was serious about commemorating Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation, and Prevention Month, they would recognize the current genocide happening in Palestine right now and end their complicity,” said Laura Reid from Neighbours for Palestine: Waterloo Region. “Israel resumed its relentless bombing of Gaza, using weapons components made in Canada. An immediate arms embargo remains one of our most powerful tools to sanction Israel and reduce Canada’s complicity in the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people.”
Ahmad Nabil, an organizer with the Palestinian Youth Movement in the KW network and a recent alumnus of the University of Waterloo, also voiced his concerns. He said Palestinian communities need recognition and there have been signs of anti-Palestinian racism within the University of Waterloo and Laurier.
“The best way to combat anti-Palestinian racism is by addressing its root cause: the genocide in Gaza. Our people are being massacred by the thousands, and [Canada’s] universities and government are complicit,” said Nabil. “Both the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University invest in companies that support this genocide, including those that manufacture bombs and fund the occupation. We must pressure our institutions and government to end their complicity and impose a two-way arms embargo.”
He further emphasized the importance of resisting censorship and ensuring that people in Canada learn about the situation in Palestine.
“We do this by organizing and amplifying the voices of the people on the ground in Gaza. Israel forces are deliberately targeting journalists, more than 200 have been killed, to suppress the story of the genocide,” said Nabil. By sharing their stories and exposing our government’s and institutions’ complicity, we can work toward ending the genocide.”
Nabil also called for greater accountability from Canadian institutions.
“The University of Waterloo invests in companies like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Elbit Systems, which directly fund the genocide in Gaza. Laurier is invested in companies like Siemens and Expedia, which support the occupation in Palestine,” said Nabil. “By confronting this complicity wherever we see it, we can work toward ending the genocide and combating anti-Palestinian racism.”
Rytham Sahini/Creative Director
