1. The Ten Stages of Genocide
Dr. Gregory Stanton
Genocide Watch
© 2007 Gregory Stanton

2. The 8 Stages of Genocide
Understanding the genocidal process is one of the most important steps in preventing future genocides.
The Eight Stages of Genocide were first outlined by Dr. Greg Stanton, Department of State: 1996.
The first six stages are Early Warnings:
Classification
Symbolization
Discrimination (New addition by Stanton 2013)
Dehumanization
Organization
Polarization
Preparation
Persecution (New addition by Stanton 2013)

3. Stage 1: Classification
All cultures have categories to distinguish people into “us and them” by ethnicity, religion, race, or nationality, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But, if societies become to divided they are most likely to have genocide.

4. Stage 1: Classification (Rwanda)
Belgian colonialists believed Tutsis were a naturally superior nobility, descended from the Israelite tribe of Ham. The Rwandan royalty was Tutsi.
Belgians distinguished between Hutus and Tutsis by nose size, height & eye type. Another indicator to distinguish Hutu farmers from Tutsi pastoralists was the number of cattle owned.

5. Stage 2: Symbolization
We give names or other symbols to the classification of ethnicity, race, religion, or nationality. Classification and symbolization are universally human and do not necessarily result in genocide unless they lead to the stage of dehumanization. When combined with hatred, symbols may be forced upon unwilling members of minority groups.

6. Stage 2: Symbolization (Rwanda)
Words or symbols are applied to the “them”: the yellow star that Jews
had to wear under Hitler, skin color, classifications put on ID cards.
“Ethnicity” was first noted on cards by Belgian Colonial Authorities in 1933.
Tutsis were given access to limited education programs and Catholic priesthood. Hutus were given less assistance by colonial auhorities. At independence, these preferences were reversed. Hutus were favored.
These ID cards were later used to distinguish Tutsis from Hutus in the 1994 massacres of Tutsis and moderate Hutus that resulted in 800,000+ deaths.

7. Stage 3: Discrimination
Prevention against discrimination means full political empowerment and citizenship rights for all groups in a society.
Discrimination on the basis of nationality, ethnicity, race or religion should be outlawed.
Individuals should have the right to sue the state, corporations, and other individuals if their rights are violated.

8. Stage 3: Discrimination
“Jews Forbidden-
Germany Above All Else”
A dominant group uses law, custom, and political power to deny the rights of other groups.
The powerless group may not be given full civil rights or even citizenship.
Examples include the Nuremberg Laws of 1935 in Nazi Germany, which stripped Jews of their German citizenship, and prohibited their employment by the government and by universities.

10. Stage 4: Dehumanization
Dehumanization is when one group treats another group as second-class citizens. Members of a persecuted group may be compared with animals, parasites, insects, or diseases. When a group of people is thought of as “less than human” it is easier for the group in control to murder them.

11. Stage 4: Dehumanization
One group denies the humanity of another group, and makes the victim group seem subhuman.
Dehumanization overcomes the normal human revulsion against murder.
Der Stürmer Nazi Newspaper:
“The Blood Flows; The Jew Grins”
Kangura Newspaper, Rwanda: “The Solution for Tutsi Cockroaches” .

12. Dehumanization From a Nazi SS Propaganda Pamphlet:
Caption: Does the same soul dwell in these bodies?

13. Stage 5: Organization
Genocide is always organized, usually by the state, though sometimes informally or by terrorist groups. Special army units are often trained and armed. Plans are made for genocidal killings.

14. Stage 5: Organization (Rwanda)
To kill people in large numbers you need organization: leaders, followers, a chain of command, duties, meetings, guns, training, hate speeches.
“Hutu Power” elites armed youth militias called Interahamwe ("Those Who Stand Together”).
The government and Hutu Power businessmen provided the militias with over 500,000 machetes and other arms and set up camps to train them to “protect their villages” by exterminating every Tutsi.

15. Stage 6: Polarization
Extremists drive the groups apart. Hate groups broadcast propaganda that reinforces prejudice and hate. Laws may forbid intermarriage or social interaction between the groups. Extreme terrorism targets moderates, and intimidates them so that they are silent. Moderate leaders are those best able to prevent genocide and are often to be assasinated.

16. Stage 6: Polarization Extremists drive the groups apart.
Hate groups broadcast and print polarizing propaganda.
Laws are passed that forbid intermarriage or social interaction.
Political moderates are silenced, threatened and intimidated, and killed.
Public demonstrations were organized against Jewish merchants.
Moderate German dissenters were the first to be arrested and sent to concentration camps.

17. Stage 7: Preparation
National or perpetrator group leaders plan the “Final Solution” to the targeted group. They often use euphemisms to cloak their intentions, such as referring to their goals as “ethnic cleansing,” “purification,” or “counter-terrorism.” They build armies, buy weapons and train their troops and militias. They indoctrinate the populace with fear of the victim group. Leaders often claim, “If we don’t kill them, they will kill us.”

18. Stage 7: Preparation Death lists are made.
Members of victim groups are forced to wear identifying symbols.
Death lists are made.
Victims are separated because of their ethnic or religious identity.

19. Forced Resettlement into Ghettos – Poland 1939 - 1942
Preparation
Segregation into ghettoes is imposed, victims are forced into concentration camps.
Victims are also deported to famine-struck regions for starvation.
Forced Resettlement into Ghettos – Poland

20. Preparation Weapons for killing are stock-piled.
Extermination camps are even built. This build- up of killing capacity is a major step towards actual genocide.

21. Stage 8: Persecution
Victims are identified and separated out because of their ethnic or religious identity. Death lists are drawn up. In state sponsored genocide, members of victim groups may be forced to wear identifying symbols. Their property is often confiscated. Sometimes they are even segregated into ghettos, deported into concentration camps, or confined into famine-struck region and starved. Genocidal massacres begin. They are acts of genocide because they intentionally destroy part of a group. At this stage, a Genocide Emergency must be declared.

22. Stage 8: Persecution
Lotz Ghetto in German Occupied Poland. Internees were forbidden to move past the Ghetto boundaries
Victims are identified and separated out because of their ethnic or religious identity. Death lists are drawn up.
In state sponsored genocide, members of victim groups may be forced to wear identifying symbols.
Their property is often confiscated. Sometimes they are even segregated into ghettoes, deported into concentration camps, or confined to a famine-struck region and starved.

23. Persecution
“Work Will Set you Free” A slogan used in several concentration camps. This sign is posted in the entry of Auschwitz Concentration Camp
Genocidal massacres begin. They are acts of genocide because they intentionally destroy part of a group.
At this stage, a Genocide Emergency must be declared. If the political will of the great powers, regional alliances, or the U.N. Security Council can be mobilized, armed international intervention should be prepared, or heavy assistance provided to the victim group to prepare for its self-defense.
Humanitarian assistance should be organized by the U.N. and private relief groups for the inevitable tide of refugees to come.

25. The Final 2 Stages of Genocide
The perpetrators conduct the mass killings and then, when discovered, attempt to hide their actions.
Extermination
Denial

26. Stage 9: Extermination (Genocide)
Government organized extermination of Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994

27. Extermination (Genocide)
The killing is “extermination” to the killers because they do not believe the victims are fully human. They are “cleansing” the society of impurities, disease, animals, vermin, “cockroaches,” or enemies.
Roma (Gypsies) in a Nazi death camp

28. Extermination (Genocide)
Although most genocide is sponsored and financed by the state, the armed forces often work with local militias.
Rwandan militia killing squads
Nazi killing squad working with local militia

29. Stage 10: Denial
Denial is always found in genocide, both during it and after it.
Continuing denial is among the surest indicators of further genocidal massacres.
Denial extends the crime of genocide to future generations of the victims. It is a continuation of the intent to destroy the group.
The tactics of denial are predictable.

30. Denial: Deny the Evidence.
Destroy the evidence.
Deny that there was any mass killing at all.
Question and minimize the statistics.
Block access to archives and witnesses.
Intimidate or kill eye-witnesses.

31. Denial: Deny facts fit legal definition of genocide.
They’re crimes against humanity, not genocide.
They’re “ethnic cleansing”, not genocide.
There’s not enough proof of specific intent to destroy a group, “as such.” (“Many survived!”-
UN Commission of Inquiry on Darfur.)
Claim the only “real” genocides are like the Holocaust: “in whole.”
(Ignore the “in part” in the Genocide Convention.)
Claim declaring genocide would legally obligate us to intervene. (We don’t want to intervene.)

32. Why has the UN not stopped genocide ?
Genocide succeeds when state sovereignty blocks international responsibility to protect.
The UN represents states, not peoples.
Since founding of UN:
Over 45 genocides and politicides
Over 70 million dead
Genocide prevention ≠ conflict resolution

33. Prevention requires: Early warning 2. Rapid response 3. Courts for
accountability

34. Genocide continues due to:
Lack of authoritative international
institutions to predict it
•Lack of ready rapid response forces to stop it
UNAMIR peacekeeper in Rwanda, April 1994

35. Genocide continues due to:
Lack of political will to peacefully prevent it
and to forcefully intervene to stop it
UN Security Council votes to withdraw
UNAMIR troops from Rwanda, April 1994