Statements

Statement Condemning Pogroms by Israeli Settlers in the West Bank

April 25, 2024

On Friday, April 12th, hundreds of armed Israeli settlers violently attacked Al-Mughayyir, East of Ramallah, in the West Bank. According to the head of the village council, Amin Abu-Alia, around midday, 1,000-1,2000 settlers narrowed in on Al-Mughayyir, blocking the surrounding roads. Then, up to 600 “stormed” the Al-Mughayyir village, attacking its Palestinian inhabitants. This attack falls within an ongoing trend of settler violence in the West Bank — last year, hundreds of settlers also violently attacked Turmusayya and Huwara.

Statement on the Western Media Narrative Regarding Israel’s Genocide in Gaza

April 14, 2024

The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention condemns the misleading framing in the western media’s coverage of Israel’s bombardment and genocide of the Palestinian people. Since this latest cycle of attacks on Gaza began in October 2023, the narrative most prominent in western media has been that Israel is exercising its right to self-defense. There has been little analysis of what the right to self-defense allows and little challenge of Israel’s justifications for the IDF’s indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas or its responsibility for humanitarian crises, including famine and water shortages throughout the enclave. Although this spin is beginning to shift with the recent apparent targeted killing of international humanitarian workers employed by World Central Kitchen, the Lemkin Institute views the cause for this shift to be indicative of the broader failure of Western journalism to provide an accurate picture of what is happening in Israel-Palestine.

Statement in Support of Rohingya Pleas for Immediate UN Peacekeeping Intervention

April 10, 2024

The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention underscores and amplifies the recent plea from Rohingya survivors to intervene immediately in Rakhine State/Arakan (Myanmar) to counteract intensifying civilian harm and interdict a return to active genocide against the Rohingya people by the Myanmarese military government and regional forces. This Lemkin Institute statement follows Secretary-General António Guterres’s recognition that increased violence necessitates further “sustained international and regional attention,” including coordination with regional actors such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. We note that Rohingya survivors have also appealed to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and European Union for protection.

Statement on the Rise of the Grey Wolves Terrorist Organization in Belgium

March 30, 2024

On Sunday evening, Limburg, Belgium, witnessed distressing altercations between individuals of Syrian-Kurdish origin and members of the Turkish community in Heusden-Zolder and Houthalen-Helchteren. These clashes inflicted severe injuries on at least one person, while five others sustained minor wounds. The gravity of the situation intensified when hundreds of Turks targeted a house of Kurdish families in Heusden-Zolder, launching attacks that included attempts to set the dwelling ablaze, shattering windows, and shouting religious slogans. Such egregious acts resulted in several casualties. Two people were left critically injured. Shockingly, the attackers even used the 'wolf salute,’ a symbol and gesture synonymous with the Turkish Grey Wolves far-right paramilitary organization.

The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention calls on all European Union members, as well as the USA, to ban the Grey Wolves as a terrorist group. It is imperative that all forms of organizing, promoting hatred and discrimination against minority groups, including the Kurdish community, are swiftly and decisively addressed by state authorities. The promotion of xenophobic ideologies and the incitement of violence against marginalized communities have no place in any democratic society. As such, the Lemkin Institute calls upon law enforcement agencies and policymakers to prioritize investigating and prosecuting individuals and groups responsible for perpetuating such heinous acts, including the Grey Wolves.

Six Months since the Artsakh Genocide

March 27, 2024

It has now been six months since the Artsakh Genocide. For half a year, the indigenous Armenian population of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) has grappled with the harsh reality of displacement amid global apathy and unpredictability. They live in harsh conditions in Armenia, international aid has been slow and meager, and many are migrating to Russia and other countries far away from their homeland.

Failing to acknowledge the Artsakh genocide and refraining from holding Azerbaijan accountable for its atrocities not only neglects the responsibility to safeguard and facilitate the safe return of Artsakh Armenians, but also sets a dangerous precedent that could lead to the recurrence of similar tragedies in the South Caucasus as well as further afield. By turning a blind eye to such atrocities, we risk perpetuating historical injustices and potentially facing similar tragedies within other Armenian communities, like those in Syunik or Tavush. Thus, advocating for recognition, accountability, and protection is crucial not only for justice in the present but also in the future, and it helps ensure the protection of all vulnerable populations worldwide.

Statement on the Self-Immolation of Airman Aaron Bushnell

March 27, 2024

The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention wishes to honor the memory of Aaron Bushnell, who took his own life in February in protest of the ongoing genocide in Gaza. We express our deepest condolences to his friends and family. His sacrifice will be remembered as an action taken by a very moral soul in the face of the world’s gravest crime. While we do not advocate for protest that mortally imperils those demonstrating, we honor the commitment to opposing genocide and the moral clarity of those who have engaged in acts of protest.

The Lemkin Insitute will honor the life, and death, of Aaron Bushnell in our commitment to the fight to end genocide, whether it be in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, Myanmar, or Armenia. In our rememberance of Airman Bushnell we ask that his words be taken to heart, and that we all reflect on our possible complicity in genocide.

Statement on the Continued Imprisonment of Armenian Officials and Civilians of the Republic of the Artsakh by the Republic of Azerbaijan

March 23, 2024 – The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention (Lemkin Institute) energetically condemns the continued and unlawful imprisonment of Armenian officials and civilians of the Republic of Artsakh (Artsakh) by the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azerbaijan). Given the high risk of serious violations of human rights against these individuals, including the loss of life, the need for a strong international presence has never been more urgent. Consequently, the Lemkin Institute calls on the international community to take necessary steps to secure the prompt and safe repatriation of all Armenian prisoners of war (POWs), officials, and civilians held hostage in Azerbaijan.

Statement in Support of Owasso High School Students

March 8, 2024

In line with our call to stand in uncompromising solidarity with those under threat of genocide, and those fighting against the scourges of bigotry and hate, the Lemkin Institute praises, uplifts, and honors the courageous students of Owasso High School in Oklahoma for their stand against anti-trans hate

Statement on the Brutal Beating and Death of Nex Benedict

March 8, 2024

The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention is outraged and heartbroken by the death of Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old non-binary student in Oklahoma, who died a day after sustaining brutal injuries at the hands of three other classmates during an assault in a bathroom of the Owasso High School. Their death is an alarming reminder of the real-world consequences that result from the American right’s continued assault on the 2SLGBTQI+ community through hate speech and discriminatory legislation.

Statement on US Actions in the UN Security Council, including the Potential US Draft Resolution Related to a Ceasefire In Gaza

February 22, 2024

The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention condemns the Biden Administration’s third veto of a UN Security Council (UNSC) ceasefire resolution for Gaza on 20 Feburary 2024 and outlines the pattern of delay demonstrated by two prior US vetoes at the UNSC, which position the United States as an outlier in the international community and violate US humanitarian and legal obligations. The Lemkin Institute also notes the shift in the Biden Administration’s language around Israel’s conduct and expresses support for this course correction should the US make good on its word to introduce and vote for a US-drafted ceasefire resolution to prevent escalation in Rafah. The Lemkin Institute demonstrates why this action must be taken quickly and concludes with a call for lasting peace, a release of captives, and prosecutions for violations of international law.

Statement on the Biden Administration’s Complicity in Genocide against Palestinians

February 13, 2024

As Israel attacks Rafah, the Gaza city where an estimated 1.3 million Palestinians are seeking refuge, most of them internally displaced, the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention reiterates that the Biden Administration is complicit in genocide and must take immediate steps to prevent further destruction, loss of life, and displacement in Gaza and the West Bank.

The stakes of Biden’s complicity extend well beyond the Palestinians currently suffering through horrifying and unconscionable atrocities perpetrated by the Israeli army. In normalizing genocide, and indeed, in attempting to hide genocide in plain view, Biden is jettisoning international law and laying the groundwork for a world in which genocide and other forms of mass atrocity become a legitimized form of foreign and domestic policy, including in the US. Without an immediate shift in direction, the long-term consequences of Biden’s foreign policy decision-making since October 7 will be disastrous for all humanity.

Statement on the Ongoing Anti-Government Protests in Tel Aviv

February 12, 2024

The Lemkin Institute affirms its unwavering solidarity and support for individuals worldwide who courageously resist and condemn genocide. On January 19, a few hundred protesters gathered in Tel Aviv to call for a ceasefire. On February 3rd, 2023, thousands of protesters gathered in Habima Square in Tel Aviv to denounce Netanyahu and call for an end to the war. The protesters have called for the dissolution of the Israeli government, the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the initiation of new elections. Additionally, the protesters advocated for the release of over 130 hostages that have been held in Gaza for the last 120 days, expressing concern amid indications that ceasefire negotiations are likely to fail.

The Lemkin Institute strongly supports the Israeli people’s brave acts of protest against Netanyahu’s government. In an ongoing genocide, all those who can stand up to genocidal powers must do so, but it is particularly daunting to stand up to one’s own government.