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CENTRAL HOSTS DISCUSSION ON GENOCIDE
By Rob Siebert
TheDoings-ClarendonHills.com
http://www.p ioneerlocal.com/clarendonhills/news/1496118,ch-gen ocide-032609-s1.article
March 26 3009
Illinois
Six individuals gathered in the Hinsdale Central High School auditorium
March 19 to discuss something they all had in common.
Either their ancestors, or they themselves had witnessed genocide
and seen massive amounts of bloodshed.
Sponsored by the school's social studies department, Central's
"2009 Genocide Forum" brought together five men and one woman who
witnessed the horrific violence or aftermath surrounding genocides
in Cambodia, Armenia, World War II, Rwanda and Darfur to discuss the
tragedies. There was also someone who spoke about the slaughter of
Indians in America.
"You are the future," Holocaust survivor and Chicago resident Magda
Brown said. "You are the ones who will carry on, and you will have
to know that these tragedies cannot be repeated."
Michael Tuslime, a Fulbright scholar from Rwanda who is pursuing his
master's degree at Northern Illinois University, was not in his home
country during the massive killing that took place in 1994. He did
however, return in 1995, and witnessed the aftermath first hand.
"I think the most horrible thing was just to see the bodies float
down on the rivers," Tuslime said.
John Low, executive director of the Mitchell Museum of the American
Indian in Evanston, and a Potawatomi Indian, said that for the last
500 years the American Indian experience has mostly been about survival
in strategic accommodations.
But in spite of their obvious role in the widespread elimination
of countless Indians over the past few centuries, Low said it may
be difficult for Americans to see the truth amongst the bloodshed,
be it that of Indians or other races.
"Americans don't want to think about themselves or their ancestors
partaking in genocide," Low said.
However, Low emphasized that for America, hope lies within the
spreading of truth and knowledge about the tragedies that befell
his ancestors.
"I don't believe there can be any healing without information,"
Low said.
In terms of America's role in stopping genocides in other countries,
Greg Bedian, a member of the Armenian National Committee and co-founder
of the Genocide Education Network of Illinois, said that one of the
keys to stopping a massive genocide is to see where one is brewing
early, and then to act quickly. He cited that the Rwandan genocide
took place in only 100 days.
"This has to be done prior to the catastrophe starting, not after
it's already begun," Bedian said.
However, the panel said the true power may not lie with government,
but with individuals. "Don't be silent," Brown said. "Because that's
what happened in Europe. People were silent."
Tuslime said that many survivors of the Rwandan genocide would not
have lived through the horror they faced if they had not been given
food or water by strangers who were simply of good conscience.
"We all want to leave things for the government and U.N. forces,"
Tuslime said. "But I think as individuals we can make a difference."
By Rob Siebert
TheDoings-ClarendonHills.com
http://www.p ioneerlocal.com/clarendonhills/news/1496118,ch-gen ocide-032609-s1.article
March 26 3009
Illinois
Six individuals gathered in the Hinsdale Central High School auditorium
March 19 to discuss something they all had in common.
Either their ancestors, or they themselves had witnessed genocide
and seen massive amounts of bloodshed.
Sponsored by the school's social studies department, Central's
"2009 Genocide Forum" brought together five men and one woman who
witnessed the horrific violence or aftermath surrounding genocides
in Cambodia, Armenia, World War II, Rwanda and Darfur to discuss the
tragedies. There was also someone who spoke about the slaughter of
Indians in America.
"You are the future," Holocaust survivor and Chicago resident Magda
Brown said. "You are the ones who will carry on, and you will have
to know that these tragedies cannot be repeated."
Michael Tuslime, a Fulbright scholar from Rwanda who is pursuing his
master's degree at Northern Illinois University, was not in his home
country during the massive killing that took place in 1994. He did
however, return in 1995, and witnessed the aftermath first hand.
"I think the most horrible thing was just to see the bodies float
down on the rivers," Tuslime said.
John Low, executive director of the Mitchell Museum of the American
Indian in Evanston, and a Potawatomi Indian, said that for the last
500 years the American Indian experience has mostly been about survival
in strategic accommodations.
But in spite of their obvious role in the widespread elimination
of countless Indians over the past few centuries, Low said it may
be difficult for Americans to see the truth amongst the bloodshed,
be it that of Indians or other races.
"Americans don't want to think about themselves or their ancestors
partaking in genocide," Low said.
However, Low emphasized that for America, hope lies within the
spreading of truth and knowledge about the tragedies that befell
his ancestors.
"I don't believe there can be any healing without information,"
Low said.
In terms of America's role in stopping genocides in other countries,
Greg Bedian, a member of the Armenian National Committee and co-founder
of the Genocide Education Network of Illinois, said that one of the
keys to stopping a massive genocide is to see where one is brewing
early, and then to act quickly. He cited that the Rwandan genocide
took place in only 100 days.
"This has to be done prior to the catastrophe starting, not after
it's already begun," Bedian said.
However, the panel said the true power may not lie with government,
but with individuals. "Don't be silent," Brown said. "Because that's
what happened in Europe. People were silent."
Tuslime said that many survivors of the Rwandan genocide would not
have lived through the horror they faced if they had not been given
food or water by strangers who were simply of good conscience.
"We all want to leave things for the government and U.N. forces,"
Tuslime said. "But I think as individuals we can make a difference."