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In the wake of the Holocaust during World War II, the word “genocide” was coined, accepted and recognized as a crime. However, the Holocaust may not have been the first modern genocide. Looking back to the World War I, it seems clear that the Ottoman Empire perpetrated a form of genocide against the Armenian population through mass relocation and massacres 100 years ago. Listen to learn more about the Turkish Ottoman Empire during WWI and this dark period of Armenian history.
Story Length: 7:00
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AIR DATE: 04/08/2015
October 30, 2014
3:07
What happens to a group of people who have no state to represent them? This happened to the Kurdish population after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire following World War I. The Kurds, a cultural and ethnic group, wanted a unified state but instead European powers split their community among four states - Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey. This public radio story can be a great starting point for a conversation about statelessness, identity and minority rights.
Read MoreOctober 24, 2014
5:56
Although the concept of genocide has been around for a long time, the word “genocide” is relatively new. A new documentary tells the story of a Polish man who coined the term in 1943, and then advocated for its widespread adoption and recognition. He possessed a strong sense of justice, and he felt determined that crimes related to genocide should be prosecuted. Listen to hear more about this inspirational man and the powerful documentary that tells his story.
Read MoreApril 8, 2014
3:00
Rwanda marks the 20th anniversary of the genocide this week. The ethnically driven killings led to hundreds of thousands of deaths, as the majority Hutu faction targeted ethnic Tutsis. Today, as people remember their loved ones, many feel traumatized by the horrible events of the past. Some feel that the country has become much more progressive since the genocide, but others argue that there is still a long way to go. Listen to the story to hear more about how Rwanda’s past still affects its present.
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