The typical stages or responses for those in denial of genocide often follow a pattern.
- Question the Scale: Genocide Deniers often start by questioning the scale of the genocide, suggesting that the number of victims is exaggerated.
- Challenge the Intent: Genocide Deniers argue that the actions were not deliberate or that there was no intent to destroy a group, which is a key component of the definition of genocide.
- Blame the Victims: Genocide Deniers may claim that the victims were responsible for their own fate or that they provoked the violence.
- Highlight Counter-Violence: Genocide Deniers emphasize any violent acts committed by the victims or others to create a narrative of ‘justified retaliation’ or a ‘two-sided conflict’.
- Assert Political Motivations: Genocide Deniers claim that genocide allegations are politically motivated or fabricated for political gain.
- Dispute Historical Consensus: Genocide Deniers challenge the established historical consensus by citing fringe theories or discredited historians.
- Call for ‘More Research’: Genocide Deniers Insist that more research is needed, often as a way to delay acknowledgement and action.
- Make False Comparisons: Genocide Deniers attempt to draw misleading parallels with other events to diminish the uniqueness or severity of the genocide.
- Undermine Witnesses and Survivors: Genocide Deniers attack the credibility of survivors and witnesses, often through character assassination or conspiracy theories.
- Rewrite History: Genocide Deniers attempt to rewrite history to exclude or minimize the genocide, often through education, propaganda, or censorship.
- Claim Religious Oppression: Individuals denying genocide may suggest that allegations of genocide are actually rooted in religious discrimination against them.
Stages of Genocide Denial
- Question the Scale
- Challenge the Intent
- Blame the Victims
- Highlight Counter-Violence
- Assert Political Motivations
- Dispute Historical Consensus
- Call for ‘More Research’
- Make False Comparisons
- Undermine Witnesses and Survivors
- Rewrite History
- Claim Religious Persecution
These stages are not always linear and can be used in various combinations to deny or diminish the reality or severity of a genocide.
