Mass killing, rape… can be termed 'genocide'
Aminur Rahim has recommended everyone in his letter published in this daily on 8th March to know the actual definition of a word before using it. He has mentioned the dictionary definition of the word “genocide”. But, the literal meanings of some common words do not always go with their expert or applied meanings. For example, scientists define “work” as the exertion of force overcoming resistance or producing molecular change but not merely doing something.
Similarly, the term “genocide” may have multiple meanings in the books of law. Tureen Afroz in her article published in this daily on 8th January enumerated that “as per article 2 of the convention on the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide, 1948 and Article 6 of the Rome statute, if it can be proved that wartime rape was used as a means to destroy, partially or totally, a specific group of people, it will come under the international definition of genocide”. Hence, the definition of “genocide” as provided under the 1973 Act includes mass killings, wartime rape and other similar crimes against humanity.
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