Early Warning Signs and Indicators to Genocide and Mass Atrocity
Abstract
Efforts by nongovernmental organizations, research and academic institutions, charities, and international organizations to track and monitor activities and conditions in high-risk settings provide uniquely useful indicators and warnings of possible genocide and mass atrocity (GMA). Third-party access to credible and legitimate information about conflicts that may be leading to GMA can be critical to effective U.S. efforts to meet its obligations under Responsibility to Protect (R2P). U.S. interest in the four crimes (genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity) associated with R2P continues in importance; however, promoting conditions for peace and stability requires early warning, assessment, and vigilance. The "Mass Atrocity Prevention and Response Options: A Policy Handbook" (MAPRO) serves as a reference for policy makers on how to deal with GMA situations that require monitoring, prevention, and response. Information is key to policy makers' ability to determine actual or potential GMA situations. According to assessments of the military's ability to respond to GMA, indicators and warnings are central and are weak points in the U.S. approach. U.S. Government efforts rely upon credible information to respond, mitigate, or stop GMA, and that information could come from third parties. Third parties use different methodologies to observe and warn of instability, conflict, war, and GMA. This research attempts to answer the following question: How effective are third-party methodologies in providing warnings and indicators to possible GMA events?
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 06, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA570182
Entities
People
- Stephen M. Wisniew
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College