Remembering the Victims of Atrocities

Next week, a ceremony will honor the victims of Nazi atrocities as we mark the end of World War II in Europe. Survivors and families came together at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp near Hanover last Sunday, remembering the estimated 72,000 lives lost there, including Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl from Germany.

While the deaths from 1939 to 1945 remain unforgettable, there’s a call to also acknowledge contemporary victims. As we move into the future, it’s vital to remember, record, and respect those facing ongoing atrocities today. Daily news highlights horrific actions by governments and armed groups in various conflict zones. Unlike the past, many of these incidents are now public knowledge, which raises questions about our collective response.

Staying silent in the face of such fear is unacceptable. Silence suggests complicity and shows that we haven’t truly learned from history.

So, what about your feelings today? Cries of protest often go unheard. Take Yemen, for instance, one of the world’s poorest countries. Picture a defenseless child there, perhaps an Ethiopian immigrant, being bombarded mercilessly by advanced weaponry.

Recently, airstrikes in Sada killed 68 civilians, most of whom were Africans and included people in detention centers. The US claims these strikes targeted Iranian-backed Houthi fighters threatening Israeli interests, but there’s little evidence to support this. Human Rights Watch estimates that hundreds have died in Yemen since relaxed U.S. bombing rules under Donald Trump have led to increased civilian casualties. Attacking civilians and infrastructure qualifies as a war crime.

Atrocities unfold daily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where rebels frequently commit violence. Like Yemen, it’s a place most Brits hardly know. I visited Goma in the east—there are children everywhere. According to UNICEF, a child is reportedly raped every 30 minutes amid ongoing violence. Thousands of cases of sexual violence were reported earlier this year. Women and girls face unimaginable fears and lack basic medical care.

In Haiti, rampant gang violence hasn’t just displaced thousands; it’s left many dead as UN peacekeepers struggle to maintain order. In Myanmar, amidst the devastation from recent earthquakes, the junta continues its violent reign unchecked. The ongoing genocide in Sudan is often overlooked despite being in its third year. And in Gaza, the toll from the Israeli conflict has exceeded 52,000 civilian deaths. Who will be there to honor those lost? Who will preserve their stories?

Why do we tolerate and normalize such massacres? One explanation could be the sheer complexity and volume of ongoing conflicts; they have reportedly doubled since 1945. With over 300 million people needing humanitarian aid, it’s clear that the UN system is failing, often stymied by power struggles. Attacks on envoys and peacekeepers illustrate just how under-resourced these efforts are.

Tom Fletcher, the UN emergency assistance chief, emphasized last week that critical institutions are running low on funds, endangering millions of lives. The future of peacekeeping is uncertain, particularly as the US has fallen behind in payments to the peacekeeping budget. Current proposals could see a total elimination of funds.

Significant cuts in overseas aid in countries like the US and the UK only exacerbate the struggles against domestic and international violence. Negotiating solutions feels like a lost art, as evidenced by ongoing tensions in Ukraine. The inadequacy of international courts to hold aggressors accountable further fosters a sense of impunity among war criminals.

Another factor complicating our response is the overwhelming nature of global suffering. People in more affluent nations feel inundated with distressing news, leading some to “switch off” as a coping mechanism. It’s not that they don’t care; rather, a sense of helplessness prevails. Although natural disasters often elicit generous responses, complex conflicts like those in Afghanistan and Syria are much harder to engage with. Recent reports indicate a decline in charitable donations in the UK, alongside a drop in global rankings for generosity.

War and conflict arise not as isolated issues but as symptoms of deeper political failures. The fragmentation of politics and resistance to globalization foster widespread instability. Factors like right-wing populism and increasing xenophobia contribute to a loss of trust and connection.

Cruelty is not a thing of the past; it manifests in our own communities. It spreads like a contagion, threatening not just far-off places but encroaching on our own lives.