Historical Context: The Darkest Chapters of the 20th Century
The 20th century witnessed the grim culmination of “necropolitics” under Nazi Germany, where millions, primarily Jewish people, were systematically exterminated in death camps. In Stalinist USSR, millions starved to death while thousands were executed. To prevent such total crimes, the international community, through the United Nations, adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Current State: A Worsening Situation
Today, the number of exception zones and death has multiplied, with the international legal framework designed to resolve international conflicts through negotiation being increasingly disregarded. The invasion of Ukraine, the Gaza conflict, and now the tension between Israel and Iran have opened doors to darker forces.
Gaza and Ukraine: Crimes Against Humanity
- Gaza: The bombardment of hospitals, schools, and residential areas, along with the blockade and subsequent reduction of food supplies, has pushed Gaza’s population to the brink of starvation, as reported by Médicos Sin Fronteras.
- Ukraine: The illegal Russian invasion has escalated violence, resulting in evident war crimes such as city and field destruction, torture, sexual violence, journalist and “opposition” confinement in Russian prisons for torture or murder, and the systematic abduction of tens of thousands of children for “re-education” in Russia.
The Demonization of the “Other” and its Consequences
Military rhetoric and the demonization of the “other” erode empathy and solidarity, as Judith Butler noted regarding post-9/11 US propaganda. This perspective in internal or international conflicts implies abandoning humanity’s sense and fostering the rise of cruelty politics, used by authoritarian governments to justify human rights violations or denial of civil liberties against certain groups, which may expand to anyone in the future.
Beyond Specific Conflicts: The Global Capitalist-Militaristic Rationality
While highlighting horrors in specific regions is crucial, it’s essential to acknowledge the broader suffering caused by capitalist-militaristic rationality worldwide. The enthronement of money as the supreme value, denial of human interdependence and connection with nature, and prioritizing an international elite’s greed for power and wealth threaten our very survival.
Taking Action: Rescuing Humanity
Actively opposing death politics in our own country, where we carry the shame of over 120,000 forcibly disappeared individuals, would be a crucial first step to reclaim our humanity.
Key Questions and Answers
- What are necropolitics? Necropolitics refers to political power exercised through the creation of death and the management of populations for killing.
- Why is the 20th-century context important? Understanding historical atrocities helps us recognize patterns and prevent future crimes against humanity.
- What are current human rights violations? These include war crimes in Gaza and Ukraine, such as bombing civilian areas, blockades causing famine, torture, and child abductions.
- How does demonization affect conflicts? It erodes empathy and solidarity, enabling cruelty politics that justify human rights violations.
- What is the broader context of these issues? Capitalist-militaristic rationality, prioritizing greed over interdependence and nature, threatens global survival.
- What can be done to address these problems? Actively opposing death politics in our own societies is a crucial first step to reclaim humanity.
