Testify!

HHS STAND Testifies at the State House in favor of H420

On Thursday, October 31, eight members of Harwich High School STAND (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur) traveled to the State House in Boston to testify before the Joint Committee on Education in favor of H420: An Act Promoting Genocide Education. Five members presented coordinated testimony making the case for requiring students to learn about multiple genocides to raise awareness and pressure world leaders to take action to end genocide. The members of the committee expressed their admiration for the students presentation, and encouraged us to lobby the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on this matter as well. After testifying, the students met with Sen. Wolf and Rep. Peake to discuss the issue with them. Thank you to our legislators for taking the time to listen to our concerns, and thank you to Sen. Wolf's office for a wonderful pizza lunch! Congratulations to the students for their excellent advocacy!

Testimony of Harwich High School STAND in Favor of H420 An Act Concerning Genocide Education - October 31, 2013

Introduction (Graham Smith)

Good morning. We as representatives of Harwich High School STAND (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur) are here to testify in favor of House bill 420, An Act Concerning Genocide Education.

STAND is a worldwide network of students that is attempting to end genocide. Our chapter has participated in many anti-genocide projects. One of these has been to advocate for Genocide Education. We believe that education about genocide will help end ignorance of the problem and and bring us closer to the day when genocide will be a thing of the past. This Act is an important step in broadening our students’ education and moving toward the elimination of this crime. This is the third time that we have testified in favor of this bill.

The Genocide Problem (Maggie Quick)

According to the United Nations Convention on the Preventions and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, adopted on December 9, 1948, Genocide is defined as the attempt to destroy in whole or in part a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.” Genocide entails mass murder of innocent people - it is the most heinous crime known in history.

But genocide is not history.

Genocides still occur in our modern world. Cambodia, Guatemala, Iraq, Rwanda, Bosnia, Southern Sudan, Burma, and Darfur are some recent examples. By some estimates, in the last century more people have been killed by genocide than have died in warfare. In Darfur alone, out of a population of 6 million, approximately 400,000 have been killed and 3 million displaced.

Learning about the Holocaust, while necessary and important, is not enough.

The Need for Awareness (Miriam Massaad)

Genocide occurs because some dictators think that eliminating a group will help them keep power, and because they think they can get away with it.

Only international diplomacy and intervention can stop or prevent it.

The need for awareness by people all over the world is great, because leaders will only take steps against genocide if their constituents demand action.

This can only happen if citizens have learned about the issue. As the modern anti-genocide movement shows, when people understand and are aware of genocide, they insist that their governments do what they can to save lives.

The Importance of H 420 (Kalin Schultz)

The Massachusetts Frameworks shape what our students are taught in their history classes. Currently, the frameworks include the Holocaust. Few schools go beyond this. Students are often left with the impression that genocide is a historical tragedy not a modern one.

By requiring education about multiple genocides, House Bill 420 pushes educators to make the connection between the past and the present. This will lead students toward greater understanding of the issue, motivate them to follow global human rights issues, and lead them to become engaged and active citizens.

Conclusion (Troy Sherman)

The ultimate goal of genocide education is the end of genocide.

When people are engaged on the issue, they can make a difference. In Sudan, the government has targeted minority populations in Southern Sudan, Darfur, and other areas. The killing has diminished when the world has paid attention and pressured the Sudan government. International pressure forced Bashir to accept the creation of an independent Southern Sudan as a way to try to end his atrocities there. Less attention being paid recently has led to renewed attacks.

Once, groups of Americans organized against slavery. They worked toward an uncertain day when state-sanctioned slavery would be a phenomenon of the past. Today, the efforts to end genocide face a similar challenge. However, with initiatives such as House Bill 420, we can progress to that day, hopefully in our lifetime, when genocide will also be history.

We ask today for your active support of this important bill.