The first United Nations draft of an international convention to outlaw genocide was issued here yesterday. The draft lists as its purpose the prevention of the destruction of racial, national, linguistic, religious and political groups.
The three types of genocide defined are: physical genocide, killing or putting in such condition that death or loss of life is inevitable–imprisonment in concentration camps, starvation and medical experiments on human subjects; biological genocide, consisting of actions tending to prevent life and to kill a human group through delayed action–sterilization, breaking up families, obstructing marriages; ## cultural genocide, the destruction of specific characteristics of a group or ##literation of its spiritual life and culture.Included in the last category are such acts as: stealing children for purposes of imposing on them the racial or natural character of another group; systematic and forceful removal of persons representing the culture of the group; systematic destruction of works of art, museums, libraries, churches and historical documents. Prohibition of the use of the native tongue even in private relations. It is believed that a human group can be destroyed not only physically, but also by removing the essential formulations of its spiritual life, the draft states.
The draft convention also declares that public propaganda which leads to or instifies genocide is a crime for which not only private individuals would be punishable, but also statesmen and public officials. They could not plead innocence on the grounds that they acted according to their own laws. It recommend that each signatory party should include in its criminal code special provisions for punishment of genocide.
The machinery for punishment and prevention would provide that every country can punish in its own courts a criminal guilty of genocide even if he has committed his crime abroad, regardless of his nationality. The draft convention also provides that for specific cases of greater importance or if a government is not willing to punish in its own territory criminals apprehended there, the case might be referred to an international court.
The draft points out that it would be up to the Security Council to decide about the creation of such a court. Moveover, by way of political action, the Security Council could intervene to stop any case of genocide wherever committed. Genocide, according to the draft convention, would not be considered a political crime and no asylum would be granted.
The draft convention was prepared in such a fashion as to permit the member governments to delete parts or make additions without destroying its main purpose and legal structure. It was prepared by the Secretariat.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
