Key Takeaways: Yes, Native Americans Were the Victims of Genocide

By Sumeya Hussein

Link to original article: https://www.historynewsnetwork.org/article/yes-native-americans-were-the-victims-of-genocide

In its efforts to prove that Native Americans were victims of genocide, this article sheds light on the problematic history of America, characterised by settler colonisation. The piece goes on to challenge notions regarding the settler-indigenous conflict that blur the reality of what occurred. Land dispossession, withholding of food as punishment, and the deliberate separation of Native children from their families are just some of the harsh realities endured by Native peoples in America. They actively resisted colonisation in a way that the article says would now be called ‘terrorism’.

The article, drawing on the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, explains the genocide of the Native Americans and also combats the incorrect usage and understanding of the term “genocide”. The disregard of the historical and present experiences of Native Americans is not just morally unethical but has negatively impacted their lives. Native peoples continue to face discrimination and oppression. Overall, the piece highlights the importance of ethical narratives that do not erase people's experiences.