No genocide in Iran, or anywhere
More than 200 leading human rights, humanitarian, civil liberties, faith-based and environmental organizations, think tanks, and experts issued a joint urgent statement in response to President Trump’s threat to carry out genocide in Iran if his demands are not met.
The Ohio Immigrant Alliance was one of them. Said Executive Director Lynn Tramonte: “When a psychopathic leader says ‘a whole civilization will die,’ he’s dropped all pretenses that this is anything but a war against civilians and all about oil. We joined more than 200 organizations and experts to say ‘not in our name.’”
The letter, organized by Amnesty International USA, states: “Such language describes a grave atrocity if carried out. A threat to wipe out ‘a whole civilization’ may amount to a threat of genocide. Genocide is a crime defined by the Genocide Convention and by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as committing one or more of several acts ‘with intent to destroy in whole or in part a national, racial or religious groups as such.’”
The letter also outlines the legal implications of President’s Trump’s threats. “The law is clear that civilians must not be targeted, and they must also be protected from indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks. Strikes on civilian infrastructure — such as the recent attack on a bridge and the attacks President Trump is repeatedly threatening to carry out to destroy power plants — have devastating consequences for the civilian population and environment.”
The statement urges all parties to respect international law, noting that those responsible for atrocities, including crimes against humanity and war crimes, can and must be held accountable.
“The undersigned remind those engaged in military operations of their obligation to refuse any patently unlawful order. Anyone who orders, carries out, or is otherwise complicit in President Trump’s abhorrent threats must be held accountable.”
Continued Tramonte: “The U.S. president’s behavior is classic narcissistic sociopath. He did this with TikTok at the beginning of his term. Create a crisis, then avert it at the final hour. The goal is for the affected population to feel grateful and loyal. What he doesn't realize is that we know what he's doing and we aren't grateful, we are livid. US Americans are saying no to genocide wherever it takes place; Congress is a puppet; and we're going to have to elect leaders who truly represent us.”
