Version 1/24/21
BY………………………………………………. NO………………………………………………
RESOLUTION
Condemning and Denouncing Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity, and Other Mass Atrocities and Affirming the [jurisdiction]’s Duty to Educate People About and Take Action to Prevent Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity, and Other Mass Atrocities in Compliance With the Genocide Convention
“[jurisdiction] End Genocide Resolution
WHEREAS, after the atrocities of the Second World War, the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide on December 9th, 1948; and,
WHEREAS, that treaty defined “genocide” as: any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
(a) Killing members of the group;
(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
WHEREAS, Crimes Against Humanity are defined according to Article 10 of the Rome Statute as:
For the purpose of this Statute, ‘crime against humanity’ means any of the following acts when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack:
(a) Murder;
(b) Extermination;
(c) Enslavement;
(d) Deportation or forcible transfer of population;
(e) Imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty in violation of fundamental rules of international law;
(f) Torture;
(g) Rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, enforced sterilization, or any other form of sexual violence of comparable gravity;
(h) Persecution against any identifiable group or collectivity on political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural, religious, [and] gender…;
(i) Enforced disappearance of persons;
(j) The crime of apartheid;
(k) Other inhumane acts of a similar character intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or to mental or physical health.
WHEREAS, [jurisdiction] residents and the [jurisdiction] value universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and believe that all persons and citizens of the world deserve justice, equality, safety, and security; and,
WHEREAS, The [jurisdiction] routinely purchases from and invests in corporations having global operations and supply chains; and,
WHEREAS, [jurisdiction] residents and the [jurisdiction] recognize the role that local communities and government can take to promote the practice of ethical procurement and ethical investment in accordance with our values;
WHEREAS, cities, counties, and states have historically employed their procurement and investment power to pressure corporations to end their complicity in the apartheid system in South Africa, religious discrimination in Northern Ireland, and the genocide in Darfur, Sudan; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE [JURISDICTION]:
Section 1. That this [jurisdiction] condemns and denounces genocide, crimes against humanity, and other mass atrocities. Further, that this [jurisdiction] condemns and denounces corporations and/or other organizations and associations complicit in genocide, crimes against humanity, and other mass atrocities. Finally, this [jurisdiction] condemns and denounces all corporations and/or other organizations and associations that provide support or otherwise do business with governments engaged in genocide, crimes against humanity, and other mass atrocities.
Section 2. That this [jurisdiction] affirms its, and every [jurisdiction] resident’s, moral obligation and duty to educate people about the atrocities of genocide, crimes against humanity, and other mass atrocities.
Section 3. That this [jurisdiction] commits to educate citizens about genocide, crimes against humanity, and other mass atrocities. In this regard, the [jurisdiction] recognizes the work in this area of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Genocide Watch, Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, EIRIS Conflict Risk Network, and No Business With Genocide.
Section 4. That this [jurisdiction] commits the policy and practices of responsible procurement and ethical investment of [jurisdiction] taxpayers monies in the marketplaces for goods, services, and capital in accordance with our values and to employ our economic power in the marketplace as part of a global constituency against genocide, crimes against humanity, and other mass atrocities.
Section 5. That this [jurisdiction] supports and promotes that all persons, regardless of where they were born, have basic human rights and fundamental freedoms, and that it is all governments’ and citizens’ moral obligation to recognize and respect these rights and freedoms.
Section 6. That this [jurisdiction], along with the citizens of [jurisdiction], rededicate themselves to the prevention of mass atrocities such as genocide and crimes against humanity and to the basic principles of justice, fairness, and empathy that all persons are entitled to.
ADOPTED BY THE [JURISDICTION]…………………………………….., 2021
SIGNED BY THE MAYOR………………………………………………….., 2021
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MAYOR OF THE [JURISDICTION]
ATTEST:
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Clerk of the [jurisduction]
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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City Attorney