December 9th marked the 77th anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, which codified genocide as a crime under international law.
Genocide is a term coined by Raphael Lemkin, a Polish Jewish lawyer and Holocaust survivor. It represents the darkest act of humanity – the deliberate annihilation of entire groups based on ethnicity, religion, or culture.
Every year, the United Nations holds a high-level event to mark the International Day of Commemoration, honouring the victims of genocide and reflecting on the anniversary of the Genocide Convention. Significantly this year’s event was held between two landmark milestones: the 30th anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and, in 2025, the 30th anniversary of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Yet, despite the UN’s efforts to remember and commemorate these past atrocities, genocide is not just a chapter of history, it remains a horrifying reality in our world today. From the ongoing horrors in Sudan’s Darfur region and Ethiopia’s Tigray, to the persecution of Christians in Iran, Eritrea, and many other nations, these acts of brutality displace millions from their homes, claim hundreds of thousands of lives, and serve as a chilling reminder of humanity’s failure to learn from its past.
But often, if we are honest, we have tunnel vision as we face the demands of our daily life – work, family, church activities – while global atrocities remain distant news stories on the edge of our consciousness. Desensitisation, or “war fatigue,” as some researchers call it, dulls our empathy. We shake our heads, grieve briefly, and then move on, as ‘never again’ tragically becomes ‘again and again.’
So, what should we do? Mother Teresa’s words offer guidance, “If I look at the mass, I will never act. If I look at the one, I will.”
Each victim of genocide is an individual, made in the image of God. Our response to genocide, therefore, isn’t just a matter of politics or humanitarian aid but a matter of faith and justice.
We have a biblical mandate to love our neighbour, and this transcends national borders. We are called to see the one, to act for the one.
In Luke 10, we find an expert in Mosaic law asking Jesus a profound question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus, as He often does, points him back to Scripture: “What is written in the Law?” The lawyer quotes Old Testament scripture on one’s duty to love God and his neighbour. To which Jesus responds, “Do this, and you will live,” affirming his answer with a challenge.
And this challenge invites deep reflection, do what is impossible for humans in our sinful state: love God and our neighbour perfectly and continuously.
Yet, the lawyer in Luke 10 avoids acknowledging his inability to fulfil the law and his need for God’s grace asking, “And who is my neighbour?” Seeking to limit the law’s demands, he reflects a common teaching of the time – that one’s ‘neighbour’ only included fellow Jews.
How often do we do the same, seeking the bare minimum and asking, ‘What’s enough to be a good Christian?’ ‘How can we give without real sacrifice, or care without discomfort?’ This reflects a heart searching for limits, not love – I’m like that so often. In response, Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan, redefining a neighbour not by proximity, ethnicity, or belief but by need. His command is radical: love everyone.
And why? Because every person – every man, woman, and child – is made in the image of God and that truth demands our action, compassion, and love. We are called to look beyond our comfort, remembering the grace we’ve received and the grace we can share.
For those of us where complacency may have taken root, let this Genocide Awareness Day be a wake-up call. Let us not be wilfully blind but take heed to Micah 6:8 ‘…and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.’ We are called to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, to fight for the rights of the victims, even when it’s uncomfortable or politically inconvenient.
Let’s reflect on how we can play a part in preventing genocide by becoming better informed, writing to our MPs to get them to focus on ongoing atrocities, and praying for peace in conflict zones. Revelation 21:4 assures us there will come a time when there will be no death, mourning, or pain. But until that day, we are called to be His hands and feet in this broken world. Let our lights shine before others so through us victims may encounter the living God who will one day restore all of creation, wiping every tear away.
Tim Farron has been the Member of Parliament for Westmorland and Lonsdale since 2005 and served as the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Party from 2015 to 2017. Tim is also the host of Premier’s ‘A Mucky Business’ podcast, which unpacks the murky world of politics and encourages believers around the UK to engage prayerfully. He is the author of A Mucky Business: Why Christians should get involved in politics.”
