Genocides we don't discuss
The genocides and ethnic cleansings you’ve listed are significant and often under-discussed in mainstream narratives. Below, I’ll address the ones you mentioned briefly and then highlight additional lesser-known genocides and ethnic cleansings throughout history, based on available information. I’ll aim to be concise while providing context and acknowledging the complexity of these events. Note that some of these cases are debated among scholars regarding whether they meet the legal definition of genocide (intentional destruction of a group in whole or in part) versus ethnic cleansing (forced removal to create ethnic homogeneity). I’ll also avoid speculative claims and stick to what’s supported by historical analysis.
### Your Listed Examples
1. **Armenian Genocide (1915–1923)**
- **Overview**: The Ottoman Empire, under the Young Turks, systematically massacred and deported an estimated 800,000 to 1.5 million Armenians during and after World War I. Methods included mass killings, forced marches, and starvation policies. It’s widely recognized as one of the first modern genocides, though Turkey denies the genocide label, claiming it was a wartime tragedy.
- **Why Ignored?**: Geopolitical alliances (e.g., Turkey’s NATO membership) and historical revisionism have muted global acknowledgment.[](https://about-history.com/the-biggest-genocide-ethnic-cleansing-and-mass-ethnic-persecution-by-death-toll/)[](https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9461/3/2/9)
2. **Forced Exodus of Jews from Arab Countries Post-1948**
- **Overview**: After the establishment of Israel in 1948, over 850,000 Jews were expelled or fled from Arab and Muslim-majority countries (e.g., Iraq, Egypt, Yemen, Morocco) due to state-sponsored persecution, pogroms, and discriminatory laws. Many lost property and citizenship.
- **Why Ignored?**: This displacement is often overshadowed by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict narrative, and some argue it’s framed as a voluntary migration rather than forced expulsion. Limited international advocacy for these Jewish refugees also plays a role.[](https://wikiislam.net/wiki/List_of_Genocides%2C_Cultural_Genocides_and_Ethnic_Cleansings_under_Islam)
3. **Forced Displacement of Kurds**
- **Overview**: Kurds have faced repeated displacement and violence, notably in Turkey (1920s–present), Iraq (e.g., Anfal campaign, 1986–1989, killing ~50,000–182,000), and Syria. Tactics included massacres, forced relocations, and cultural suppression (e.g., banning Kurdish language).
- **Why Ignored?**: Kurdish statelessness and the strategic importance of Turkey and Iraq in global politics reduce attention. Western focus often prioritizes other regional conflicts.[](https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/genocideethnic-cleansing-military-history)
4. **Forced Displacement of Palestinian Refugees by Arab States**
- **Overview**: Post-1948, Palestinian refugees faced exclusion in host countries like Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. In Lebanon, Palestinians were denied citizenship and faced restrictions on work and property ownership. In 1991, Kuwait expelled ~200,000 Palestinians after the PLO’s support for Iraq in the Gulf War.
- **Why Ignored?**: The focus on Israel’s role in the Palestinian displacement (Nakba) often overshadows secondary displacements by Arab states. Political sensitivities and anti-Israel narratives dominate discourse.[](https://wikiislam.net/wiki/List_of_Genocides%2C_Cultural_Genocides_and_Ethnic_Cleansings_under_Islam)
5. **Assyrian/Yazidi Genocide by ISIS (2014–present)**
- **Overview**: ISIS targeted Assyrians and Yazidis in Iraq and Syria, killing thousands (e.g., ~5,000 Yazidis in Sinjar, 2014), enslaving women, and displacing hundreds of thousands. The U.S. and others recognized these acts as genocide.
- **Why Ignored?**: Media fatigue, focus on broader ISIS terrorism, and the Yazidis’/Assyrians’ small population size limit sustained attention. The UN and ICC have been criticized for inaction.[](https://www.businessinsider.com/genocides-still-going-on-today-bosnia-2017-11)[](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/genocide-timeline)
### Additional Lesser-Known Genocides and Ethnic Cleansings
Here are other historically significant but often under-discussed cases of genocide or ethnic cleansing, based on scholarly sources and historical records:
6. **Herero and Namaqua Genocide (1904–1908)**
- **Overview**: In German South-West Africa (modern Namibia), German colonial forces killed ~65,000 Herero (80% of the population) and ~10,000 Namaqua (50% of the population) through massacres, starvation policies, and concentration camps.
- **Why Ignored?**: Early 20th-century colonial atrocities are often sidelined in favor of later genocides like the Holocaust. Germany’s acknowledgment and reparations discussions only gained traction recently.[](https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9461/3/2/9)
7. **Sayfo (Assyrian Genocide, 1914–1920)**
- **Overview**: Alongside the Armenian Genocide, the Ottoman Empire targeted Assyrians, killing ~150,000–300,000 through massacres, deportations, and forced conversions.
- **Why Ignored?**: Overshadowed by the Armenian Genocide and lack of a strong Assyrian diaspora to advocate globally. Denial by Turkey further suppresses recognition.[](https://about-history.com/the-biggest-genocide-ethnic-cleansing-and-mass-ethnic-persecution-by-death-toll/)[](https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9461/3/2/9)
8. **Greek Genocide (1913–1922)**
- **Overview**: The Ottoman Empire and later Turkish nationalists killed ~289,000–750,000 Greeks in Anatolia through massacres, forced marches, and expulsions, particularly during the Greco-Turkish War and population exchanges.
- **Why Ignored?**: Framed as part of mutual Greco-Turkish population exchanges, reducing its visibility as a distinct genocide. Turkey’s denial and focus on other regional conflicts contribute.[](https://about-history.com/the-biggest-genocide-ethnic-cleansing-and-mass-ethnic-persecution-by-death-toll/)[](https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/bosnia-herzegovina/1993-06-01/brief-history-ethnic-cleansing)
9. **Holodomor (Ukrainian Famine, 1932–1933)**
- **Overview**: Soviet policies under Stalin led to a man-made famine in Ukraine, killing ~2.4–7.5 million Ukrainians. Grain confiscation, restrictions on movement, and purges of intellectuals suggest genocidal intent, though some debate it as economic mismanagement.
- **Why Ignored?**: Soviet propaganda and Cold War politics obscured the genocide’s scale. Debate over intent versus negligence persists, and Russia’s influence limits global recognition.[](https://about-history.com/the-biggest-genocide-ethnic-cleansing-and-mass-ethnic-persecution-by-death-toll/)[](https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9461/3/2/9)
10. **Circassian Genocide (1864–1870)**
- **Overview**: The Russian Empire forcibly expelled ~800,000–1.5 million Circassians from the Caucasus, with ~400,000–600,000 deaths due to massacres, starvation, and disease. The term “ochishchenie” (cleansing) was used by Russian officials.
- **Why Ignored?**: 19th-century context and Russia’s historical dominance in the region reduce attention. Circassian diaspora advocacy has grown but remains limited.
12. **Tigray Genocide (2020–present)**
- **Overview**: In Ethiopia’s Tigray War, Ethiopian and Eritrean forces, with Amhara militias, killed ~10,000–50,000 Tigrayans, displaced ~2 million, and used starvation and sexual violence as weapons. Some scholars label it genocide, though it’s debated.
- **Why Ignored?**: African conflicts often receive less global media coverage. Ethiopia’s strategic importance and complex ethnic dynamics obscure the crisis.[](https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9461/3/2/9)
13. **Beothuk Extinction (15th–19th centuries)**
- **Overview**: The Beothuk people of Newfoundland were wiped out by European settlers through disease, violence, and resource competition, with the last known Beothuk dying in 1829.
- **Why Ignored?**: Small population size and early colonial context mean it’s rarely discussed outside Canada. Debate over genocide versus unintended extinction persists.[](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/18pw90/is_there_a_documentated_case_of_successful_ethnic/)
14. **East Timor Genocide (1975–1999)**
- **Overview**: Indonesian occupation of East Timor led to ~100,000–200,000 deaths (up to 30% of the population) through massacres, starvation, and forced displacement.
- **Why Ignored?**: Indonesia’s geopolitical alliances (e.g., with the U.S.) during the Cold War and limited global advocacy for East Timor minimized attention.[](https://wienerholocaustlibrary.org/what-we-do/learn/subject-guides/genocides/)
15. **Sikh Genocide (1984)**
- **Overview**: Following the assassination of Indira Gandhi, anti-Sikh pogroms in India killed ~8,000–17,000 Sikhs, primarily in Delhi, with state complicity alleged.
- **Why Ignored?**: Framed as riots rather than genocide, and India’s global influence limits international scrutiny. Sikh diaspora advocacy struggles against official narratives.[](https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9461/3/2/9)
### Why Are These Ignored?
Several factors contribute to the under-recognition of these genocides and ethnic cleansings:
- **Geopolitical Interests**: Powerful nations (e.g., Turkey, Russia, China) or their allies suppress narratives that challenge their interests.[](https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9461/3/2/9)
- **Media Bias and Fatigue**: Western media often prioritizes conflicts involving major powers or dramatic visuals, sidelining smaller or complex cases.
- **Lack of Advocacy**: Affected groups with small or dispersed diasporas (e.g., Yazidis, Circassians) struggle to gain global attention.
- **Historical Distance**: Older atrocities (e.g., Herero, Circassian) are less discussed due to time and lack of contemporary records.[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_cleansing)
- **Denial and Revisionism**: Perpetrating states often deny or reframe genocides (e.g., Turkey on Armenians, Russia on Holodomor), muddying discourse.[](https://about-history.com/the-biggest-genocide-ethnic-cleansing-and-mass-ethnic-persecution-by-death-toll/)
- **Competing Narratives**: High-profile conflicts (e.g., Israeli-Palestinian) dominate attention, overshadowing others like the Bangladesh or Tigray genocides.[](https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9461/3/2/9)
### Notes on Sources and Approach
- I’ve drawn on scholarly sources and historical records, including web references, to ensure accuracy. Some cases (e.g., Holodomor, Tigray) are debated as genocide versus mass killing due to the legal requirement of intent, but I’ve included them based on significant scholarship.[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_genocides)[](https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9461/3/2/9)
- X posts highlight sentiment about ignored genocides (e.g., Yazidis, Darfur), but I’ve treated them as inconclusive without corroboration.
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