Genocide has been occurring for centuries. Genocide is defined as the eradication of an ethnicity or religious group by another group. Usually genocide occurs when a radical religious group is not satisfied by the traditions of another group or does not agree with their ideals. Prime examples have been the almost extermination of Syrians and people of the Central Republic of Africa. Usually “genocidal” events are poorly covered not allowing the world to witness the full extent of the horrors that these radicals commit and aid those that are in need. Having more coverage on ongoing genocidal events can help relief efforts. Along with this it may push more countries to aid those who may fall victim to genocide.

On media there is very little coverage on previous genocidal acts and current day events that may lead to genocide. Through my limited observations, I have witnessed media covering killings for a short period of time then move on to trivial news reels that do not pertain to important issues. One example of limited coverage of a genocidal event is the killings of Syrians in Syria in 2013. During this time the media covered it enough to allow Americans to see what was happening. Yet I believe that it wasn’t enough. Usually the average air time of such event is around a month then they go back to covering news of very little importance. During this genocidal event about six thousand Syrians were killed a day on average. According to Mr.Guterres during a UN Security council in Syria “We have not seen a refugee outflow escalate at such a frightening rate since the Rwandan genocide almost 20 years ago.” (Refugees Fleeing Civil War Approaching Rwanda Genocide Level, Says UN Official, 2013). However, the media does cover "genocidal" events which is better than not covering it at all. This allows viewers to see some extent of what is occurring at the time. Yet, the limited coverage does not make a huge impact on the viewers, because within a small period of time viewers may lose a sense of urgency in aiding those that are in danger due to the importance placed on it by the media or government. On the other hand it is the choice of the media to decide on how long they will spend airing a certain event. After two weeks American media channels stopped covering the killing of Syrians daily and how thousands had to find refuge in Rwanda. Due to the little coverage of these horrific events occurring throughout the world, support from civilians are on a minimal level.

Many countries lack the means to be able to support those that fall victim to "genocidal" events, which then leads to the lackluster effort provided by the populace in aiding those victims. For example America had the opportunity to prevent the killings of Syrians in the past, but was unable to at the time leading the American populace to not willing provide aid. "The daily number of aid trucks delivered into Syria has dropped to just five-10 from a previous 50-60," IHH head Bulent Yildirim told a news conference in Istanbul. Why? Because we have been going on summer vacations while blood continues to be shed,  he said, complaining of falling donor interest in a conflict that has lasted 28 months, with no end in sight” (Refugees Fleeing Civil War Approaching Rwanda Genocide Level, Says UN Official, 2013).  However, there are some organizations who promote rescuing and saving people whose existence is on the brink of eradication. Yet, most of these organizations do not have enough funding to help on a large scale due to limited civilian interaction. On the other hand a key reason for most governments to abstain from helping those that are in need is because it may start a war that could cause the country more harm than the help that they provide. An ever present example is the late intervention of American troops in the conflict between Israel and Ghana. I believe that at all times a country that has the capabilities to help others should take part due to their responsibility of preventing genocide.

In Conclusion, continuous coverage of ethnical and religious cleansing can stop the beginnings of genocide. Prevention of genocide is essential to keeping multitudes of ethnicities and religions safe.

References List:
"Refugees Fleeing Civil War Approaching Rwanda Genocide Levels, Says..." Irish Times. 18 Jul. 2013: 2. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 28 May 2015.
de Waal, Alex. "Playing the Genocide Card." International New York Times. 19 Dec. 2013: 11. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 28 May 2015.
ProQuest Staff. "Genocide Timeline." Leading Issues Timelines. 2015: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 28 May 2015.