KUALA LUMPUR — Taking another hard look at the experience of the several horrific massacres, there are indeed some lessons worth exploring to prevent other places around the world from repeating the same mistake. For example, in a society that is clearly diverse, it is crucial to frankly acknowledge and accept this sociocultural reality rather than having the majority oppress the minority simply because the majority happens to be in greater numbers (as in Sri Lanka and Rwanda in the past), or the minority oppressing the majority by relying on brute power (as in South Africa in the past).

The ethnic identity, or at least group affinity, of human beings is undeniable. People tend to feel more comfortable and satisfied when interacting with those who share the same language and culture, and there is often a belief that those who are not part of one's own group are most likely to have different intentions. This can escalate further into a mindset where everyone from one's own ethnic group is justified in eliminating others. When one refuses to acknowledge and accept the reality of living in a multicultural society, it can lead to efforts to force the entire society to exclusively uphold the dominant culture, faith and language, with the aim of eradicating other cultures, beliefs and languages completely. If such an idea moves from theory to action, it becomes extremely dangerous. This is because, at the very least, it relates to the modern extension of the definition of genocide in evolving international law, which not only includes the physical extermination of a group but also the destruction of their culture, faith and language, so that they can no longer exist as a distinct and wholesome ethnic group.