I don't think there is any strict consensus that genocide is only about slaughtering people as in murder/killing. Sterilisation and making their living conditions worse than others in order to kill their culture and ethnicity can also be considered genocide, as the ultimate goal is to erase them. In this case it just happens slowly in training centers, work camps and prisons.

In the larger picture I agree with you however. If you give someone that label there is only one stance that would be acceptable and it would have to be a strong one, otherwise you are diminishing the importance of the word.