Call for action as international day of genocide commemoration is observed

There is need for the international community to reflect on past genocides and devise ways to prevent similar attrocities in the future, an official at the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG) has said. Dr Jean-Damascène Gasanabo, the director-general of research and documentation on Genocide at CNLG, made the remarks on Wednesday evening at Kigali Genocide Memorial during an event to mark the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the victims of Genocide and its prevention. Rwanda joined the international community for the inaugural observance of the day. In September, the United Nations General Assembly declared December 9, 2015, the inaugural observance of the day, following a recommendations by the Human Rights Council. Gasanabo said observance of the day is a commendable step by the international community toward reflecting on the past genocides while devising ways to prevent re-occurence. He explained the genocide process starts from classification of people basing on ethnic, racial or religious differences, then to people extermination, followed by the denial of genocide. “The day presents an opportunity to all countries to learn and understand these processes. Genocide is a violation of human rights. We should, therefore, respect human rights and uphold tolerance in order to prevent genocide in the world,” he said. The commemoration started with laying wreaths on mass graves in tribute to more than 25,000 victims of the Genocide against Tutsi laid to rest at Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre. Participants also observed a moment of silence in remembrance of more than one million victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The day also marked the 67th anniversary of the adoption in 1948 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the first international human rights treaty. Freddy Mutanguha, the Aegis Trust country director speaks at the international genocide commemoration event, on Wednesday. Freddy Mutanguha, the country director of AEGIS Trust, the organisation which manages Kigali Genocide Memorial, told participants that the day presented a vital opportunity to remember and pay tribute to innocent victims of the Genocide. “Kigali Genocide Memorial’s goal is to stregthen Rwandans’ resilience by developing and implementing sustainable peace education. About 20,000 students from across the country have attended this peace education training here since 2008 and we want to restore the lost Rwandan values,” he said. Located in Gisozi Sector, Gasabo District, Kigali Genocide Memorial was established in 2004 and receives at least 80,000 visitors every year, according to Honoré Gatera, the memorial manager. Meanwhile, a statement from the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Adama Dieng, said the marked had two important elements. “It is about the past and the future. Remembering the victims of genocide and the crimes committed in the past must contribute to our understanding of the present and guide our actions in the future. Acknowledging past genocides, addressing the consequences and fulfilling the rights of the victims not only dignifies the victims, but also represents our willingness not to let these crimes be repeated.” Participants follow proceedings at the international genocide commemoration event, on Wednesday. (Photos by Jean dAmour Mugabo) He added that genocide is, at its heart, an identity-based conflict and its prevention requires managing diversity constructively. “This is a message for all nations. Our countries and regions are extremely diverse and it is in this diversity that their richness lies. We are a multitude of races, ethnicities and nationalities. We have different cultures; we practice different religions and have different beliefs. We must protect this diversity and use it to promote dialogue and understanding, not to spread hatred and intolerance,” reads part of the statement. Dieng said states not only have a legal duty to prevent and to punish genocide, but have also committed to a responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, as well as their incitement. “We also have a duty to remember – this is a social imperative. Let us remember. Let us not repeat past mistakes. Let us all act now to stop genocide from being part of our future.” editorial@newtimesco.rw

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Call for action as international day of genocide commemoration is observed