EDITORIAL:At last, it's a crime to deny the Genocide against the Tutsi in France

It pays to be patient, especially if someone is waiting for justice to be served. For many years, France has been a haven of Genocide deniers and revisionists. It is also home to countless perpetrators and senior French officials have been implicated in the planning and implementation of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi that left over a million dead. But despite all the compelling evidence, French officials have only encouraged defiance and impunity as they protected genocidaires by refusing to act on indictments. In fact, France had done little to make amends, until now. For decades, denying or denigrating the Jewish Holocaust, has been punishable by French laws. A few years ago, the Armenian Genocide was also added on the list of no-go zone for deniers. Activists have for many years been trying to add the Genocide against the Tutsi on the same menu, but have been met by stiff resistance from those who have something to hide. But there was no relenting on the part of many dedicated to see justice done. At last, at the beginning of this year, the French Senate capitulated and made it a crime to deny the Genocide against the Tutsi. This is a heavy blow to those who have been feeding off hate and smoke screens. The battle ground to weed out Genocide deniers and revisionists should now shift to other countries that have not enacted similar laws. Some have become breeding grounds for later-day Goebbels who were not even born in 1994. That is the most frightening thing; that the hate genes have been passed on. So, the sanest remedy is to nip them in the bud before they sprout. Denying genocidaires and their acolytes a platform is the first step.

Opinions

EDITORIAL:At last, it's a crime to deny the Genocide against the Tutsi in France