The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, on Wednesday made case for concerted efforts to tackle hate-driven movements as he joined Rwanda to mark the 27th commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Guterres was speaking during a virtual commemoration event on the same day Rwanda kicked off 100 days of commemorating the genocide in which over a million innocent lives were lost. Since 2008, the United Nations designated April 7 as an International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. In his remarks, Guterres noted that everyone must take a hard look at today’s world and ensure that the same history doesn’t repeat itself. “Today, around the globe, people are threatened by extremist groups determined on boosting their ranks through social polarization and political and cultural manipulation,” he said. “While the technology and techniques that extremists use are evolving, the vile messages and rhetoric remain the same.” The dehumanization of communities, misinformation and hate speech are stoking the fires of violence, he noted. Rwandans rebuilt from the ashes Speaking about the Genocide against the Tutsi, Guterres pointed out that Rwandans experienced on of the most painful chapters in modern human history, citing that the “people of Rwanda rebuilt from the ashes”. He said: “We saw what happened in Rwanda in 1994, and we know the horrific consequences when hate is allowed to prevail. After suffering unspeakable gender-based violence and discrimination, Rwanda’s women now hold more than 60 per cent of parliamentary seats – making Rwanda a world leader”, Guterres highlighted that Rwandans have shown the world the power of justice and reconciliation and the possibility of progress. “On this solemn Day, let us all commit to building a world guided by human rights and dignity for all,” he reiterated. The world failed the people of Rwanda. “Twenty-seven years ago began one of humankind’s darkest chapters: the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. More than one million people were slaughtered – women and men, infants and children. Many others were injured, raped and traumatized. The scale and impact of this atrocity are overwhelming,” said Tatiana Valovaya Director-General of the United Nations at Geneva. Based on this, and other different examples, Valovaya said that in their greatest hour of need, the world failed the people of Rwanda. “We need to ensure that the individual stories of the survivors become our shared memory and serve as the basis for action,” she asserted.
