Digital technologies can play a critical role in combating genocide denial, experts including the one United Nations have said. “We have to use genocide education by preventing any atrocity which can happen, we have to educate young people about what happened in Rwanda, Genocide against the Tutsi, and about the holocaust too and use media literacy to halt deniers,” said Castro Wesamba, Chief of Office, United Nations on Genocide Prevention the Responsibility to Protect. He was speaking last week during a webinar on how digital technologies can be leveraged in the battle against genocide denial. His remarks come at the time genocide deniers, especially in western countries are increasingly using digital technologies to perpetuate the genocide ideology Wesamba proposes that tech companies work with genocide survivors and other stakeholders in countering Genocide denial. “As the Genocide against the Tutsi is denied through online platforms, everyone with a brain can see through the deniers false narratives but I’m now realizing how it is important not only to engage these people but also to inform all people about the true story of the Genocide against Tutsi, to prevent reoccurrence,” he added. Other panellists also emphasised the need for education, media literacy and raising collective consciousness in condemning and preventing Genocide denial. “Social media is a key to admonish Genocide denial…people who use technology in denying must know that it is a crime,” Zachary Kaufman, Professor of law and political science at the University of Houston Law Centre said. In addition, he explained, there was need for international laws on the fight against Genocide denial. Genocide, he added, was not something people can express their freedom on. Sara Brown, Executive Director of the centre for Holocaust, Human rights and Genocide education said that with most Rwandans under the age of 25, the young generation must be educated and given accurate information about Genocide against the Tutsi. The centre is designed to educate, inspire and empower individuals to stand up against injustice. According to Lonzen Rugira, a Rwandan Researcher and Public Affair Commentator, countering Genocide deniers must be done at every level to foster collective consciousness on both national and international stage. “When we are doing this conversation and campaigns, we are avoiding the reoccurrence of the Genocide anywhere,” Rugira added. Rugira pointed out that the young deniers are were positioning themselves as “legitimate” activists He added that these denials, which are proliferating on social media platforms such as YouTube and Twitter have financers. We will not accept any “democracy” which mocks Genocide survivors. The conversations were part of the annual commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi. According to National Commission for fighting against Genocide Ideology (CNLG), more and more deniers were turning to social media to perpetuate the Genocide ideology. “Social media is becoming the new platform for denial. It is now the main weapon and those who do it are aware that it is the only weapon they have. Genocide denial is equivalent to committing genocide crimes,” CNLG statement said in February.
