|
http://www.un.org/News/ In Kigali, Ban marks 20th anniversary of Rwandan genocide urging vigilance to prevent future atrocities Commemorating “one of the darkest chapters in human history,” United Nations officials paid tribute this morning to the 800,000 men, women and children – overwhelmingly Tutsi, moderate Hutu and Twa – that were systematically killed 20 years ago in Rwanda, and urged the international community to work together and remain vigilant to prevent such atrocities from ever happening again. “The blood spilled for 100 days. Twenty years later, the tears still flow,” said Ban Ki-Moon, in an address during a commemoration ceremony in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, at which the UN chief expressed his solidarity with all Rwandans as they continue their “journey of healing.” No country, no matter how tolerant on the surface, is immune from targeting the so-called other. No corner of the world, no matter how advanced, is free from opportunists who manipulate identity for political gain. The event took place in Kigali’s National Stadium Amahoro (“peace”) where, in 1994, thousands of Rwandans found refuge, barely escaping the murder and rape that stalked the country. Mr. Ban has been to Rwanda several times as UN Secretary-General, and has met survivors, listened to their stories and visited the Gisozi Memorial. Regretting the international community’s silence at the time, he declared that much more could and should have been done, adding that peacekeeping troops were withdrawn when they were most needed. “The world has yet to fully overcome its divisions, its indifference, its moral blind spots,” deplored Mr. Ban, citing the atrocities that occurred in Srebrenica in 1995, and the current conflicts in Syria and the Central African Republic. The Secretary-General underlined that “there is a truth to the human condition that is as alarming today as it was 20 years ago; the fragility of our civility. The bonds that hold us together can swiftly disappear.” “At the same time, there is progress that gives hope,” he continued, noting that under the “responsibility to protect” principle “States can no longer claim that atrocity crimes are only a domestic matter.” Citing the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) as an example, Mr. Ban added that the expansion of international criminal justice has made “leaders and warlords alike face the growing likelihood of prosecution for their crimes.” In preventing such crimes from happening in the future, he highlighted the importance of remaining vigilant: “Since genocide takes planning, human rights violations must be seen as early warning signals of conflict and mass atrocities.” “We must not be left to utter the words ‘never again’, again and again,” he said. “When you see people at risk of atrocity crimes, do not wait for instructions from afar. Speak up, even if it may offend. Act. Our first duty must always be to protect people – to protect human beings in need and distress,” Mr. Ban stressed, a message that he has shared with all UN representatives around the world, including in South Sudan where “many thousands of people are alive today thanks to this open gates approach.” “No country, no matter how tolerant on the surface, is immune from targeting the so-called other. No corner of the world, no matter how advanced, is free from opportunists who manipulate identity for political gain.” The Secretary-General went on to pay tribute to the people of Rwanda, for “[showing] the world another essential truth: the power of the human spirit.” “The resilience of the survivors almost defies belief,” he said at the Kigali event, echoing a different statement released earlier today in which he admired the Rwandans ability to “unite and show that reconciliation is possible even after a monumental tragedy.” “I encourage Rwanda to continue deepening democracy and protecting human rights so that Rwanda’s future is one of freedom, dignity, security and opportunity for all,” he concluded, urging “the wider Great Lakes region to expand upon your efforts to strengthen prevention and cooperation towards regional stability and harmony.”
|
|
|
