TO mark the 30th anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, released a statement, in which he warned against dehumanising hatred, incitement and discrimination, and reminded States of the need to do everything in their power to prevent the crime of genocide worldwide.
Mr. Turk’s statement in full:
Ahead of the 30th anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, I grieve the more than one million men, women and children who were killed in cold blood in barely 100 days – the vast majority of them Tutsi, and some Hutu, Twa and others who courageously opposed the genocide. The victims must never be forgotten.
I also salute the many hundreds of thousands of survivors for their bravery. Their resilient pursuit of justice, unity and reconciliation over the decades should inspire us all.
I urge States everywhere to redouble their efforts to bring all surviving suspected perpetrators to justice – including through universal jurisdiction – and to combat hate speech and incitement to commit genocide. The Rwandan genocide may have erupted on 7 April 1994, but it was rooted in years of dehumanising hatred, incitement and discrimination.
The tragic events of 1994 in Rwanda should forever shock the conscience of humanity and be a constant reminder to States of the need to do everything in their power to prevent the crime of genocide worldwide.