Reject wars, genocide
The slaughter of more than a million people in Rwanda 30 years ago was the worst disaster in recent history. As the Rwandans mark this horrible anniversary, it is a moment to deeply reflect on the senseless massacres of innocent people.
The 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi was masterminded by extremist Hutu leaders and executed by the devilish Interahamwe militia. The massacre targeted the Tutsi ethnic group and moderate Hutus, whose only offence was a desire for peace and inter-ethnic harmony.
President Paul Kagame, who has been a key figure in his country’s restoration of law and order, contributing to its impressive development, has vowed that such slaughter of so many innocent people will never be allowed to occur again.
During the 100 grim days, gangs backed by the military attacked neighbourhoods in towns and villages, slaughtering their neighbours with machetes. The killings began on April 7. One of the reminders of this grim episode is the Genocide Memorial in Kigali that hosts the remains of 250,000 people.
The regional and global solidarity to track down and punish the killers and the masterminds led to the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Arusha, Tanzania, in late 1994. It did a commendable job and closed in 2015 after convicting 61 people. Some prominent suspects, who had managed to flee, were arrested in other parts of the world and put on trial. Two million people were tried and convicted in Rwanda.
President Kagame, who led the Rwandan Patriotic Army to ending the killings after 100 days, has won international praise for presiding over the restoration of peace and economic growth. But his administration has also suffered criticism by human rights activists for alleged iron-fist rule.
The African Union has appointed a special envoy for the prevention of genocide and other atrocities. The UN’s “Never Again” slogan should apply to the other wars raging elsewhere. They include the massacre of Palestinians by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Human life is precious and must be protected at all costs.
