U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken used the 29th commemoration of the genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda to make a social media call for genocide prevention.
In his April 7 Twitter post, Blinken referred to Kwibuka 29 that day, with "Kwibuka" meaning "to remember." The observance lasts until July 4, marking the annual 100-day commemoration period that remembers the estimated 800,000 people, mostly Tutsis, killed in the spring of 1994.
"The U.S. stands with Rwanda during Kwibuka 29 in remembering the Tutsi victims of genocide," Blinken said in his Twitter post. "We also mourn the others who were murdered for their opposition to a genocidal regime. Let us recommit to preventing the horror of genocide from occurring again."
KT Press reported about survivors who gathered at the at the École Technique Officielle Kicukiro site of memory in Rwanda where a number of the genocide victims began a death march to a garbage dump on a ridge overlooking the city and killed. Survivors expressed frustration and disappointment with the United Nations for its failure to prevent the genocide, according to the April 12 article.
The survivors also accused the U.N. of betraying their trust and neglecting its responsibility to protect innocent civilians, despite having received warnings ahead of the violence, KT Press reported. The survivors called for the U.N. to acknowledge its role in the genocide and to take steps to ensure such atrocities do not happen again.
The survivors' grievances were expressed during a commemoration ceremony held as part of Kwibuka 29, according to KT Press.
Rwanda President Paul Kagame used the same occasion to criticize the international community for its failure to intervene during the genocide and for turning a blind eye to the atrocities committed, KT Press reported April 7. He emphasized the importance of continued efforts toward reconciliation and development in Rwanda.
It was after the genocide that the U.S. provided support to Rwanda, including humanitarian aid, support for the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda to prosecute those responsible for the genocide and military training and equipment to the Rwandan Patriotic Army, according to a 1999 Human Rights Watch report. In more recent years, the U.S. has provided economic and development assistance to Rwanda, including funding for health programs, education initiatives and infrastructure projects.
In a statement from the UN, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres referred to the shared responsibility of all UN member nations to prevent genocide, crimes against humanity, war crime and other serious violations of international law. Guterres urged people of all nations to stand firm against rising intolerance, remain vigilant and be ready to act when necessary.
Guterres concluded his remarks by calling on everyone to honor the memory of the Rwandan victims by building a future based on dignity, security, justice and human rights for all, the UN statement reported.
"We recognize the journey of the Rwandan people toward healing, restoration and reconciliation. And we remember – with shame – the failure of the international community," Guterres said in the statement.
