The African Union Commission chairperson Monday described the Rwandan genocide as a murderous insanity which scaled the heights of human barbarity.
I would like to reiterate this appeal to the consciousness of mankind:
Voicing the slogan “Never Again”…… “Never Again” Mahamoud Ali Youssouf warned that ”our common humanity should suffer no complacency or relaxation in the face of reprehensible situations of genocide, ethnic cleansing, or crime against humanity on our continent and around the world”.
He was opening events in Addis Ababa remembering the worst genocide of the second half of the 20 century, which took place in Rwanda and led to the death of 1 million Tutsis and moderate Hutus at the hands of a Hutu-led government between April and July 1994.
Mahamoud Ali Youssouf said the mass massacre may have been ”the result of failed governance, political manipulation and Gregorian ethnic-religious conflicts”.
He however claimed that after 30 years the stigma of genocide has dissipated as Rwanda is cited as an example of socio-economic development which was evident when he attended a Global Summit on Artificial Intelligence in Kigali last month.
”What a journey we have come! This is remarkable” he added but pointed out that remembering Rwanda’s painful past was aimed at avoiding repeating it.
”Rule of law, justice and equity in a society represent the guarantee of social peace and peaceful coexistence among communities. On the other hand, I remain convinced that the African Union has a central role to play in preventing and resolving this type of crisis” he said.
Youssouf said ”if multilateralism today seems to be warmed up by a perpetually changing world, it is our duty to reaffirm its importance and defend its relevance and legitimacy”.
You will remember that in the wake of major global crises, in 1930 and 1945, nations came together to agree on a multilateral platform to preserve world peace and organize world affairs in their various components.
However despite helping to maintain global peace and security decades after the end of the Second World War, the genocide reminds ”of the failure of this multilateral system in such circumstances” and urged the need for vigilance, reactivity in the rapid early warning and prevention systems.
The AUC chairperson expressed African solidarity with Rwandan President Paul Kagamé in the drive to usher his country on the road to peace, reconciliation and development.
The genocide remembrance began as a day of solemn introspection in Arusha, Tanzania, and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where commemoration events were under way on Monday morning.
They include a so-called Walk to Remember, religious prayers, lighting of the Flame of Remembrance and the laying of wreaths at the monument at the East African Community headquarters dedicated to the genocide. This was accompanied by a commemoration song, a documentary and a minute silence observed in memory of the victims.
WN/as/APA