Impunity Must Become ‘a Relic of the Past’, Secretary-General Stresses

In Message for Eighteenth Anniversary of Rwanda Genocide

 

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s video message on the eighteenth anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda, delivered on 11 April:

Today, we mark the eighteenth anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda.  We remember the more than 800,000 innocent people who lost their lives.

This year’s theme is “learning from history to shape a bright future”.  Rwanda has learned from the appalling tragedy of 1994.  So has the world.  Rwanda is making progress towards building a more peaceful and just society.  The international community is striving to ensure that similar tragedies never happen again.

The United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda delivered the first-ever verdicts in relation to genocide by an international court, and continues to pursue justice and accountability.  The International Criminal Court has become an effective deterrent for would-be perpetrators of grave crimes.

And to those who persist in suppressing their fellow citizens who cry out for dignity and freedom, we send a clear message:  justice will be done.  Impunity must become a relic of the past.  We are also working to strengthen conflict prevention and mediation, and to uphold the responsibility to protect.

Preventing genocide is a collective responsibility.  Let us continue to work together to ensure a future forever free of genocide.  This would be the most fitting way to remember those lost in Rwanda 18 years ago, and to honour the resilience of the survivors.

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For information media • not an official record