The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, António Guterres, has warned against increased hatred ahead of the commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda. “This year, we remind ourselves of genocide’s rancid root: hate,” Guterres made the statement ahead of Kwibuka 30 – the 30th commemoration of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. “We can draw a straight line between the senseless slaughter of 1 million Tutsi — as well as some Hutu and others who opposed the genocide — and the decades of hate speech that preceded it, enflamed by ethnic tensions and the long shadow of colonialism,” he said. Guterres made the observations in his message, dated March 22, for the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, observed on April 7. “On this day [April 7] in 1994, and for the nearly 100 days that followed, 1 million Tutsi children, women and men were killed by their fellow Rwandans. Families turned against families, friends became foes, and a dark spirit of intentional and brutal violence engulfed a nation,” Guterres said. Underscoring the terrible human suffering the Genocide inflicted on the victims, he expressed the need for a forever remembrance and acknowledged the resilience of survivors. “We will never forget the victims of this genocide. Nor will we ever forget the bravery and resilience of those who survived, whose courage and willingness to forgive remain a burst of light and hope amidst this dark chapter in human history,” Guterres said. ALSO READ: Reconciliation as genocide perpetrators in Bugesera are forgiven by the victims For him, hatred is a repugnant factor that leads to genocide, and must be shunned. “Today, around the world, the darkest impulses of humanity are being awakened once more by the voices of extremism, division and hate. To those who would seek to divide us, we must deliver a clear, unequivocal and urgent message: never again,” the UN boss noted. He added, “On this solemn day of remembrance, let’s pledge to stand as one against all forms of hatred and discrimination. Let’s ensure that the acts that began on 7 April 1994 are never forgotten — and never repeated. Anywhere.”
