President Paul Kagame received Lt Gen (rtd) Romeo Dallaire, founder of the Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace, and Security, a global partnership with the mission to end the recruitment and use of children in war. They met at Kagame’s office at Urugwiro Village Tuesday, August 15. The institute has established a Centre of Excellence in Rwanda through which retired Rwandan military and police officers have trained 15,000 security forces in the region. ALSO READ: Romeo Dallaire pays tribute to Genocide victims As part of his visit, Dallaire, who was the commander of the United Nations forces in Rwanda during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, on Friday paid tribute to more than 250,000 Genocide victims who are interred at the Kigali Memorial. As commander of UN forces in Rwanda from 1993-1994, who had seen the Genocide unfold, Dallaire asked for permission to intervene, which he was denied. ALSO READ: Rwanda, Dallaire Institute recommit to end use of child soldiers in Africa ALSO READ: Canadian General relives Rwanda experience in new book He wrote about his experience in Rwanda as a UN commander in his 2003 book “Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda.” Since his retirement, the former Canadian senator has devoted himself to humanitarian work, advocating for military veterans and championing the prevention of the use of children in armed conflicts.
