By Christiana Afua Nyarko
Accra, June 19, GNA – Ghana, Rwanda, and the United Nations Thursday reaffirmed their commitment to preventing genocide, combating hate speech and promoting peaceful coexistence as they commemorate the 32nd anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
The event, held at the newly constructed Genocide Memorial Cenotaph near the Nicholson Stadium at Burma Camp in Accra, honoured more than one million victims, as well as members of the Ghana Armed Forces serving under the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) who lost their lives during the conflict.
The ceremony featured wreath-laying by Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs; Dr Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, Rwanda’s Minister of Justice and Attorney-General; Mr Zia Choudhury, United Nations Resident Coordinator; and Mrs Rosemary Mbabazi, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Ghana.
Delivering a message from the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Choudhury described the genocide as one of the darkest chapters in modern history, recalling that more than one million people, mainly Tutsi and others who opposed the killings, were murdered within 100 days.
He said the international community failed to act decisively despite the warning signs and stressed that remembrance must go beyond mourning the dead to protecting the living through vigilance against hatred, inflammatory rhetoric and incitement to violence.
“The history of genocide has shown that prevention is possible if nations remain alert and committed to defending human dignity,” he stated.
Mr Choudhury paid tribute to the resilience of genocide survivors and praised Ghanaian peacekeepers who, despite difficult circumstances and limited resources, remained in Rwanda to protect civilians when many others withdrew.
The newly inaugurated memorial symbolised remembrance, solidarity, courage and humanity’s collective responsibility to ensure that such atrocities never occurred again, he noted.
Dr Ugirashebuja, conveying greetings from President Paul Kagame and the people of Rwanda, expressed appreciation to Ghana for its continued solidarity and support in commemorating the genocide.
He described the Genocide against the Tutsi as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of hatred, prejudice and division, stressing that remembrance remained a collective responsibility of humanity.
The genocide, he said, was not a spontaneous event but the culmination of decades of systematic discrimination, dehumanisation and divisive colonial policies that sowed ethnic divisions among Rwandans.
He recounted how colonial authorities introduced ethnic classifications and identity cards that separated citizens into artificial categories, laying the foundation for exclusion and violence.
“The genocide was carefully planned over many years through propaganda, discrimination and the institutionalisation of hatred,” he said.
Dr Ugirashebuja highlighted Rwanda’s journey of healing, reconciliation and reconstruction, noting that while the scars of the genocide remain, the resilience and determination of the Rwandan people have transformed the nation into a symbol of recovery and hope.
He urged the international community to remain vigilant against all forms of hate speech, discrimination and genocide ideology.
Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa, on his part, reiterated the need for nations to learn from past failures and strengthen institutions capable of preventing mass atrocities.
He said remembrance should inspire action to confront division, intolerance and hatred wherever they emerged.
The Foreign Affairs Minister commended Rwanda’s remarkable progress in reconciliation, nation-building and economic transformation since the genocide.
He described the country’s recovery from devastation to stability and growth as an inspiration to Africa and the wider world.
“As Africans, we must continue to draw strength from stories of resilience such as that of Rwanda. Our continent’s future depends on our commitment to peace, inclusion, justice and the dignity of every human being,” he said.
Mr Ablakwa also paid tribute to the Ghana Armed Forces for their distinguished role in international peacekeeping, noting that Ghanaian troops had consistently demonstrated professionalism, courage and dedication in protecting vulnerable populations across conflict zones.
He said the memorial would serve as a lasting reminder to future generations of the dangers of hatred and the importance of preserving peace and unity.
The commemoration formed part of Rwanda’s annual Kwibuka remembrance activities observed worldwide to honour victims of the genocide and promote efforts aimed at preventing future atrocities.
The Genocide against the Tutsi occurred between April and July 1994, during which extremist elements killed more than one million people, primarily Tutsi and moderate Hutu, in approximately 100 days.
United Nations peacekeepers, including members of the Ghana Armed Forces serving under UNAMIR, played a critical role in protecting thousands of civilians during the crisis.
The inauguration of the memorial in Accra reinforces Ghana’s longstanding commitment to international peacekeeping, remembrance and the global resolve to prevent genocide and other mass atrocities.
Rwanda has since undertaken extensive reconciliation and reconstruction efforts and annually commemorates the tragedy through Kwibuka, meaning “remembrance” in Kinyarwanda.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Reporter: Christiana Afua Nyarko
Email: [email protected]