On the occasion of the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda Towards a world free of genocide
7 April 2019
To commemorate the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda, the Amman Center for Human Rights Studies calls for the implementation of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
The rhetoric of hatred and violence based on ethnic intolerance in Rwanda a quarter of a century ago, saw around 800,000 people killed within three months. Unfortunately, the discourse was based on religious, ethnic or sectarian fanaticism, with the connotations of hatred and the promotion of extremism and violent extremism, and continues to spread in some parts of the world, threatening the recurrence of genocide in some continents.
The Amman Center for Human Rights Studies therefore appeals to all States to shoulder their responsibilities in implementing the provisions of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention of Genocide, in addition to their accountability for protection in accordance with the 2009 report of the Secretary-General.
The Center affirms that respect for, as well as the promotion and protection of human rights, the enjoyment of the right to self-determination and to uphold the values of freedom, justice, equality, the governance of the rule of law and the enjoyment of all rights by citizens, will all discourage the rhetoric of hatred and intolerance that incites terrorism including violent terrorism.
The center appreciates the French president Macron’s declaration to announce the 7th of april as a memorial day for the Rwandan genocide. Also, ACHRS appreciates the announcement of the French president to open “the whole archive of France” for the period of 1990-1994 to historians. This will help to uncover the truth around the accusation of the Rwandan authorities towards France’s involvement with the Hutu regime towards the genocide campaign.
The Amman Center for Human Rights Studies (ACHRS) as a think tank has been a consultative body of the UN Economic and Social Council since 2006.
