UN reflects on the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda

António Guterres joined survivors, diplomats and civil society members for the annual ceremony in the UN General Assembly Hall to mourn the lives lost in this “chilling chapter in human history” and to prevent it from ever happening again.

He recalled that the genocide occurred at terrifying speed.

The atrocities took place over 100 days, starting on 7 April 1994.  Some one million children, women and men were killed.  While the overwhelming majority were Tutsi, Hutu and others who opposed the genocide also were slaughtered. 

Collective failure to act

“This was not a spontaneous frenzy of horrendous violence,” he said.

“It was intentional. It was premeditated. It was planned, including through the hate speech that inflamed division, and spread lies and dehumanization. And it was the...
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