STATEMENT BY THE ORGANISATION OF AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC STATES (OEACP) ON THE OCCASION OF THE 27TH COMMEMORATION OF THE 1994 GENOCIDE AGAINST THE TUTSIS IN RWANDA

Brussels, 7 April 2021/OACPS: The Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OEACP) joins the worldwide community and Rwandans everywhere to commemorate the 27th anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda. On this solemn occasion, we remember and pay tribute to the men and women who lost their lives 27 years ago for no reason other than that of their ethnicity – victims of abuses perpetrated by Rwandan extremists.

Now, as then, our thoughts are with the victims of this atrocious tragedy and we pray for the survivors, the true heroes among us, as they continue to inspire us with their strength, their resilience and their determination.

We vigorously reiterate our solidarity with the moral values ​​on which our societies are founded, in particular those of humanitarianism and pacifism. Nothing can justify the tragic slaughter of human beings by others. We must therefore be vigilant and react vigorously whenever cruelty takes precedence over rationality, respect and consideration of others. We must constantly be attentive to recurring cases of extreme violence and crimes against humanity, and strengthen the preventative mechanisms.

Genocide is an extreme crime with extensive and irreversible consequences. All States must individually and collectively take appropriate measures to strengthen mechanisms to prevent such atrocities. In this fight, governments and the international community play a crucial role, in particular, to ensure the effectiveness of the protection of human rights and to develop a culture of tolerance and non-discrimination.

Through the revised Georgetown Agreement, Members of the OACPS have committed to creating peaceful environments based on the rule of law and good governance. The OACPS takes this opportunity to congratulate the Government and the people of Rwanda who, despite the tragedy experienced, 27 years ago, have shown courage and resilience to rebuild and rehabilitate their country socially, politically and economically.

Rwanda today is as famous for its economic success as it is for the permanent search for peace, stability and social harmony, which are the foundations of the sustainable development strategy implemented by President Kagame.

The commemoration of this day marks our collective duty to remember what happened 27 years ago, to jointly condemn such atrocities forever and to collectively re-commit to justice and the fight against impunity.