Mr Charles Abani, the United Nations Resident Coordinator, has urged Africans to coexist peacefully and use alternative ways to resolve differences rather than violence.
“There are other ways to resolve differences. We must stand united. Let us celebrate our diversity and learn to live in plurality and recognise our shared humanity. What binds us together is more than what divides us,” he said.
Mr Abani gave the advice on Thursday at a symposium organised by the Rwanda High Commission on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda.
The Rwanda Genocide which happened 30 years ago is remembered as one of the darkest periods in the history of humanity.
It marked the brutal killing of more than one million Tutsis and some Hutus during a 100-day period from April to mid-July 1994.
The slaughter was only halted when the Rwandan Patriotic Front took Kigali and defeated the genocidaires, establishing a Government of National Unity on July 19, 1994.
Mr Abani said the horrors of that dark chapter served as a reminder of the consequences of hatred, division and indifference.
“We are indebted to both victims and survivors. It is imperative that we pay memory and tribute to the victims and those who stood up against the injustice.”
“We must recognise the remarkable resilience of survivors who have shown remarkable strength in rebuilding their lives.”
He urged Africans to reflect on the incident and learn valuable lessons about tolerance and respect for one another.
Mr Abani urged Ghanaians to set up vigilance and early warning systems to address hate speech ahead of the 2024 General Election.
“Hate speech is a precursor to violence and we must actively counter it in all its forms. Genocide is never unleashed without a warning. We must maintain vigilance and strengthen our early warning systems so that we can prevent violence from occurring or intervene effectively before it escalates,” he said.
He called for education of the younger generation about the consequences of hatred and intolerance.
Madam Rosemary Mbabazi, High Commissioner of Rwanda to Ghana, said the symposium was an opportunity for Rwandans and other Africans to recommit themselves to the fight against genocide.
She said it was also to counter narratives seeking to misrepresent facts of the Rwanda genocide.
“In deliberating on this history, we defeat efforts to wipe evidence of the existence of these victims and that these atrocities ever happened. The victims are remembered. They deserve our tribute and dignity. Hopefully, our deliberation will equip more of us to be agents of unity, defenders of truth and upholders of human dignity,” she said.
She said five years ago, mortal remains of over 100,000 victims were exhumed and given a befitting burial, thereby allowing their relatives to get closure.
The High Commissioner called for the inclusion of these historical events and lessons into academia at all levels to educate students.
Professor Samuel K. Bonsu, Rector of Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), said Africans must acknowledge the pain and suffering the victims endured and ensure that their stories were never forgotten.
“We’re here to commemorate one of the darkest chapters in the history of humankind. This is a solemn occasion. One that demands our reflection, empathy, unwavering commitment to ensuring that such stark events never happen again.”
He urged all and sundry to uphold the principles of justice, equity, equality and human dignity.
He praised Rwanda for fostering reconciliation, showing remarkable strength and determination to build their country after the genocide.
Also present at the symposium were Major Gen (Rtd) Henry Kwami Anyidoho, Ghana Senior Army Officer and Deputy Force Commander and Chief of Staff for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda in 1994; Mr. Denis Karera, (Rtd) Deputy Inspector General of Rwanda National Police and Honorary Consul of Ghana in Rwanda and Dr. Odette Nyiramilimo, Survivor of the Genocide against the Tutsis.
These personalities took turns to give first-hand narratives of how events unfolded in Rwanda during the genocide.
