Greene County Democrat

Tag: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

  • Newswire: UN chief joins Rwandese to denounce ‘deliberate, systematic’ use of genocide

    Poster on genocide in Rwanda

    Apr. 11, 2022 (GIN) – Speaking by video on the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the world community to choose humanity over hatred; compassion over cruelty; courage over complacency and reconciliation over rage.
     
    If anyone missed the underlying message, the U.N. chief had quietly linked the horror of the genocide of one million Rwandans to the “sickening violence” now taking place in the Ukraine. While we honor the memory of those who died, he said poignantly, “we must reflect on our failures as an international community.”
     
    As the Secretary-General spoke, Rwandan President Paul Kagame on April 7 laid a wreath at a memorial site in the capital, Kigali, where more than 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutu were killed. The ceremony marked the beginning of a week of somber events.
     
    “Imagine people being hunted down day and night for who they are,” the President said. “Also imagine if those of us who were carrying arms, if we had allowed ourselves to pursue those who were killing our people indiscriminately.”
     
    “First of all, we would be right to do so. But we didn’t. We spared them. Some of them are still living today, in their homes, villages. Others are in government and business.”
     
    The Secretary-General drew attention to the principle of Responsibility to Protect; his Call to Action, which puts human rights at the heart of the organization. “I have placed the agenda of prevention at the center of our work”.
     
    Yet, he added, “much more could have – and should have – been done. A generation after the events, the stain of shame endures.”
     
    “Rwanda today stands as a powerful testament of the human spirit’s ability to heal even the deepest wounds and emerge from the darkest depths to rebuild a stronger society”, he continued. After having suffered “unspeakable gender-based violence”, women in Rwanda now hold 60 percent of parliamentary seats.
     
    And Rwanda is the fourth largest UN peacekeeping contributor, which Mr. Guterres said was helping to spare others, “the pain they themselves have known.”
     
    Meanwhile, Ukraine is in flames; old and new conflicts are festering in the Middle East, Africa and beyond – while the Security Council is agreeing “mostly to disagree”.
     
    While looking back with remorse, the Secretary-General urged everyone to look ahead “with resolve” and commit to “be ever vigilant” and never forget.
     
    “Let us pay meaningful tribute to the Rwandans who perished by building a future of dignity, tolerance, and human rights for all,” he concluded.
     
    “We always have a choice,” he said, “and perpetrators can no longer assume impunity.”
     

  • Newswire : World leaders flock to U.N. ‘Peace Summit” to rebuke ‘America First’ and unveil statue honoring Mandela

     Pres. C. Ramaphosa of South Africa at left and UN Secy Gen. A. Guterres on right unveil statue of Nelson

    Mandela Sept. 24, 2018 (GIN) – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa couldn’t be prouder as he unveiled a life-size statue of Nelson Mandela on the eve of the U.N. General Assembly and the opening of a day-long ‘peace summit’ with nearly 160 scheduled speakers . The statue is a gift to the United Nations from South Africa. “The people of our country, united in their diversity, revere Nelson Mandela as the founding father of our democratic nation,” he said to a gathering of U.N. delegates, “whose life, sacrifices and extraordinary contribution to freedom continues to inspire successive generations.” Mandela’s arms are outstretched, as if to embrace people everywhere. The Nelson Mandela Peace Summit marks the centenary of Mandela’s birth. The years 2019-2028 will be declared the “Nelson Mandela Decade of Peace,” and world leaders will be asked to “redouble efforts to pursue international peace and security, development and human rights”. This year also marks President Ramaphosa’s inaugural participation in the General Assembly as head of state where he will outline South Africa’s domestic and foreign policy goals including the long-awaited land reform program. The original plan, including expropriation without compensation, appears to be headed for an uphill battle with some economists saying this would violate the Constitution. Shortly after the statue unveiling, President Donald Trump arrived in the building and made a brief appearance at a separate event on fighting the global scourge of illegal drugs. According to the IRIN news agency, heads of delegations were told to sign a non-negotiable text to appear at the photo-op with Trump. At least 124 agreed, but several high-profile holdouts refused, and the EU has drawn up its own dueling letter. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres acknowledged the world is far from achieving Mandela’s ideals which also include human rights and global cooperation. “Today, with human rights under growing pressure around the world, we would be well served by reflecting on the example of this outstanding man,” Guterres said referring to Madiba. “We need to face the forces that threaten us with the wisdom, courage and fortitude that Nelson Mandela embodied.” Pres. Trump will also preside over a Security Council meeting on Wednesday.

  • Newswire : Rwandans ‘remember, renew and unite’ on anniversary of genocide

    Rwanda genoecid.jpg
    Rwandan people observe anniversary of 1994 genocide

    Apr. 9, 2018 (GIN) – Rwandans at home and abroad marked the April 1994 Genocide that took the lives of more than a million Rwandans in just 100 days.

    In Kenya, hundreds of Rwandan citizens held a procession in Nairobi. Ambassador James Kimonyo said the walk offered a time to reflect on what happened in 1994, why it happened and what they should do to ensure that the incident does not happen again.

    Marking the anniversary in Nigeria, Rwandan High Commissioner Stanislas Kamanzi praised the resilience of the Rwandan spirit that has aided the reconciliation and development of the nation.

    At home in Kigali, Rwandan President Paul Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame and the dean of the foreign diplomatic corps laid a wreath at the mass grave that houses more than 250,000 remains of the genocide victims.

    On Saturday, Apr. 7, hundreds of youth joined in a “Walk to Remember” from the Rwandan parliamentary building to Amahoro National Stadium in Kigali for a candlelight service.

    The activities officially last a week, but the commemoration continues up to July 4. No form of entertainment is allowed during the main commemoration week from April 7 to 13.

    UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres commented: “States have a fundamental responsibility to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity”.

    “It is imperative that we unite to prevent such atrocities from occurring, and that the international community sends a strong message to perpetrators that they will be held accountable. To save people at risk, we must go beyond words.

    “Today, we remember all those who were murdered and reflect on the suffering of the survivors, who have shown that reconciliation is possible, even after a tragedy of such monumental proportions.

    The head of the National Commission for Fight against Genocide, Dr Jean Damascene Bizimana, restated that the massacre began long before the 100 days when former president Habyarimana began using anti-Tutsi rhetoric to consolidate his power.

    “Even those who don’t commemorate with us know the truth,” said President Kagame. “As we say in Kinyarwanda, ‘truth goes through fire and remains intact’.”