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Minister Biruta addresses senators over Genocide deniers abroad

Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Vincent Biruta, says there is a growing concern for deniers of the Genocide against the Tutsi, especially in Europe and North America.

In a keynote address entitled “The Role of Rwandan Embassies in Combating Denial and distortion of the Genocide against the Tutsi,” Minister Biruta noted that genocide deniers use current communication technology through social media and other types of online media and conferences to disseminate hate, ethnic divisions and genocide denial.

Those who do so through various means include those who say they are exercising their right to the freedom of expression and that’s how they completely deny the Genocide against the Tutsi, distort the history and emphasise that there were two genocides in Rwanda.

Minister Biruta said that in response to the issue, anti-genocide denial conferences or lectures are regularly organized, and Genocide memorials are being set up in foreign countries.

The Chairperson of the Commission on Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Security in the Senate of Rwanda Bideri John Bonds and other senators in general have indicated that there is a need to step up efforts to address the issue.

“It is important to continue to reach out to countries that do not have laws that punish those who deny the Genocide against the Tutsi. Genocide Deniers want to destroy the unity of Rwandans and to continue their goal of exterminating the Rwandan people as they have done, which is why we fight against them. ” Bideri said

Senator Emmanuel Havugimana said, “We often mention these countries that have given us genocide suspects to be tried, but when you look at the list of countries that issued them, they don’t have many. “

“Many genocide perpetrators are in African countries, when given the number of African countries that have already handed over them for the trial, there are very few, those who have committed the genocide are in countries not far from us, in the 4 neighboring countries, Congo Brazzaville, Gabon, Malawi … I wonder what the role of African countries is or if the African Union discusses the issue. Those countries should know that they are hosting the Genocide suspects.”