On this 11^th December 2019, students and staff of IPRC Musanze were urged to play an active role in fighting against the genocide ideology and related crimes. It was in a public lecture delivered by Hon. Senator Prof. Kanyarukiga Ephrem in line with the commemoration of the 71^st Anniversary of the International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide celebrated on the 09^th December.  

Hon. Senator Prof. Kanyarukiga Ephrem explained the historical background of the word “genocide.” He mentioned that during the Second World War, more than six million (6,000,000) Jews were killed by a faction of Nazis led by Adolf Hitler simply because they were born Jews. In 1944, an American lawyer Raphael LEMKIN, observed these massacres and consequently coined the word “genocide”, building it from a Greek word genos which means race and the Latin word caedere which means to kill. His intention was to explain that the crime of massacre committed against the Jews is different from other crimes against humanity based on the aim of these massacres being the extermination of all Jews.

Hon. Senator Prof. Kanyarukiga Ephrem stated that on the 21^st December 1947, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted that “genocide” is an international crime that should be prosecuted at both national and international levels, although typically being carried out by individuals or States. The General Assembly also adopted the International Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in its Resolution 260 A (III) of 9^th December 1948, which came into effect from 12^th January 1951.

Like other countries, Rwanda ratified the International Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; it was on 16th April 1975 within its second republic, but then later put reserve on Article 9 of this Convention. This article stated that a country may be sued by the International Court  of the United Nations in the case that it is found not abiding to the provisions of this Convention or if genocide and related crimes are observed within this country. This reserve on article 9 indicates that the former leaders of Rwanda were aware that they could be held accountable for crimes committed against the Tutsi beginning in 1959, which could be considered as genocide.

Additionally, it verifies that Rwanda did not want to shun its policies of discrimination and segregation. These incendiary policies are what culminated into the 1994 Genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi. The Genocide against the Tutsi is an international crime recognized by the United Nations, which led to the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) that closed on 31^st December 2015 after trying 75 genocide fugitives.

Hon. Senator Prof. Kanyarukiga Ephrem called upon students and staff to always fight against the genocide ideology and it’s the related crime by participating in activities to commemorate the genocide against the Tutsi, by denouncing those who would deny or minimize the genocide; and by recording and preserving the history of the Genocide against the Tutsi in their studies and research.

The Principal of IPRC Musanze, Eng. Emile Abayisenga thanked the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide for organising the public lecture that helps students and staff, especially the youth, in the higher learning  institutions to keep in mind that they have to play an active role in fighting against genocide ideology and related crimes. He reminded the youth that they are the ones to shape the future of Rwanda by eradicating of the genocide ideology.

Rukundo Olivier, a student in Hospitality Management, stated that despite the presence of people who deny the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi, the youth of Rwanda are ready to fight against the genocide deniers. He added that the youth in higher learning institutions will always take a lead in fighting against genocide ideology. 

As we commemorate the 71^st Anniversary of the International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide reminds countries that host criminals who participated in the Genocide against the Tutsi to abide by international laws and prosecute or extradite them accordingly. Up to date, Rwanda has sent 1,144 arrest warrants against suspected genocide perpetrators around the world. The National Commission for the Fight against Genocide also reminds all countries that give space to genocide deniers, that they must respect the UN Resolution N°2150 and punish those individuals accordingly.

By Protais Niyonshima

Ag. PRCO

On this 11^th December 2019, students and staff of IPRC Musanze were urged to play an active role in fighting against the genocide ideology and related crimes. It was in a public lecture delivered by Hon. Senator Prof. Kanyarukiga Ephrem in line with the commemoration of the 71^st Anniversary of the International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide celebrated on the 09^th December.  

Hon. Senator Prof. Kanyarukiga Ephrem explained the historical background of the word “genocide.” He mentioned that during the Second World War, more than six million (6,000,000) Jews were killed by a faction of Nazis led by Adolf Hitler simply because they were born Jews. In 1944, an American lawyer Raphael LEMKIN, observed these massacres and consequently coined the word “genocide”, building it from a Greek word genos which means race and the Latin word caedere which means to kill. His intention was to explain that the crime of massacre committed against the Jews is different from other crimes against humanity based on the aim of these massacres being the extermination of all Jews.

Hon. Senator Prof. Kanyarukiga Ephrem stated that on the 21^st December 1947, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted that “genocide” is an international crime that should be prosecuted at both national and international levels, although typically being carried out by individuals or States. The General Assembly also adopted the International Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in its Resolution 260 A (III) of 9^th December 1948, which came into effect from 12^th January 1951.

Like other countries, Rwanda ratified the International Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; it was on 16th April 1975 within its second republic, but then later put reserve on Article 9 of this Convention. This article stated that a country may be sued by the International Court  of the United Nations in the case that it is found not abiding to the provisions of this Convention or if genocide and related crimes are observed within this country. This reserve on article 9 indicates that the former leaders of Rwanda were aware that they could be held accountable for crimes committed against the Tutsi beginning in 1959, which could be considered as genocide.

Additionally, it verifies that Rwanda did not want to shun its policies of discrimination and segregation. These incendiary policies are what culminated into the 1994 Genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi. The Genocide against the Tutsi is an international crime recognized by the United Nations, which led to the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) that closed on 31^st December 2015 after trying 75 genocide fugitives.

Hon. Senator Prof. Kanyarukiga Ephrem called upon students and staff to always fight against the genocide ideology and it’s the related crime by participating in activities to commemorate the genocide against the Tutsi, by denouncing those who would deny or minimize the genocide; and by recording and preserving the history of the Genocide against the Tutsi in their studies and research.

The Principal of IPRC Musanze, Eng. Emile Abayisenga thanked the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide for organising the public lecture that helps students and staff, especially the youth, in the higher learning  institutions to keep in mind that they have to play an active role in fighting against genocide ideology and related crimes. He reminded the youth that they are the ones to shape the future of Rwanda by eradicating of the genocide ideology.

Rukundo Olivier, a student in Hospitality Management, stated that despite the presence of people who deny the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi, the youth of Rwanda are ready to fight against the genocide deniers. He added that the youth in higher learning institutions will always take a lead in fighting against genocide ideology. 

As we commemorate the 71^st Anniversary of the International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide reminds countries that host criminals who participated in the Genocide against the Tutsi to abide by international laws and prosecute or extradite them accordingly. Up to date, Rwanda has sent 1,144 arrest warrants against suspected genocide perpetrators around the world. The National Commission for the Fight against Genocide also reminds all countries that give space to genocide deniers, that they must respect the UN Resolution N°2150 and punish those individuals accordingly.

By Protais Niyonshima

Ag. PRCO