United Nations (TDI): The United Nations observes the 31st commemoration of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda today, marking a solemn Day of Remembrance for the victims
The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, announced, “Today we mourn the one million children, women and men slaughtered in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.”
The United Nations General Assembly declared April 7 as the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Rwandan Genocide, in 2003 and reaffirmed it in 2018.
This day serves not only as a commemoration, but also as a global call to action to avoid genocide and crimes against humanity, as well as to stand up against discrimination, intolerance, and division in all its forms.
On the 31st annual commemoration of the genocide in Rwanda, let us revisit its gruesome history.
History of the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda:
In 1994, extremist Hutu militias committed horrendous crimes that ruined families and wrecked towns. Long-standing ethnic tensions, political instability, and hateful propaganda led to the genocide. Despite warning signs, the world did not act in time to prevent or stop the atrocity.
The killing of Hutu President Juvenal Habyarimana, who died on the night of April 6, 1994, after his jet was shot down over Kigali by Hutu extremists and the Interahamwe militia, became the immediate cause of genocide.
Nearly 800,000 people of the Tutsi ethnic group were slaughtered by the Hutu militias, in a deliberate and merciless attempt to exterminate the Tutsi population. More than 250,000 women and girls were raped.
The genocide lasted for about 100 days, killing not only the Tutsi population but also some Hutu sympathizers who were against the genocide. Till this day, their graves are continued to be discovered by the people of Rwanda.
Remembering the genocide, the UN Secretary-General remarked, “This appalling chapter in human history was not a spontaneous frenzy of horrendous violence. It was intentional, premeditated, and planned — including through hate speech that inflamed division and spread lies and dehumanization. The overwhelming majority of victims were Tutsi, but also Hutu and others who opposed the genocide.”
UN Secretary General’s Call to Action:
The United Nations Secretary-General encouraged people and countries to reflect upon the actions and decisions that had led to such crimes. He further raised concern regarding the polarizations and the factors that divide people around the world.
He said, “These are days of division. The narrative of ‘us’ versus ‘them’ is ascendant, polarizing societies. Digital technologies are being weaponized to further inflame hate, stoke division, and spread lies.”
On this International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, let’s commit to be vigilant and to work together to build a world of justice and dignity for all – in honour of all the victims and survivors of the genocide. https://t.co/hn5kLfuito pic.twitter.com/ARZJNmFqWH
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) April 6, 2025
He urged the countries to learn from the “terrible history of the genocide in Rwanda, and act to stem the tide of hate speech, stop disunity and discontent mutating into violence, uphold human rights, and ensure accountability.”
Moreover, he urged all member states to follow through on their commitments made in Global Digital Compact to combat online disinformation and hatred, to comply with their responsibilities under the international humanitarian and human rights law, and to join the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
Read More: Congo, Rwanda Must Demonstrate Political Will for Peace: Pakistan
“On this day of remembrance, let’s commit to be vigilant and to work together to build a world of justice and dignity for all – in honor of all the victims, and survivors of the genocide in Rwanda,” the UN Secretary-General remarked.
In Rwanda, April 7, 2025, would be commemorated as the start of a 100-day period of the 31st annual national mourning that would last until July 4, also known as Liberation Day.
Throughout this period, National flags would be hoisted at half-mast, with no music allowed in public or on the radio, and sporting events and films would not be broadcasted on television. Bars, clubs, and public leisure facilities would also remain close for at least a week in the commemoration of 1994 genocide.
Javaria Khalid is a Web Contributor at The Diplomatic Insight Magazine. She specializes in covering geopolitical developments, international relations, diplomatic, and socio-economic developments in Europe and Pakistan.
