Yesterday, thirteen years after some 800,000 Rwandans were murdered, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for “a global partnership against genocide.”
The post of UN Special Adviser for the Prevention of Genocide — currently held by Juan E. Méndez of Argentina — will be upgraded to a full-time position, Mr. Ban said in a message marking the anniversary of the start of the genocide.
The UN Advisory Committee on Genocide Prevention will also be boosted, the Secretary-General said, adding that Africa has taken its own steps as well, such as the proposed Pact on Security, Stability and Development for the Great Lakes Region, which contains measures on genocide prevention and punishment.
Ban said “Preventing genocide is a collective and individual responsibility…Everyone has a role to play: governments, the media, civil society organizations, religious groups, and each and every one of us.”