It’s International Genocide Prevention Day; Why is Rwanda Hero Rusesabagina still in jail?
Today marks the “International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime” or “Genocide Prevention Day.” It is also the 72nd anniversary of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the “Genocide Convention”). On the United Nations’ (UN) official website dedicated to this day, one conflict is highlighted above others. It is the 1994 Rwandan Genocide.
While the world looked on and did nothing, a few people inside Rwanda did what they could to save their family members, neighbors, coworkers, and friends. One such person is Paul Rusesabagina from Hotel Rwanda. Acting as the Manager of the Sabina Hotel Des Milles Collines, he was able to save the lives of 1,268 fellow Rwandans. His courage stood out against the barbarism that surrounded him and stood in stark contrast to the cowardice shown by the international community.
While the UN uses the Rwandan Genocide as a kind of “teachable moment,” they are actively ignoring the plight of one of the heroes of that terrible time. In August, Rusesabagina was kidnapped from Dubai, tortured, and returned to Rwanda. Once there, he was arrested and has been incarcerated ever since. He has been denied visits by the Red Cross, communication with his family, and for months he was denied the…