The President of Central African Republic (CAR), Faustin Archange Touadera, on April 7, joined the Rwandan military and Police peacekeepers as well as the Rwandan community in his country in activities to mark the 24th
commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
In his commemoration message delivered by the Prime Minister Patrice Sarandji, President Touadera, who lit the Flame of Remembrance and laid wreath in honour of over one million innocent lives killed in a period of one hundred days, said that “this is an example of the failure of the international community.”
“Every time we meet here to remember, our memories are refreshed by failures of the international community in Rwanda in 1994. We also look back and imagine what would have happened if peacekeepers in our country [CAR] decided to abandon us… we would also be in the same situation like Rwanda,” Sarandji said.
He thanked the Rwandan peacekeepers for their role in restoring peace and security in CAR. He further called for teamwork of all peacekeepers under MINUSCA and said that his country will always be part of Rwanda to remember those that perished and to ensure that such never happens again.
The commemoration was also attended by the President of the National Assembly and the cabinet of CAR, MINUSCA Force Commander and Police Commissioner, peacekeepers from other countries as well as the Rwandan community in CAR.
The Deputy Representative of the UN-Secretary General to MINUSCA, Kenneth Gluck, said that despite the tragic history, Rwanda managed to rise against all odds, guided by her spirit of unity.
