Support for Reconciliation in Rwanda

WHEREAS, the world recently observed the tenth anniversary of the horrific genocide that took place in Rwanda; and

WHEREAS, as the fastest and most vicious genocide recorded in human history it is estimated that as many as one million lives were lost in only one hundred days; and

WHEREAS, Rwanda today is attempting to rebuild and reconcile its people; and

WHEREAS, given the enormity of this atrocity, reconciliation is undoubtedly a colossal and extremely painful task; and

WHEREAS, it is also a necessary step if Rwanda, and indeed the world, is going to move forward; and

WHEREAS, the current government has put into place a system through which Rwandans accused of participating in the genocide may be tried and justice sought; and

WHEREAS, while bringing those responsible for the genocide to justice is important in the healing process, there are several other key elements that must also be attended to if the Rwandan people are ever going to truly move forward and ensure that such horrors never occur again; and

WHEREAS, specifically, the Rwandan people and government must attain economic, political and social stability and prosperity if the reconciliation process is to be truly successful and the genocide of the past will never occur again.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP calls upon the United States Government, the United Nations and all other people, NGOs and nations throughout the world who were horrified by the 1994 genocide to do all they can to help the Rwandan people build strong economic, social and political infrastructures to assure that any such atrocity never happen again; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution be conveyed to the people of Rwanda; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP stands ready to do all it can as an NGO and as a political force within the United States, to see to it that the Rwandan genocide is neither forgotten nor repeated.