Mr. Speaker, April 7 marks the 15th anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda.
The Canadian Parliament, in a unanimous motion, designated this day as a National Day of Reflection on the Prevention of Genocide, inviting us to appreciate and act upon the following lessons.
First is the danger of state-sanctioned incitement to genocide. Simply put, the genocide in Rwanda did not occur because of the machinery of death, but because of the state-sanctioned culture of hate.
Second is the danger of indifference and inaction in the face of incitement and mass atrocity. The horror of the Rwandan genocide is not only that of the genocide, but that this genocide was preventable. Nobody can say that we did not know. We knew, but we did not act.
Third is the danger of a culture of impunity. Let there be no mistake about it: Impunity always means coming down on the side of the victimizer, never on the side of the victim.
Fourth is the danger of targeted assaults on the most vulnerable of the vulnerable: the women and children.
Fifth and finally is the importance of remembering the heroic rescuers, who confronted evil and prevailed.
Jamais plus.