United Nations Radio

Preventing genocide is a collective responsibility and only by meeting this challenge can we match the resolve of the survivors and truly honour the memory of those who died in Rwanda 15 years ago.

Observance of the Rwandan Genocide

That's what Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in a message on the observance of the Rwandan genocide Tuesday.

The Secretary-General says the resounding voices of survivors touch us in ways that no other words could. Yet, he adds, the silence of the more than 800,000 innocent victims still haunts our collective conscience.

Secretary-General Ban says the United Nations continues its vital work to avert future tragedies. He says the Organization has intensified its focus on conflict prevention, and built up its mediation capacity.

He says the UN is doing more to protect civilians caught in conflict. The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and other international courts are sending a strong signal that the world will not tolerate impunity for gross violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. At the same time, his Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide monitors the world for signs of potential problems.

And the "responsibility to protect" doctrine is bolstering UN prevention, protection, response and rebuilding mechanisms.

Donn Bobb, United Nations Radio.

(duration: 1'10")