STOP DENIAL OF THE 1994 GENOCIDE AGAINST THE TUTSI, IN QUEENSLAND PARLIAMENT

Dear Mr Speaker,
We wish to write to you on behalf of the names listed from the Rwandan-Australian community around Australia and from around the world, to express deep concern and our strongest objection to the use of the Queensland Parliament Hall by the group who refer to themselves as “Rwandan Association of Queensland Inc” for the event themed “Never Again, Annual Rwanda Genocide Commemoration” set for Saturday 7th May 2022.

Members of the “Rwandan Association of Queensland Inc” are vocal and emboldened advocates of double genocide theory, and therefore for double genocide, a form of genocide denial. Their commitment to falsely propagating an alternative narrative, that the events of 1994 were not a genocide against the Tutsi, rather a genocide of both Tutsi and Hutu, reflect a clear case of genocide revisionism.

We view that the tacit support for this event, demonstrated by hosting this formal function on the grounds of Queensland Parliament House, reflect a continuation of genocide, i.e., the third stage, “denial”.

Regarding the 1994 Genocide, Human Rights Watch have described it as ‘exceptional in in its brutality, in its speed, and in the meticulous organisation with which Hutu extremists set out to destroy the Tutsi minority.’

Speaking further on the Genocide at the General Assembly of the United Nations in 2018, Valentine Rugwabiza emphasised that,

“The more than 1 million people who perished in the genocide were killed in the most horrendous conditions because they belonged to a group that was dehumanized and targeted for total extermination.”

In an extract from a letter written by the Rwandan High Commissioner of London, to the University of Edinburgh, he explained,   In 2006 the United Nations, International Criminal Tribunal (ICTR) Appeals Chamber issued a decision on judicial notice in the Karemera et al. case (ICTR-98-44) and stated,

"There is no reasonable basis for anyone to dispute that, during 1994, there was a campaign of mass killings intended to destroy, in whole or at least in very large part, Rwanda's Tutsi population [...] The fact of the Rwandan genocide is a part of world history, a fact as certain as any other, a classic instance of a 'fact of common knowledge." [Thus], on the January 26th, 2018, the United Nations officially adopted the title to mark the 7t April as the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda."

The names attached to this petition from the Australian-Rwandan community around Australia and accross the world,  therefore reiterate their strong objection to the use of the Queensland Parliament Hall in what could only be viewed as support for the well documented existence of genocide denialists and propagandists of the double genocide campaign for denying of genocide against the Tutsi.

Further, Honourable Members of Parliament, we draw to your attention that on the 26th January 2018, the General Assembly of the United Nations reached consensus on the Resolution that the 7th of April be marked as the kwibuka , or the, International Day of Reflection against the Tutsi in Rwanda (recalling also that Hutu and others who opposed it were killed). This date reflects the 7th of April 1994 when the atrocities and genocide began, and was supported by Australia under resolution 58/234, and further supported in the amendment to the resolution 74/273 on the 20th April 2020.

The members listed here of Rwandan-Australian community around Australia as well as Rwandans from accross the world, state unequivocally that there can be no legitimate case for the commemoration on the 7th of May 2022 and any effort to do so stands in contravention to the UN resolution, Australia’s stated support, and the International consensus reached. This event not only falls outside of the recognised and sanctioned dates and time set aside by International consensus, but most significantly the intention for the kwibuka , to mark the anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

We endorse the ongoing efforts by diplomatic missions and communities internationally to combat the rising genocide denial across the world. We share the view that, “Denial is part of genocide” and we see it as our responsibility to raise awareness and advocate for Justice. Further, we raise serious concern that genocide denial, double genocide theory, and genocide revisionism contravene the Australian Racial Discrimination Act. As is the case for the denial of the Jewish Holocaust, neither the Act nor any other Australian law expressly prohibit Holocaust denial. However, section 18C provides that it is unlawful for a person [or group] to publicly “do an act” that is reasonably likely to “offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate” a person or group of people, if “the act is done because of the race, colour, or national or ethnic origin” of the person or group.

We therefore argue that a potential Queensland Government hosted and sanctioned event, for a rogue group recognised as double genocides advocates stands to “offend”, “insult”, “humiliate” and “intimidate”, and cause further harm to a community of Rwandan Australians still in the process of healing.

We urge the Honourable Members of Parliament respectfully and equally in the strongest possible terms to please reconsider your decision to allow this event to take place on parliamentary grounds. Groups who reach out to Government in such a fashion to organise what appear to be “official” commemorations seek to co-opt Government, unknowingly, as deliberate attempts to “formalise” and “legitimate” their agenda, namely a counter narrative around genocide revisionism.

We urge that you act in accordance with Australia’s expressed commitment and International consensus, and in light of the deep pain and suffering that efforts to deny the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda cause members of the Rwandan diasporic community in Australia (particularly the Tutsi minority and including also those Hutu and others who opposed and suffer in solidarity with us).

One immediate solution we offer for the Queensland Government, is to review their terms of reference for engaging with the Australian Rwandan Community. We would suggest this could best be done via consultation with both the Honorary Consul-General, The Republic of Rwanda in the Commonwealth of Australia and the High Commissioner, Republic of Rwanda in Singapore, along with community Elders. We are relying on your leadership, understanding, and swift action on this issue.