GLOBAL FORUM'S DECLARATION READ DURING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION

14:09, 24.04.2015
Region:World News, Armenia, Turkey
Theme: Politics

Rwandan Genocide survivor Esther Mujawayo read out the Global
Forum's Declaration in the official ceremony of the Armenian Genocide
Centennial Commemoration on Friday.

"Your Excellencies, Your Beatitudes, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am Esther Mujawayo, survivor of the Genocide against Tutsis
in Rwanda in 1994. I have an honour to partake in this historic
Centennial commemoration of the Armenian Genocide which has attracted
the attention of the entire international community.

It is very important that we stand by our Armenian sisters and brothers
sharing their pain, their struggle, and of course their rebirth.

As one of the participants of the Global Forum Against the Crime
of Genocide, held in Yerevan over the last two days, I would like
to extend our gratitude to the government and people of Armenia for
furthering prevention agenda and raising public awareness to combat the
crime of genocide and reach the noble goal of its complete exclusion.

We hope that Armenia would successfully continue this initiative
aimed at our collective duty to protect our children, our societies
from the scourge of the crime of crimes- the genocide.

It is my privilege to present to your attention the Yerevan Declaration
of the Global Forum.

Global Forum Against the Crime of Genocide 23 April 2015

The Global Forum

Paying tribute to the memory of the innocent victims of the Armenian
Genocide, the genocide of Greeks and Assyrians, Holocaust, the
genocides in Rwanda, Cambodia, Darfur and other crimes against
humanity,

Recalling the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, the UN Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of
the Crime of Genocide, Being concerned about the recurring cases of
genocides and crimes against humanity, despite the existing appropriate
international prevention mechanisms,

Being also concerned about recent alarming outspread of violence,
extremism and terrorism in different regions of the world directly
threatening the ethnic and religious minorities, Bearing in mind the
emergence and the evolution of the international criminalization of
genocide in the international law,

Having discussed the issues of impunity, individual and state
accountability for the crime of genocide, the appropriate means of
addressing the consequences of this crime, Noting the importance of
the global struggle against genocides and crimes against humanity,

Emphasizing the role that various governments, parliaments,
international organizations and civil society have in the prevention
of genocide and their contribution to fostering prevention mechanisms,

- Acknowledges that genocide is the ultimate crime with irreversible
consequences, and calls upon all states to bring their utmost
contribution to the strengthening of genocide prevention mechanisms,

- Reaffirms that the primary genocide prevention mechanisms remain
the ones existing in the framework of the United Nations and welcomes
the adoption of UN Human Rights Council resolution on March 27,
2015 entitled "Prevention of Genocide",

- Stresses that genocide prevention depends on the efficiency of
human rights protection, the strength of the culture of tolerance
and non-discrimination,

- Recognizes that denial, in particular on a state level, is
unacceptable and underlines that timely condemnation of genocides
and efficiently addressing their consequences may serve as important
tools for prevention and reconciliation,

- Calls upon the international community on the eve of the Centennial
commemorations of the Armenian Genocide to support the continuous
efforts aimed at its worldwide recognition.

Thank you!"

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress