The government has been urged to take serious measures in resolving
the emerging religious tensions in the country before heightened
animosities of people of various faiths tear apart.
The call was made in Dar es Salaam yesterday by former Organisation
of African Unity secretary general Dr Salim Ahmed Salim as guest of
honour at the 19th commemoration of Rwanda Genocide.
He said although government leaders are seeking a permanent
solution to religious friction, more efforts are needed by all
Tanzanians to make their country an island of peace and harmony.
“The government is working hard to address the problem but this
matter should not be left to government leaders alone. It’s is a
collective responsibility involving every Tanzanian,” Dr Salim stressed.
“What happened in Rwanda saddened all the people. If such a
situation is not solved promptly, the country can face the same
genocide. Religious beliefs are personal but the county’s peace is for
all people,” he added.
Dr Salim, a member of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s Central Committee
appealed to the government to teach the youth on the importance of
respecting each other because all people are equal regardless of their
religious beliefs, tribes or colours.
“The country may enter into war if people will not obey the basis
of respect regardless of their social differences,” he emphasised.
He added: “As we strive to build the foundations for enduring
democracy in our countries, we must, at the same time, promote tolerance
and accommodation as fundamental determinants of national unity and
concord.
“Politics of intolerance and of exclusion have brought conflicts
and untold sufferings to our people, we must bear in mind that the task
of preventing genocide rests on our shoulders.”
He said that ethnic and cultural tolerance should always remain an
important ingredient in all efforts towards democratization, adding that
ethnic diversity should be considered and utilized as an asset rather
than a liability.
Dr Salim quoted part of his speech when he was OAU Secretary saying
“The tragedy of Rwanda, the systematic slaughter of hundreds of
thousands of innocent men, women and children, orphans and the sick, has
shocked the world and brought into shame to us all.
The organised carnage that has been perpetrated against the people
of that country (Rwanda) is a crime against humanity, which should not
have been allowed to occur.”
He said the international community has to continue to watch out
for any signs of potential problems leading to genocide anywhere.
“We must constantly remind ourselves and our governments about the
need to faithfully adhere to the letter and spirit of the United Nations
Resolutions in preventing genocide,” he stressed.
He called upon Africans to essentially strive on their own with or
without outside assistance to seek for solutions to our own problems, by
formulating strategies, establish and enable “home-made” mechanisms by
providing the needed ability and impetus of responding quickly and
effectively to various tragedies and conflicts.
United National International Criminal Tribunal of Rwanda (UN-ICTR)
spokesperson Roland Amoussouga said it was heartening to note that work
at the trial level has been completed with respect to all 93 accused.
“This includes 55 first-instance judgments involving 75 accused, 10
referrals of cases of accused in custody and fugitives to national
jurisdiction, transfer of the files of the three top-level fugitives for
trial by Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT),” he
said.
“The ICTR did not manage to arrest all of those indicted, through
the referral to Rwanda of six fugitive cases and handling over of
responsibility for tracking of the remaining three top-level fugitives
to the Mechanism, it is signaling that the fight against impunity will
continue unabated,” he noted.
Amoussouga said in two cases where the indictments were withdrawn
and three indictees who died prior to or in course of the trial.
It should be noted that a total of 83 were physically arrested and brought to Arusha to face prosecution.
Acting UN Resident Coordinator in Tanzania Jama Gulaid said the UN
has relied on committed states like Tanzania to provide peacekeeping
troops and deeply appreciates the country’s ongoing contribution to
peacekeeping.
“The UN thanks the government of Tanzania for conducting regular
meeting of the Tanzania National Committee on the prevention and
punishment of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes ad all forms
of discrimination,” he said.Source The Guardins
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