International community choice to turn its back on Rwanda has taught us a lesson – Kagame

President Kagame speaking during a conversation with Elie Wiesel and Rabbi Shmuley

President Paul Kagame has said that the choice by the International community to turn its back on Rwanda is a lesson for Rwanda.

The president said this while speaking about the Genocide and the role of the strong in protecting the weak held at New York University.

The panel moderated by Rabbi Shmuley discussed both the Genocide against the Tutsi and the Holocaust.

Maintaining that the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi wasn’t the first time that the international community turned its back on Rwanda, Kagame said Rwanda had leant  not to blame others for what happened.

“We learned to take responsibility. If we wasted time thinking about what others were able to do for us, we would not have been able to end the Genocide ,” said Kagame.

Speaking alongside eminent Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel the Head of State said that the Genocide in Rwanda was seen as the usual, savage reaction by Africans.

“The message from the outside to those of us who were trying to stop the genocide was to try and restrain,”said Kagame.

The President also pointed out Rwanda’s involvement in peacekeeping as a result of its history:

“We try to do the best we can for ourselves and for others who find themselves in the same situation,” He said.

In addition to the responsibility to protect in times of genocide, the panelists discussed the aftermath of genocide including what is often referred to as the eighth stage of Genocide; genocide denial.

Responding to a question from Rabbi Shmuley referring to Paul Rusesabagina as one of the deniers of the Genocide against the Tutsi Wiesel said:

“They are not worthy of a dialogue.”

The panel discussion was a prelude to the 20^th Anniversary of the Genocide against the Tutsi and was held at the New York University (UYU) Bronfman Center. It was attended by over 800 members of the NYU Community and prominent Jewish philanthropists including Adelson Sheldon and Michael Steinhardt.