This week’s non-elder law posting…
‘Hotel Rwanda’ manager asks what you’re doing on World Refugee Day
On this World Refugee Day, my heart is heavy forthe refugees in Darfur, in Congo, in Burundi, in Somalia, all of whomare experiencing that terror – the hunger, the hopelessness of refugeelife.
I ask that the nations of the world provide hope to these peopleright now. I have received a humanitarian award from the United NationsHigh Commissioner for Refugees for my part in helping 1,268 refugeesstranded in the hotel I managed in Kigali during the 100 days ofslaughter over 11 years ago. But I ask that the symbol of hope fortoday’s refugees not be the long-ago action I took at a hotel, justtrying to do my job. Rather, the nations of the world can and mustprovide hope to those people right now.
The UN should implement its resolution on Sudan and bring the warcriminals before the International Criminal Court. An arms and oilembargo should be imposed. We know that the Sudanese weapons are boughtwith the profits from oil.
We know helping refugees is a temporary solution. The long-termsolution is to hold the Sudanese government and militias accountable.
It’s the responsibility of all of us to ensure that our governmentsstop genocides. We cannot allow them to evade their duty wherethousands or millions perish. Otherwise, we will all be responsible forperpetuating the genocides that will inevitably occur in the future.
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