Minister Bruins Slot attends memorial ceremony of the genocide in Rwanda

Minister Hanke Bruins Slot (Foreign Affairs) will take part in the commemoration ceremony in Rwanda on Sunday to mark the genocide that began 30 years ago on this day. At the time, at least 800,000 people were killed within a few months, mainly Tutsis but also moderate Hutus.

"The genocide in Rwanda is one of the greatest humanitarian tragedies in history. It should not be forgotten. That is why it is important to remember it again and again," said the outgoing minister.

The genocide began after the plane of President Juvénal Habyarimana (a Hutu) was shot out of the sky near the capital, Kigali. It is still not clear who was responsible for this. After the air disaster, extremist Hutus opened the hunt for Tutsis. There was no international intervention.

The current president, Paul Kagame, the rebel leader at the time, put an end to the genocide. Since then, he and his confidants have kept a firm grip on the country in East Africa. Great economic progress was made under Kagame but at the expense of democracy.

"The Netherlands is committed worldwide to the fight against impunity for international crimes," Bruins Slot said. "This is also the case in Rwanda, where we have campaigned for justice for the victims of the genocide against the Tutsi, including by contributing to the reconstruction of the justice sector in Rwanda."

After the visit to Rwanda, the minister will travel to Ethiopia.