GENEVA – Twenty-five years after the landmark Durban Declaration, Rwanda has issued a blunt warning to the international community: the failure to punish hate speech is not merely a legal oversight, but a direct threat to global peace and security.
At a high-level panel held Monday at the Palais des Nations, Rwandan officials and international legal experts argued that unchecked incitement is currently destabilizing key regions, with specific focus on the volatile landscape of East Africa and the Great Lakes region.
The Shadow of History in the Great Lakes
For Rwanda, the dialogue in Geneva is not theoretical. The 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi—which saw over 800,000 people murdered in just 100 days—was preceded by a systematic propaganda campaign via media outlets like RTLM that normalized extermination.
Today, the context has shifted to Rwanda’s doorstep. In the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a surge in conflict has been accompanied by what UN monitors describe as a “disturbing” rise in hate speech targeting Tutsi-aligned communities and Rwandophones. This rhetoric has frequently led to documented cases of lynching, arbitrary arrests, and displacement.
A Call for Decisive Enforcement
Ambassador James Waweru Ndiragu of Kenya, chairing the working group on the Durban Declaration, emphasized that regional stability depends on domestic action. “The Durban declaration was never meant to gather dust,” Ndiragu stated. “States must translate commitments into legislation.”
The panel highlighted a dangerous “accountability gap” in the region:
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Selective Justice: Legal expert Me Florida Kabasinga noted that when hate speech is punished in some instances but ignored in others, the deterrent effect vanishes.
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Normalization: Ambassador Pierre Prosper Richard warned that when public figures employ dehumanizing language without facing consequences, prejudice becomes embedded in the state apparatus.
From Words to Warfare: The Regional Stakes
The urgency of the Geneva talks reflects a deteriorating humanitarian situation in East Africa. In the DRC, over 7 million people are currently displaced due to fighting between the Congolese army (FARDC), various armed groups like the M23, and localized militias.
Ms. Alice Nderitu Wairimu, former UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, stressed that identity-based incitement is a “well-documented precursor” to mass atrocities. In the current East African context, the weaponization of “autochthony” (claims of who is “indigenous” versus “foreign”) has become a primary tool for mobilizing violence.
“Our history demonstrates that words can prepare societies for unspeakable crimes. Prevention begins by recognizing those patterns and acting before they metastasize.” — Dr. Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, Rwanda’s Minister of Justice
Key Takeaways from Durban 25
| Pillar | Objective |
| Accountability | Ensuring no “moral pass” for public figures using inflammatory rhetoric. |
| Early Warning | Identifying dehumanizing patterns before they escalate into physical violence. |
| Regional Cooperation | Harmonizing laws across East Africa to prevent “hate speech havens.” |
Minister of Foreign Affairs Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe concluded the session by reaffirming Rwanda’s stance: peace cannot be sustained by silence. As the Great Lakes region grapples with shifting alliances and ongoing insurgencies, the message from Geneva was clear—combating the “rhetoric of hate” is now a matter of regional survival.
