This week the world–that is, those in the world who give a damn about such things–is marking the 15th anniversary of the horrific Rwanda genocide. On Tuesday, President Barack Obama released a to-the-point statement on the Rwanda nightmare. It’s below. Read it, and tell me if you can spot what’s missing:
This week marks the 15th commemoration of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. It is a somber occasion that causes us to reflect upon the deaths of the more than 800,000 men, women, and children who were killed simply because of their ethnicity or their political beliefs. The memory of these events also deepens our commitment to act when faced with genocide and to work with partners around the world to prevent future atrocities. The figure of 800,000 is so enormous, so daunting, that it runs the risk of becoming a statistic. Today, we must remember that each of the 800,000 individuals who died in 1994 had their own story, their own family, and their own dreams. As we mourn their senseless passing, we must also acknowledge the courageous men and women who survived the genocide and have since demonstrated remarkable strength and generosity in forgiving those who committed these heinous acts. These individuals inspire us daily by working to restore trust and rebuild hope in Rwanda. The United States is committed to its partnership with Rwanda and will continue to support efforts to promote sustainable development, respect for human rights, and lasting peace in Rwanda.
What’s not there? Any mention that the United States essentially did nothing at the time to halt the slaughter in Rwanda. At that crucial moment, Bill Clinton was president, and Hillary Clinton, the influential First Lady. In her memoirs, Living History, Hillary Clinton, the current secretary of state, does not write about what went on in the White House during those god-awful weeks in the spring of 1994, when human rights activists were begging the Clinton administration to do something–anything–to stop or slow the mass-murder frenzy underway, and the Clintonites steadfastly refused their entreaties. Clinton does note that later on she came to “regret deeply the failure of the world, including my husband’s Administration, to act to end the genocide.”
As Obama and others commemorate the tragedy of Rwanda this week, they ought not to shy away from reminiscing about the cowardly and consequential inaction of the United States, particularly that of President Clinton and his top aides and advisers.
