Thursday, May 27, 2010
Rwanda
It has now been conceded that the government of Canada essentially new everything and did nothing regarding the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. It is argued that facts surrounding the on-going genocide never moved past the African Desk in Ottawa. It is believed the genocide claimed around a million lives. Ottawa has since apologized, but not for the fact that Rwanda was simply not on the government’s agenda. Ottawa had all the information it needed to know something terrible was happening in Rwanda. As a nation we failed in our humanitarian responsibilities. We failed because there was no leadership on this issue in Ottawa. Politicians, bureaucrats and lines of communications all failed. Parliament has since apologized for what has become known as a global indifference to human suffering. Still, Canada’s position on foreign policy matters seems to be more intransigent than it is from a clear policy position supported by the Parliament of Canada.