Zambia has called on United Nations member states to enact legislation against hate speech in order to prevent possibilities of genocide recurring in any part of the world.
Minister of Justice, Mulambo Haimbe says advancement in technology has put the world in a vulnerable position of spreading hatred via social media platforms.
Speaking in Lusaka yesterday during the 29th commemoration of the Rwandan genocide, Mr Haimbe said Government is committed towards reconciliation and peace efforts at regional and international.
“I wish in this regard, to reaffirm the Zambian Government’s commitment to supporting all efforts including at the United Nations, the Commonwealth, the African Union and indeed at the regional levels aimed at ensuring that we continue working together in advocating for reconciliation and peaceful co-existence among our people for our mutual growth,” he said.
Mr Haimbe further reaffirmed Government’s commitment to continue to pursue African driven initiatives to prevent conflict including the African Union’s Continental Structural Vulnerability and Resilience Assessment process (CSVRA).
He said it is important that African countries fully support such initiatives.
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The minister commended Rwanda for overcoming a difficult moment like the 1994 genocide.
“I wish to compare the proverbial rising of the Phoenix from ashes, to the people of Rwanda, who with their spirit of fortitude have embraced a process of healing and reconciliation, as a good example to many on the continent,” Mr Haimbe said.
And Rwandan High Commissioner to Zambia, Amandin Rugira called on UN member states to arrest and prosecute identified genocide fugitives seeking refuge in other countries.
Speaking at the event, Mr Rugira said this is in line with UN Security Council Resolution number 2150 of April 16, 2014 asking member states to judge or extradite genocide fugitives.
The envoy explained that the commemoration of the 1994 genocide gives an opportunity to allow citizens to build a better society free of discrimination, hatred, segregation and free of genocide ideology.
“We therefore come together today, to pay our respect to the lives and memories of those who perished during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. We also honour the survivors who mustered the strength and courage to defy the odds. Their bravery and resilience stand as a testimony of the beacon of hope for the people of Rwanda and many more across the world,” he said.
The Rwandan High Commissioner said it is important for the next generations to be imparted with the knowledge of current commitments to stand against racism, hate speech, xenophobia and all forms of discrimination so as to avoid recurrences of genocide in future.
He also called on UN member countries to familiarise themselves with the UN convention on the prevention of crime and genocide.
In 1994, Rwanda experienced one of the worst tragedies the world has ever seen with 1 million Tutsis being killed within a 100-day period.
If I say fark hh, is that hate speech or exercise of my American human rights
PF SPEWING GARBAGE AGAIN
PLEASE INFORM WATER AUTHORITY TO CLEAN THE DRAINS
In Zambia hate speech only applies when you talk about a certain tribe. In case this Haimbe doesn’t know in Europe similar laws apply…. and equally.
Nuisance laws
In Zambia, you can be kept in prison for 327 days for just cracking a joke about one tribe. That’s the only tribe whose people beat, burnt villages and killed those from other regions when their kinsman lost elections in 2015 & 2016. They enjoy calling another tribe as thieves but when the same is said about them it becomes hate speech. Laughable!