Santana: Voices of hatred must be stopped, spreading the truth is the only way forward

(Patria) - The President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), Judge Graciela Gatti Santana, addressed the commemorative gathering in Potočari, expressing condolences and admiration for the surviving victims of the genocide, calling for an end to genocide denial.

"This year and today are an important milestone, as this is the first commemoration after the Resolution adopted at the UN. The horrifying events of 1995 shook the conscience of humanity. According to court verdicts, more than 8,000 men, women and children were killed in a few days.

The International Residual Mechanism dealt with the individual responsibilities of those who committed genocide. After a thorough analysis and a large amount of evidence, the judges concluded that it was the crime of genocide. They convicted seven high-ranking officials, five of them to life imprisonment.

The Court played a significant role in impunity. The Mechanism has concluded all cases, and I am convinced that the domestic judiciary will continue the processes and convince us that impunity will not be possible.

Even 29 years after the genocide was committed, denial and historical revisionism are occurring. Such phenomena are devastating for the victims. This must be stopped. Voices of hatred must be stopped. Building trust is key to having the Security Council's conclusions accepted. Spreading the truth is the only way forward. That is why my most important priority is to use the legacy.

Each of us has an obligation to inform ourselves about the events that took place. We must firmly reject those who seek to deepen divisions. Short-term political gain in spreading hatred can lead to long-term problems," Santana said.