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On first int'l day, UN chief reaffirms commitment to prevent genocide

Xinhua, December 10, 2015 Adjust font size:

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called for commitment to prevent genocide on the first-ever International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime.

This occasion also coincides with the anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in 1948, said Ban in a message to mark the day.

"This is an ideal time to reaffirm our commitment to prevent this serious international crime, honour the memory of the victims, and reaffirm the right to remedies and reparation, as recognized in international law," he said.

Ban pointed out that "Preventing genocide means paying more attention to the warning signs, and being prepared to take immediate action to address them. This is the spirit of my Human Rights up Front initiative."

"After all, genocide does not just happen; it unfolds over time. It is not part of the accidental 'fallout' of conflict; most often, it is systematic, planned, with precise targets, and it can also take place outside of conflict situations," he said.

Ban also warned that "across the world today, intolerance and xenophobia are on the rise."

"A dangerous 'us versus them' dynamic is often being exploited to justify the exclusion of communities based on different forms of identity such as religion, ethnicity or other, and to deny assistance, restrict human rights and perpetrate atrocious acts of violence," he said.

"The prevention of genocide is a specific obligation under international law," he said. "Governments must act on this imperative by investing in prevention and taking preventive action."

"On this new international observance, let us recognize the need to work together more concertedly to protect individuals from gross human rights violations and uphold our common humanity," he said.

The day was designated in September 2015 by the UN General Assembly to raise awareness of the Genocide Convention and its role in combating and preventing the crime of genocide, as defined in the Convention, and to commemorate and honour its victims. Enditem