Hollywood star denounces western reluctance during 1994 Genocide

BY GEORGE KAGAME

Renowned Hollywood actress Ashley Judd has criticized western countries for not doing anything to have stopped the 1994 Rwanda Genocide.

Speaking today at Kigali Genocide Memorial Judd who is the country to assess the activities of health and social marketing firm Population Services International- PSI she said; “Some countries like the US just looked on while others like France are implicated in the Genocide, yet they have not come out to apologize to the victims.”

Judd added that while the Genocide was happening in Rwanda, it was given very little coverage in the US media; “while the genocide was happening here, I never heard much about in the US,” she said that she got to know much about the genocide through the movie Hotel Rwanda.

Judd said Verhofstadt did a good thing to have apologised to Rwandans on behalf of Belgium,” she that was a good example for Europe.

Former Belgium+ Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt's made a public apology to Rwandans that died in the genocide about Belgium’s failure to help the country in its time of need.

In the visitors book Judd remarked thanked the Rwandan government for setting up a profound and clear memorial, she added that; “I will do my part to ensure such a tragedy never happens.” she added that walking inside the memorial, she almost fainted twice; “the rooms are filled with grief.”

She also applauded the measures that the government has undertaken to educate Rwandan people towards peace, unity and reconciliation.
Judd has appeared in Holly blockbusters like Someone like you, Just one of those things, High Crimes and Twisted. She also sits on the PSI board which is responsible for the distribution of condoms and other health related products like water purifying tablets like Ea Sur.

Ashley Judd is also a Global Ambassador for YouthAIDS to explore more explore innovative and effective strategies YouthAIDS/PSI employs to address the transmission of HIV.

YouthAids funds Centre Dushishoze which provides young people with a friendly and confidential environment where they can receive life-saving health peer education, products and services.

In a related development, Honore Gatera the head guide at the memorial said that recent grenade attacks which killed one police man at the gate have not affected the activities at the memorial during this mourning period; “people have been ordinarily, we have received over 10000 visitors at the centre this month and we have also carried out formal burial ceremonies for over 200 victims of the 1994 Genocide.”