There was no way to laugh anymore, to love, to care, and there was a sense of guilt in having survived when others had been killed. I turned into a worse workaholic than I had already been by trying to work myself into the ground.
I promised never to let the Rwandan Genocide die because I knew the Rwandans didn't have much power internationally and certainly didn't have the resources. I felt it was my duty having witnessed it, and having stayed to witness it, that I had to talk about it and keep it going.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of remembering and speaking out about past atrocities to honor the victims and foster awareness.
Romeo Dallaire articulates a powerful commitment to ensuring that the memory of the Rwandan Genocide is not forgotten. He highlights the responsibility he feels as a witness to these events, recognizing the lack of international power and resources among the Rwandan people. His determination to keep the conversation alive is a testament to the enduring duty to advocate for justice and remembrance, thereby empowering the voices of those who suffered.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a memorial service to honor the victims of the Rwandan Genocide.
More from Romeo Dallaire
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You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.
Above all, try always to be able to feel deeply any injustice committed against any person in any part of the world. It is the most beautiful quality of a revolutionary.
Some people say I'm unique, that there aren't other people with schizophrenia like me. Well, there are people like me out there, but the stigma is so great that they don't come forward.
I never told a victim story about my imprisonment. Instead, I told a transformation story - about how prison changed my outlook, about how I saw that communication, truth, and trust are at the heart of power.
People say to me all the time, 'You have no fear.' I tell them, 'No, that's not true. I'm scared all the time. You have to have fear in order to have courage. I'm a courageous person because I'm a scared person.'
Silence in the face of injustice is complicity with the opressor.