Speaking on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, during a United Nations General Assembly panel in New York, Nduhungirehe emphasized Rwanda's commitment to addressing hate speech, misinformation, and denial of the Genocide against the Tutsi.
The panel, which focused on the impact of hate speech, was moderated by Alice Nderitu, the Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide.
Nduhungirehe underscored the importance of technological advancements while highlighting the challenges they present in controlling harmful content.
'Technology is good, but we are living in an era of fake news and alternative facts,' Nduhungirehe noted.
'It was challenging for us to combat hate speech and false narratives surrounding the Genocide against the Tutsi. Nowadays, any Rwandan abroad or any Genocide fugitive can open a YouTube channel and say whatever he/she wants,' he added.
Nduhungirehe pointed out that while technology has the power to unite people, it has also become the primary vehicle for the spread of genocide ideology, denial, and hate speech. Social media platforms, in particular, have given a vast audience to those who seek to distort history.
The Rwandan government, according to Nduhungirehe, is making efforts to forge collaboration with social media giants to curb this dangerous trend.
'We've been engaging with the owners of these platforms to take action, but we found out that it's easier to address anti-vaccine misinformation or climate change skepticism than to act on those responsible for the deaths of over a million people so they can stop what is going on,' Nduhungirehe remarked.
'People are denying and minimizing the genocide [Genocide against the Tutsi] daily on platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and X. We are still engaging them but it is still an issue that we are facing,' he added.
The minister also drew attention to the ongoing violence against Tutsis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where hate speech continues to incite attacks, often facilitated by social media.
This situation, he argued, highlights how little the world has learned from the Genocide against the Tutsi.
Alice Nderitu, the UN's special adviser, echoed these concerns, recounting her recent visit to Rwanda. She recalled meeting Congolese refugees and expressed sorrow over the international community's failure to learn from the lessons of history, as genocidal ideologies continue to claim new victims.
IGIHE
