Prof. Stanton's purpose was clear: to warn President Habyarimana of an impending threat of genocide and to urge preventive action.
His specific recommendation was to abolish ethnic classifications on national ID cards, which he feared would fuel division and violence. Despite his warnings, Prof. Stanton's pleas were disregarded, and within five years, the horrors he had foreseen happened.
Reflecting on this history over the weekend in Kigali after attending a week-long series of high-level discussions on the prevention of genocide, Prof. Stanton shared his initial experiences and insights from that meeting in 1989.
He described how his call to action, made with deep conviction and fortified by years of research, had fallen on deaf ears.
Prof. Stanton's 'Eight Stages of Genocide' framework, which classifies ethnic identification as the first dangerous step toward genocide, had been built on decades of studying mass violence.
Yet his appeal to Habyarimana to remove 'Tutsi,' 'Hutu,' and 'Twa' classifications from ID cards was rejected.
'Unless you take very strong steps to prevent a genocide here,' Stanton had warned, 'you are going to have a genocide here in Rwanda within five years.' His words, however, were not heeded.
Prof. Stanton's concerns for Rwanda began in 1988, a year before his meeting with Habyarimana.
Invited to assess Rwanda's judicial system, which struggled to handle civil cases effectively, he observed the nation's deep social divisions almost immediately.
Stanton quickly recognized that the issues went beyond judicial inefficiency; the country was riddled with division and distrust.
'On the ID cards, it identified people who were Tutsi, or Hutu, or Twa, or naturalized. This was immediately apparent as a huge problem,' he noted.
In a private dinner with Joseph Kavaruganda, the then President of Rwanda's Constitutional Court, Prof. Stanton expressed his concerns about the ethnic classifications on ID cards and questioned whether the Constitutional Court could abolish them.
Kavaruganda responded gravely, 'No, we can't, because we don't have judicial review. You have to go see the president.'
This conversation drove Stanton to take his concerns directly to President Habyarimana.
But when he broached the subject, he observed an unsettling reaction from the president.
'It was as though a mask went down. He didn't want to hear this,' Stanton recalled during his recent visit to Kigali.
In 1994, within the timeline Stanton had anticipated, Rwanda plunged into one of the fastest and most systematic genocides in history- the Genocide against the Tutsi, claiming more than a million Tutsi lives in just 100 days.
Despite Prof. Stanton's prescient warning, no steps had been taken to dismantle the structural enablers of genocide, including the divisive classifications on ID cards.
By that time, Stanton had joined the U.S. State Department and was dispatched to Rwanda as part of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry.
His recommendations contributed to the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), a body tasked with bringing justice to the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Reflecting on his return to Rwanda this past weekend, Stanton expressed admiration for the nation's remarkable journey toward healing and resilience.
He praised Rwanda's commitment to confronting its painful history and becoming a global model for reconciliation and recovery.
'Rwanda, just like Germany, has actually faced its past and is now a leader in this whole effort to overcome ethnicity, to reaffirm that we are all part of the same race â€" the human race,' Stanton said.
The series of events he attended, alongside leaders and activists from across the globe, highlighted Rwanda's transformation from a society fractured by genocide to one that promotes unity and justice.
In sharing his insights on the last day of the high-level events, Prof. Stanton disclosed his ongoing admiration for Rwanda's progress.
'Rwanda is not allowing the past to determine its future,' he said.
Prof. Stanton also advocated for women inclusion in leadership stressing that their voices are integral to peace-building efforts.
'I am so happy that finally the Office of the Special Advisor at the UN is now held by a woman. Because I am convinced that genocide and war are male problems,' he observed.
'There wasn't a single genocide in world history that was planned by women. Think about that,' Prof. Stanton added, advocating for greater female leadership in global governance. 'That is why I do not believe we will overcome war and genocide until women become the leaders of many more of the world's countries.'
Today, Prof. Stanton's reflections reveal a poignant mix of sorrow and respect.
The Genocide against the Tutsi was a devastating affirmation of his warnings, yet Rwanda's rebirth underscores the power of human resilience and the impact of embracing peace and unity.
Stanton's experience in Rwanda crystallized his mission, leading him to establish the Genocide Watch, an organization devoted to identifying the precursors to genocide and advocating for timely, preventive action.
During his recent visit, Stanton emphasized the importance of Rwanda's example for other nations wrestling with histories of violence and divisionism.
'Rwanda is an example to the whole world. It is such a pleasure for me to be here in this marvelous country, which I love. To be here, where you are such a witness to the whole world of how the forces of genocide and war can be overcome.'
In the years after 1994, Rwanda has become both a warning and an inspiration. For Stanton, the country serves as a painful reminder of the costs of ignoring early signs of divisionism and hate.
However, it also demonstrates the possibilities of resilience and renewal. By revisiting the events he had warned of decades ago and seeing how Rwanda has rebuilt itself, Stanton's life's work continues to evolve.
His 'Eight Stages of Genocide' framework is now widely used to educate policymakers and communities, guiding them on the path to prevention and healing.
Prof. Stanton's legacy in Rwanda is a bittersweet one. He warned of the unthinkable, and he was right. But more importantly, he helped transform the way the world understands and confronts genocide.
Rwanda may be a scar on humanity's conscience, Stanton's work ensures that it will not be forgotten â€" and that future genocides may be stopped before they ever begin.
Related article: UN's Nderitu speaks out against Genocide deniers' influence in downplaying Rwanda
IGIHE
