The Associated Press, Reuters
FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2005
The former deputy secretary of defense, an architect of the U.S.-led war, was asked by a visiting American student, Johanna Goderre, why Washington was "murdering people in Iraq." "I am not going to get into a long debate," he responded. "I am here to do development. But I ask you and anyone else who thinks the way you think to stop and think what it means to 8.5 million Iraqis who were threatened with death but still voted," he said, referring to Iraq's January elections. "That to me is a powerful, powerful act that we should think about." Wolfowitz is on a four-nation tour of Africa, which he has said will be his first priority as head of the World Bank. He said the Darfur region of Sudan, where tens of thousands of people have been killed in the last two years, was suffering genocide, like Rwanda in 1994. "Unfortunately it is too easy to say 'never again.' But people say it too easily, it seems." He added, without elaborating: "It happened in Rwanda, and is happening in Sudan." The United States has helped finance an African peace mission, airlifted African troops onto the Darfur region and is a major donor of aid to the region. Khartoum, meanwhile, denies the Darfur bloodshed constitutes genocide. Accompanied by a survivor of the genocide who lost 74 relatives, Wolfowitz also toured a small museum in a suburb of the Rwandan capital, where an estimated 200,000 people were killed in the genocide. He apologized on behalf of the international community for not trying to prevent the slaughter. Wolfowitz visited Nigeria and Burkina Faso this week and will end his trip in South Africa after Rwanda. He is scheduled to meet President Paul Kagame here on Friday and tour AIDS clinics. Last weekend, the Group of Eight industrialized nations agreed to wipe out more than $40 billion in debt owed by 18 countries to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the African Development bank. Wolfowitz was a key player in helping to clinch that deal. KIGALI, Rwanda On his first trip to Africa since taking over as president of the World Bank, Paul Wolfowitz on Thursday stopped by a panel discussing the Rwandan genocide of 1994 and found himself facing angry questions about the U.S. role in Iraq.The former deputy secretary of defense, an architect of the U.S.-led war, was asked by a visiting American student, Johanna Goderre, why Washington was "murdering people in Iraq.""I am not going to get into a long debate," he responded. "I am here to do development. But I ask you and anyone else who thinks the way you think to stop and think what it means to 8.5 million Iraqis who were threatened with death but still voted," he said, referring to Iraq's January elections. "That to me is a powerful, powerful act that we should think about."Wolfowitz is on a four-nation tour of Africa, which he has said will be his first priority as head of the World Bank.He said the Darfur region of Sudan, where tens of thousands of people have been killed in the last two years, was suffering genocide, like Rwanda in 1994. "Unfortunately it is too easy to say 'never again.' But people say it too easily, it seems." He added, without elaborating: "It happened in Rwanda, and is happening in Sudan."The United States has helped finance an African peace mission, airlifted African troops onto the Darfur region and is a major donor of aid to the region. Khartoum, meanwhile, denies the Darfur bloodshed constitutes genocide.Accompanied by a survivor of the genocide who lost 74 relatives, Wolfowitz also toured a small museum in a suburb of the Rwandan capital, where an estimated 200,000 people were killed in the genocide. He apologized on behalf of the international community for not trying to prevent the slaughter.Wolfowitz visited Nigeria and Burkina Faso this week and will end his trip in South Africa after Rwanda. He is scheduled to meet President Paul Kagame here on Friday and tour AIDS clinics.Last weekend, the Group of Eight industrialized nations agreed to wipe out more than $40 billion in debt owed by 18 countries to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the African Development bank. Wolfowitz was a key player in helping to clinch that deal.
Rwandan Genocide The president of the , , has addressed a global youth forum on  in , Rwanda, today, as part of a visit to four African countries this week.

Speaking on genocide, he said: "people say 'never again' too easily, It's happening today in . We all share responsibility to actually do things. The conditions of preventing genocide lie partly in helping people to have a better life. It's easier to incite people that have nothing to lose."

Asked why the international community ignored , Wolfowitz said: "There are many explanations but no excuses. We have to work with countries that are working to prevent conflict."

He said he would work together with African countries to cut poverty, citing 's phrase of a 'deal for a deal': "So many governments here are stepping up to take responsibility.". He added that World Bank assistance to service debt repayments could now go towards meeting needs, following the cancellations of the debts of the 18 poorest countries agreed by G8 countries last week.

The forum organised by Never Again, which began at the  today, has participants from Rwanda, the , , the United States and Canada.

The forum continues today and includes discussions on the future of the Great Lakes region and the international community's responsibility to protect against genocide.