Two recent events offer hope for the present and future victims of genocide. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson's mission to Sudan represents a renewed American commitment to the success of the UN peacekeeping plan for Darfur. That a probable presidential candidate pays so much attention to the plan is also heartening. But the extent of Gov. Richardson's influence remains unclear; he brokered a previous deal with the Sudanese President, Omar el-Bashir, but does not have an official US government title. Bashir's cautious maneuvering with regards to the UN peacekeeping plan suggests he may play a delaying game; if so, Gov. Richardson will need all his diplomatic acumen to force Bashir to accept a strong and credible UN force.
A second reason for optimism in the New Year is the trial by a UN War Crimes Tribunal of Colonel Tharcisse Renzaho, a prefect in charge of Rwanda's capital Kigali during the 1994 genocide. In many ways the UN tribunal for Rwanda represents a landmark for international justice: it delivered the first-ever judgement of the crime of genocide by an international court. For those who believe the international community has a key role in punishing and deterring the perpetrators of genocide, the trial of Col. Renzaho is reason for hope that crimes against humanity will not go unpunished.
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