(June 11, 2014)

Despite this recognition by the UN of the devastating effect that imported weapons was having, absolutely nothing was done to prevent or stop the slaughter of one million Tutsis and those who protected them.

Twenty years ago in Rwanda, the government got the message from the international community, again and again, that it could get away with genocide facilitated by foreign arms. It was not until May 17, 1994, more than five weeks into the genocide, that the United Nations Security Council imposed an arms embargo on the genocidal regime.

With the global Arms Trade Treaty still not ratified, I cannot help but wonder how many other governments are getting that very same message from the international community today.