Mourning Alison Des Forges

When I was told of her death I could not believe it. I tried to check on the Internet whether it was really true. And the search results were bringing back memories of her dedication to justice, compassion and freedom: her fight to save people threatened by Hutu extremists in the 1994 genocide, her testimonies at Arusha or Brussels trials, her hard hitting reports on the Great Lakes region. Senior advisor of Human Rights Watch on the Great Lakes region, a well-known historian of Rwanda, Alison Des Forges was one of the most famous international human rights activists concerned with the region crushed by genocide and violence. She coordinated the writing of a hard hitting investigative report on the Rwanda genocide of 1994 (Let no one tell the story), testifted in tens of trials at Arusha the Internationa Tribunal and in Brussels, she took part in hundreds of events that discussed the 1994 genocide, she advocated for justice and against impunity. And she did that with a keen sense of impartiality, indicting the Hutu Power genocidaires but also the Rwanda Patriotic Front, now ruling in Kigali, that committed war crimes and crimes against humanty in 1994.

Unfortunately the sad news was soon confimed by friends at HRW. And I was devastated.
As former European press director of HRW in Brussels I met her dozens of times and always with joy. I remember her regular presence in our office, her gentleness and sweetness, the care she took to inquire about friends and family, the chocolate croissants she brought from a pastry shop nearby, the succession of laywers, human rights activists, Rwandan refugees that rang the bell to see her. And the numerous calls that I received from the best journalists from around the world each time Rwanda was in the news. She was convinced of the "Power of the Word" to make thinhs change, although she always regretted that despite all her efforts in 1993 and 1994 she could not convince an indifferent world media of the impending catastrophe in Rwanda.


Alison Des Forges saved many many lives through her dedication to her work conceived as an commitment to humanity and impartiality. She also illuminated the life of all those colleagues and friends that had the immense honour of meeting her and sharing with her the hope that something can always be done to protect the human rights of others. She was the quintessential human rights defender, the emblematic example of intellectual depth and integriy, and above all the face of friendship and love.
I deeply share the sadness of her family and of all those that today mourn her.