Rwanda's Haunting Past: Survivors Demand Australian University Sever Ties Over Controversial Figure

Genocide survivors' organisations from Rwanda and across the global diaspora have collectively called on Australia's Griffith University to discontinue any association with Canadian author and journalist Judi Rever. This appeal stems from concerns that Rever promotes narratives that distort and deny the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, an event that claimed over one million lives. The intervention by these groups comes prior to a public lecture where Rever is scheduled to speak in Brisbane.

A letter, dated June 18, was sent to the university's Vice-Chancellor and President by survivors' groups, led by IBUKA Australia. The letter highlights significant concerns regarding Griffith University's association with Association RAQ Inc. and Judi Rever, alleging that the narratives propagated by these parties distort, deny, and trivialise the Genocide against the Tutsi. The letter was issued on behalf of numerous survivor organisations, including IBUKA, Survivors Fund (SURF), Never Again Rwanda, and the Ishami Foundation, representing survivor communities across Africa, Europe, North America, and the wider diaspora.

The survivors underscored that the Genocide against the Tutsi is an established historical and legal fact, which should not be subjected to academic debate. They asserted, "The Genocide Against the Tutsi has been conclusively established through the judgments of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly, the findings of independent historians and genocide scholars, and the testimonies of hundreds of thousands of survivors." The letter further states, "It is a matter of settled international law, historical fact, and profound human truth."

Survivors warned that denialist and revisionist narratives, such as those attributed to Rever, continue to inflict severe harm on those who endured the atrocities and on families who lost loved ones. They articulated the profound impact of such denial, stating, "For those of us who survived, who lost everything, and who have spent decades rebuilding our lives and communities, genocide denial is not an abstract academic question. It is a continuing act of violence."

According to the letter, narratives that deny or distort the genocide re-traumatise survivors, embolden perpetrators and their sympathisers, and undermine crucial efforts to preserve historical truth for future generations. The organisations further contended that when academic institutions provide platforms or institutional legitimacy to individuals promoting such narratives, it sends a deeply damaging message to survivors and affected communities.

The survivors urged Griffith University to undertake a transparent and independent review of any institutional associations, sponsorships, endorsements, or support involving Judi Rever and Association RAQ Inc. They also called on the university to publicly affirm the historical and legal reality of the Genocide against the Tutsi and to withdraw any institutional support from individuals or organisations accused of denying, distorting, relativising, or trivialising the genocide. Furthermore, the groups requested that the university engage with survivor organisations, genocide scholars, and human rights organisations before hosting or supporting future events related to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. A key demand was for the university to adopt and publish a policy specifically prohibiting the promotion of genocide denial or revisionism under its banner.

The survivors concluded their letter by stating, "Griffith University has built its reputation on principles of equity, inclusion, social justice, and the pursuit of truth. We do not believe these values are compatible with providing institutional legitimacy to genocide denial." The organisations have requested a formal written response from the university within 21 days.