They fight like soldiers, but die like children.
Such are the words of Senator Romeo Dallaire, retired lieutenant general, humanitarian, and former head of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Rwanda.
“When (a child soldiers) is about to die, all the evil that has turned that child into a warrior dissipates. They go from being an aggressive warrior, shooting up the place, to just a child.”
On Friday, May 3, the Faculty of Theology at The University of Winnipeg awarded Dallaire a Doctorate of Sacred Letters in recognition of his global humanitarian work, in particular his commitment to ending the use of children as weapons of war.
The University of Winnipeg confers honorary degrees upon Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire and Father Patrick Desbois. Chancellor Bob Silver and Vice-Chancellor Lloyd Axworthy congratulate the two honourees.
“I am absolutely delighted,” says Dallaire. “The University of Winnipeg is a very human environment, with a culture of people wanting to interact with human rights. That's absolutely precious to me.”
Many Canadians are familiar with Dallaire for his work trying to prevent the 1994 Rwandan genocide by appealing to the United Nations for military reinforcement.
Since then, Dallaire has committed his life to ending the phenomenon he first witnessed in Rwanda—that of the recruitment and use of children in armed military conflict.
Most child soldiers in the world live in sub-Saharan Africa.
Global indifference to the plight of children forced to fight is one of the frustrations Dallaire finds in his work.
“It's fundamentally hypocritical to see some children as more deserving than others,” says Dallaire, drawing a comparison between Canadian children and child soldiers.
He contends that children should be allowed to be children, despite what they may have lived through.
“It's a disparity that goes beyond poverty and lack of opportunity.”
Melanie Tomsons is the executive director of Never Again International Canada. For her, Senator Dallaire's recognition by the University of Winnipeg is a direct contribution to her organization's overarching goal.
“It furthers our vision of a peaceful world that celebrates our common humanity and says "Never Again" to genocide and the use of child soldiers in conflicts around the world,” she says.
Tomsons adds, “We need to recognize humanitarianism and build a new generation of leaders who shape the future. By conferring this honorary degree, the University of Winnipeg recognizes the best of humanity in Canadian society.”
Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire inspires the next generation of peacebuilders
Winnipeg High School students congratulate Romeo Dallaire and Father Patrick Desbois on their honorary degrees.
Others in the Winnipeg community also share her sentiments.
Rev. Dr. James Christie is the dean of theology at The University of Winnipeg, and one of the people who has supported Dallaire in his efforts through the university's Child Soldiers Initiative.
“Despite setbacks globally with respect to the fate of war-affected children, the General has persevered despite enormous personal cost. His commitment has been for a lifetime, ever since his rebirth after the horror of Rwanda, and a Doctor of Sacred Letters is awarded to a layperson for a lifetime of engagement.”
Dallaire received his degree at the same time as Father Patrick Desbois, a Roman Catholic priest working to preserve memory of the Holocaust and fighting anti-Semitism.
Column by Amanda Thorsteinsson
