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Dr. Alison Des Forges (1942–2009)

Alison Des Forges

It is with great sadness that the Museum mourns the death of Dr. Alison Des Forges, who was killed in a plane crash in Buffalo, New York, on Thursday, February 12, 2009.

A senior adviser to the Africa division for Human Rights Watch and a leading expert on Central Africa, she was one of the few people to sound the alarm before the 1994 Rwandan genocide and played a critical role in alerting the world to the violence. Her commitment to human rights and justice was unparalleled.

Dr. Des Forges spoke at the Museum several times and generously offered her insight and expertise.