By Ryan Aliman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa
KIGALI, Rwanda – April 7th marks the 19th commemoration of the Rwandan Genocide. This year’s commemoration is marked under the theme: “Let’s remember the Genocide against the Tutsi while striving for self-reliance.”
Although 19 years have passed, the scars and horrific memories are still alive in the hearts and minds of many Rwandans, especially the survivors who witnessed the carnage that stretched to around 100 days.
From April 4, 1994, close to a million Tutsi ethnic minorities and some moderate Hutus were hacked to death by extremist Hutus in a violent ethnic bloodbath that lasted approximately 100 days.
This year’s observance begins with a weeklong commemoration that involves several activities including: visiting and laying wreaths at memorial sites, according decent burial to exhumed Genocide remains, giving testimonies, public lectures, and candle lighting vigils.
Although the activities officially last a week, the commemoration continues up to July 4, marking 100 days of the Genocide.
“As we commemorate the genocide against Tutsi, we celebrate many achievements attained as a result of good leadership but amongst all, we hail the reconciliation progress we have made in the last 19 years. This is seen in the way we work together and help each other regardless of one’s origin or colour,” says Landoward Mugema, a resident of the Karama sector.
Something new this year is the nation’s increased emphasis on the role of the youth. The youth have been urged to actively take part in the commemoration activities.
Students from universities and secondary schools participated in a conference in Kigali organized before the official commemoration. The conference was organized under the theme, “Sharing the past, shaping the future building on self-reliance” – a theme in line with the national commemoration’s focus on self-reliance.
In addition, a group of fifty youths from around Kigali have been trained to handle various trauma cases that are anticipated in the coming week.
“We, the youth, should be first to promote the culture of commemorating the Genocide,” Mahoro said, asserting that the youth can learn a lot from the country’s history.
The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for the Fight against the Genocide, Jean de Dieu Mucyo, said the youth have not been involved enough in prior commemoration activities, but added that their mindset is changing as they begin to feel responsible and own the activities.
Mucyo said the yearly commemorations help build peace, tolerance and peaceful co-existence in a nation that, not too long ago, witnessed one of the worst cases of ethnic cleansing in history.
“At the beginning, only the survivors and the leaders attended the commemoration activities, but now this has changed; everyone now feels part of commemoration,” Mucyo said.
After 19 years, Rwanda is looking forward to building a bright, tolerant, and self-reliant future never forgetting their nation’s most horrible tragedy.
For further information, please see:
The Sunday Times – Rwanda Remembers – 7 April 2013
News of Rwanda – Kigali Youths Trained on Trauma Counseling – 6 April 2013
All Africa – Rwanda: Nyagatare Residents to Cement on Reconciliation During the Genocide Commemoration Week – 6 April 2013
UN Africa Renewal – Rwanda Genocide Survivors Struggle to Rebuild their Lives – 5 April 2013
All Africa – Rwanda: Youth Urged to Participate in Genocide Commemoration – 4 April 2013
