Kinyarwanda movie showcases human compassion

A movie about human compassion was screened at Chap Chap Food restaurant to a packed audience in Nyamirambo on Thursday.

Friday, April 15, 2016
During the screening of Kinyarwanda, a movie about the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. (Courtesy)

A movie about human compassion was screened at Chap Chap Food restaurant to a packed audience in Nyamirambo on Thursday.

It’s a movie that shows the compassionate side of some people during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

At the time when the Genocide against the Tutsi happened, the Mufti, according the movie, issued a fatwa (ruling on a point of law given by a recognized authority) forbidding Muslims from participating in the killings against the Tutsi. From this act of benevolence, he saved several lives.

The movie, which has been screened several times in the past, reflects on how members of the Muslim community shunned taking part in the massacres with many of them sheltering those who were being hunted.

Those who attended the screening were touched by the acts of compassion and humanity depicted by the award-winning movie. 

"It is absolutely terrific, a movie that shows how human compassion can overcome hatred," said Malcolm Temple, an American working with a human rights organisation in the country.

Temple says he liked the movie because it precisely covered the remarkable journey Rwanda has gone through from the period of the genocide to build a modern society that's now being regarded as one of the best forward looking countries in Africa.

"This was a well-rounded story that captured Rwanda's past and the future aspirations of the country. The characters were real because they discussed their real stories and experience. After watching this movie, I was inspired that even me I can do something to make a difference in some one’s life," added Temple.

Rashid Zuena says that human compassion is very important, whether you are a Muslim or A Christian, man or woman, child or a grown up, the most important thing is that we are human beings. 

After watching the movie, which was all about how Muslims sheltered some Christian community during the genocide, she has come to realise that love for humanity will eventually triumph over hatred.

The movie is about how an Imam in Nyamirambo, during the dark days of the genocide sheltered several people in his mosque, whether you were a Christian or Muslim, Tutsi or Hutu. To him, it was about human compassion, which was rare to find during the massacres. 

Shaffy Malik, the proprietor of Chap Chap restaurant where the captivating movie was shown said that through such kind of films, they need to showcase the past and the remarkable journey Rwanda has gone through for the last 22 years after the genocide.

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