Genocide commemorated as tears flow

The whole of this week was dedicated to the commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, with the main event held at Nyanza, Kicukiro.

President Paul Kagame while speaking at the 15th commemoration of the Genocide, on Tuesday, called upon Rwandans to move on and rebuild their lives.

According to press reports, he told mourners that Rwanda has made a lot of progress and must continue building for the future saying that it is Rwandans to decide their own future and nobody else.

At the ceremony, where remains of victims of the Genocide were laid to rest, Kagame accused the international community of cowardice for abandoning the people they had come to protect.

The people who were killed at Nyanza had sought protection at a nearby base of the UN blue helmets, but were abandoned and left to be slaughtered. The event also had a testimony from a survivor of the Genocide Venuste Karasira.

Throughout the country people remembered their loved ones who died in the Genocide by carrying out several activities aimed at honouring their memory.

UK parties call for action against Genocide fugitives in UK

Also in the news this week, a United Kingdom court turned down extradition of four suspected Genocide masterminds leading to a call by a section of UK legislators and their party members for action against the fugitives. 

The four fugitives: Charles Munyaneza, Vincent Bajinya,  Celestin Ugirashebuja and Emmanuel Nteziryayo  are accused of Genocide, complicity in Genocide, crimes against humanity, conspiracy to murder, forming a criminal gang and inciting disorder. They all held senior positions in Rwanda during the Genocide.

According to press reports, the parliamentarians grouped under the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Great Lakes Region of Africa (APPG), called for urgent action to forestall a possibility of the UK being a safe haven for people who carried out Genocide.

Kicukiro Genocide victims’ remains laid to rest

Remains of people who perished in the Kicukiro area during the Genocide were laid to rest at the Kigali Memorial Centre. People broke down and shed tears as memories of their loved ones were reignited. 

In all, caskets containing remains of 183 people were laid to rest at the memorial centre.

The Executive Secretary of the National Commission to fight Against Genocide (CNLG), Jean de Dieu Mucyo urged Rwandans to record the victims of the Genocide. 

 He stressed that it is by such means that future generations will know what happened. He also said that it is also a way of overcoming the challenge of those who have chosen to deny the Genocide.

Diaspora honours victims

Rwandans in the Diaspora also joined in the commemoration of those who perished. In South Africa, several Rwandans and their friends gathered at the University of Pretoria for the screening of the movie "When Good Men Do Nothing” among other activities.

In Uganda a number of events to commemorate the Genocide were held.  There was a prayer service at the Kampala Miracle Centre and also a visit to Ggolo where remains of Genocide victims were buried. Commemorations were also held in Germany among other countries.

Also in the news, the Rwandan envoy to Uganda, Ignatius Kamali Karegyesa was quoted saying that the international communities was cruel because they did not care about Rwanda since they withdrew as people were being massacred. He was speaking at a public lecture at Uganda’s Makerere University.

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