African ministers express shock over ’94 Genocide

African Ministers of Education and experts, who are in the country to attend the 38th ordinary session of the administrative council of the Dakar-based Inter-State University of Science and Veterinary Medicine (EISMV), were yesterday saddened by the1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

Saturday, November 14, 2009
Benin Higher Education and Scientific research Minister Prof. Francois Abiola,signs the visitosu2019 book at Kigali Genocide memorial centre.(Photo J Mbanda)

African Ministers of Education and experts, who are in the country to attend the 38th ordinary session of the administrative council of the Dakar-based Inter-State University of Science and Veterinary Medicine (EISMV), were yesterday saddened by the1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

The ministers expressed their sadness shortly after paying tribute to thousands of remains of victims of the Genocide at Gisozi Memorial site in Kigali.

"I cannot get words to explain the experience that this country went through, the genocide was horrible,” said the Benin Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Prof. Francois Abiola.

Abiola cast blame on the international community for watching as thousands of people were being killed every day despite knowing what was taking place.

He added that the 1994 Genocide should act as a lesson to everybody.

"What happened in Rwanda should act as a lesson to all of us and to Rwandans in particular and lets all say that ‘never again,” he said.

He urged Rwandans to forgive each other and continue in the reconciliation path they have undertaken because revenge would not help but create more problems.

The Congolese Minister of Higher Education, Ange Antoine Abena only managed emotionally to say ‘It is unacceptable.’

The Ministers however, commended Rwanda for having been able to develop at such a speed in only 15 years after the 1994 horrible events.

The Ministers and experts who are attending the meeting came from 14 countries that subscribe to the Dakar-based University to which Rwanda is a member.

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