Rwandans, living in Russia last Friday gathered at the Rwandan embassy in Moscow to commemorate the 20 years after the liberation struggle that ended the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi. According to a statement from the embassy, the event was presided over by Dr Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya, the Rwandan ambassador to Russia. Mujawamariya told the gathering which also included friends of Rwanda that despite the country’s dark experience – including the Genocide – and total devastation of the infrastructure, government had set the country towards a recovery and prosperity path. She paid tribute to Rwandans who lost lives during the liberation struggle, saying it was absurd they cannot witness how much their efforts have yielded in terms of a developed country. The envoy said Rwandans will always keep these heroes at heart. “We have achieved a lot 20 years down the road and we commend RPF for having liberated our country,” she said. Mujawamariya added that though United Nations decided to withdraw its peacekeepers when Rwandans needed them most, it has not deterred Rwanda from contributing towards peacekeeping missions around the world. Today over 5,000 Rwandan peace keepers are deployed in various countries including Central African Republic, South Sudan, and Haiti among others. The Russian deputy minister of foreign affairs Gregory Vladimirovich, who represented his government commended the good relations between the two countries adding that Russia will continue strengthening the cooperation for the mutual benefit of both Rwandans and Russians.
