This has been a historic week for Rwanda for many reasons. First, Nyungwe National Park was included on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List as a protected site for the UN body, and a day later, four memorial sites built in honour of the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, were added on the same list. The inscription of the memorial sites and Nyungwe park was approved by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee during their 45th session that is underway in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh. ALSO READ Four Genocide memorials added to UNESCO World Heritage List The four sites are; Kigali Genocide Memorial, Bisesero memorial located in Karongi District, Murambi memorial in Nyamagabe District and Nyamata Genocide memorial found in Bugesera District. All these memorials are the final resting place for hundreds of thousands of Genocide victims who were killed in all manner of heinous ways for nothing but being born Tutsi. ALSO READ: UNESCO boss backs bid to turn Rwanda's Genocide memorials into world heritage sites With these memorials getting the global recognition, it is hoped that a brighter light will be shone on the Genocide against the Tutsi, which claimed over a million innocent lives. ALSO READ: Government steps up bid to list Genocide memorial centres on UNESCO heritage sites This is important because, less than 30 years after the genocide, some countries continue to be misled by genocide perpetrators, some phony researchers and other sympathizers, who use all manner of methods to trivialize or even deny the genocide. Some countries also continue to not only habour these genocide perpetrators on the run, but also give them free reign to continue their mobilization activities to promoting their genocidal agenda. It is therefore our hope as Rwandans that with the global recognition that will come with the inscription of the memorials, leaders in these countries will stop giving these fugitives a platform to continue their sinister agenda. For Rwandans in the diaspora, this is a new ammunition that they should use to challenge these genocidaires and their sympathizers whenever they organizer their events in those foreign countries. Equally interesting, Murambi, one of the Genocide memorials which were inscribed by UNESCO is located in the former Gikongoro prefecture, where over four of the mayors and are masterminds of the Genocide in the area have found a safe haven in the United Kingdom. Charles Munyaneza, Emmanuel Nteziryayo and Celestin Ugirashebuja were bourgmestres (mayors) for the communes (districts) of Kinyamakara, Mudasomwa and Kigoma, respectively, all in former Gikongoro. They continue to roam freely in the United Kingdom despite indictments detailing their atrocities being in the custody of the British judiciary for close to two decades now.
