1994-2022. It’s 28 years since Rwanda’s worst episode in its tragic history was set in motion, resulting in the slaughter of more than a million of innocent lives. The Genocide against the Tutsi left an indelible mark on our national conscience and a country on the brink of destruction. For three months, the mountains and valleys of Rwanda were soaked in blood, with hordes of coldblooded militia and genocidal forces slaughtering children, women and men alike. The killings were a culmination of decades of systematic oppression and discrimination against the Tutsi at the hands of successive fascist regimes that also vehemently denied those who had been banished to exile their right to return home. Authorities also relentlessly taught and promoted hatred against the Tutsi in schools, in the workplace and in communities, and methodically planned and implemented all of the early stages of genocide (including classification, symbolization, discrimination and dehumanization) before finally setting the killing machine rolling. Fortunately, another group of gallant men and women of Rwanda rallied and stopped the killings, restored sanity and rescued the country from the brink – against all odds. Nearly 30 years later Rwanda is unrecognisable from the country that had been brought to its knees by barbarism and misrule. Today, all Rwandans have equal rights and equal access to opportunity and no schoolchild is harassed or dismissed because of who they are or where they hail from. Ethnic identities have been removed from national IDs and Nd’Umunyarwanda and Rwandan values inculcated, especially among young people. Thousands of Genocide perpetrators have been rehabilitated through a restorative justice system and many have expressed remorse and reconciled with victims – who have put the country over self and embraced forgiveness and hope. Furthermore, Rwanda has grown by leaps and bounds across all sectors in a remarkable story of transformation. Yet, challenges remain. There are still people who willfully deny or minimise the Genocide or promote the same destructive ideology, while trauma cases have spiked among survivors and their children. Some of the survivors have also grown vey old with no family members to take care of them thanks to the Genocide. These are critical issues that require our collective attention. For instance, you can contribute through extending a helping hand to the elderly and other needy survivors, especially this mourning period, and using different platforms and networks to push back against Genocide denial or ideology, and to debunk lies about our history. In particular, we should stand with the survivors and express our solidarity with those grieving during this difficult period and contribute to their sense of hope and renewal. To the survivors, we join you in paying tribute to your loved ones whose lives were brutally taken away from us. We’ll continue to honour your extraordinary courage and unfailing resilience as we, together, build a better Rwanda for all. We thank you for your strength and selflessness, key ingredients of Rwanda’s recovery and hope.
