The Embassy of Rwanda in China also on Thursday April 7 held a commemoration activity to honour the over one million people killed 28 years ago during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The commemoration event was attended by officials from the Chinese government, diplomats accredited to Beijing, representatives of international organizations, friends of Rwanda and the Rwandan community in China. During the event, Ambassador James Kimonyo said that some of those who committed the genocide against the Tutsi are still at large, which he said has impeded the healing process for the Genocide survivors. He added: “I therefore appeal to you as a family of global nations to honor the indictments issued by the government of Rwanda to bring the concerned suspects to justice in Rwanda or at least in your respective jurisdictions.” Rwanda, through the Office of the Prosecutor has issued over 1000 indictments to over 30 countries where these fugitives of the Genocide are believed to be, but only few countries have heeded the call to arrest them. Government has previously said that these countries hosting them can either choose to extradite them or try them domestically. On the issue of genocide denial, the ambassador remarked that it is intended to destroy the memory of what happened and if left unchecked, it could potentially form the basis of another cycle of genocide. In this respect he also emphasized the need to enact laws against denial of the genocide against Tutsi. France and Belgium instituted these laws in their legal systems. The representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Ambassador Wu Peng expressed solidarity with the people of Rwanda and survivors in particular during this period when the victims of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda are remembered and honored.
