TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS later, the effects of the Genocide committed against the Tutsi in 1994 still linger, as if it happened just the other day. Survivors of the genocide continue to grapple with effects of the worst humanitarian catastrophe of the 20th century. To date, some of the survivors haven’t been able to identify the bodies of their loved ones, let alone give them a decent burial. Some of the survivors were forced to raise children born out of rape by the killers of their kith. Others have been accustomed to living with sexually transmitted diseases transmitted to them through rape. What survivors experienced in 1994 was cruel that today one cannot help wondering how they have been able to cope with the post-traumatic stress they endure especially during the commemoration period. As we continue to mourn the loss of over a million innocent victims lost during the genocide against the Tutsi, it is even worse for survivors because this period brings back fresh memories and flashbacks of the horrors they went through. Needless to mention that survivors have accepted to live side by side with perpetrators who repented and asked for forgiveness. This is a very important step forward with regard to reconciliation but it does not take away the fact that the faces of these killers evoke fresh memories of their horror. The swift and unprecedented intervention of the Rwanda Patriotic Army commanded by President Paul Kagame at the time overthrew one of the world’s most brutal governments whose army and allied militias had killed at least 10,000 people every day for 100 days. Right after bringing these horrific events to an end, the RPF-led Government had the monumental task of putting pieces together for Rwanda to be called a country again. Even though everything was a priority at the time, high on agenda was to reconcile a deeply divided society that was still nursing fresh wounds of the genocide, at the same time preventing the country from descending into another phase of civil war. Reconciling Rwandan society was not going to be possible had it not been for survivors who were magnanimous beyond measure and accepted to forsake their right to justice for reconciliation to take place. Survivors were asked to forgive their killers and they did so unreservedly, some went over beyond to offer to sensitize convicts in prison and teach them the importance of forgiveness and being reintegrated in their communities. Survivors were asked to live side by side with perpetrators after they had been released from prison and they said yes. Some convicts still went back and attacked the survivors, killed their cattle, or cut down their plantations. These acts can only be pardoned by people who see far and mean well for generations to come. As Rwanda marks 100 days of remembering the Genocide victims, it coincides with the hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be held during the week of 20 June 2022 in Kigali. This is arguably one of the biggest gatherings in the world, bringing together head states, governments, business executives and other dignitaries from 53 member states. For Rwanda to have the stability being enjoyed today and having made strides that make the country one of the fastest-growing economies and to be able to host events of this magnitude, survivors played a vital role. Had it not been for their spirit of perseverance and ability to cope with the ordeals of the 1994 massacres they went through and being able to embrace reconciliation-related policies, the above-mentioned successes would not have been possible. Dear survivor, you gave more than you were asked, you are more than just a survivor, you are a warrior, you are brave and you are unique. Your magnanimity is unmatched. Rwanda is able to register these milestones because of your sacrifice, belief, and putting the interest of the society ahead of your own. Rwanda wouldn’t have made the strides it’s making without your sacrifice. Rwanda is proud of you. Thank you for your sacrifice. Kim Kamasa is a consultant based in Kigali.
