A United Nations envoy has said that while post-genocide Rwanda has achieved significant recovery through deliberate and strategic national policies, ongoing threats posed by armed groups, such as DR Congo-backed FDLR, propagation of genocide ideology and denial, are causes of concern. Edward Kallon, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Zimbabwe, noted that Rwanda managed to defy the odds and recovered from the effects of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, including institutional collapse, mass displacement, deep societal trauma and widespread destruction. ALSO READ: Youth urged to counter anti-Rwanda narratives during Kwibuka 32 “Through deliberate policies of unity and reconciliation, including integration of former adversaries into national structures, the country has made significant recovery,” Kallon said at a press briefing at the Embassy of Rwanda ahead of the 32nd Genocide commemoration period (Kwibuka32) starting on April 7. “However, on-going threats remain. Genocide ideology, denial and extremism persist, particularly within the Great Lakes region. Armed groups such as the FDLR continue to destabilize the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, targeting vulnerable communities and perpetuating insecurity. These risks are increasingly amplified through digital and transnational networks.” The FDLR comprises remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi which regrouped in eastern DR Congo. ALSO READ: Educating youth about Genocide non-negotiable, says Bizimana The Rwandan Embassy in Harare will host the commemorations on April 7 at the Celebration Centre. Rwandans in Zimbabwe, Friends of Rwanda, the diplomatic community and the business community will join the global community in marking Kwibuka32. The Genocide against the Tutsi, which lasted for 100 days claiming over one million lives, was a culmination of decades of division and segregationist policies that began in the late 1950s. Kallon said Kwibuka period is both a remembrance and a warning that continued inaction risks repeating past failures. He stressed need to combat hate speech on online platforms. “There are three key messages, that is, remember, unite and renew, the UN envoy said referring to the Kwibuka theme. The priority call to action in this means we need to invest in inclusive societies and strong, accountable institutions that protect fundamental rights. There is need to combat hate speech, genocide ideology and denial in all its forms and spaces, including online to safeguard human dignity,” Kallon said. Rwanda’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe James Musoni warned that failure to combat ongoing crimes by the FDLR, the continued propagation of hate speech and genocide ideology on digital platforms, could result in devastating consequences. He noted that failure to act amounts to complicity. He expressed concern at the ongoing propagation of genocide ideology, denial and distortion especially in eastern DR Congo where a ethnic violence against Congolese Tutsi communities is ongoing as the world watches. Musoni said FDLR activities are contributing to ongoing instability and displacement in the eastern DR Congo and the region. He said Kwibuka serves as a solemn reminder to humanity to prevent similar atrocities in Rwanda and anywhere in the world. He said as the global community commemorates the Genocide against the Tutsi, commitment that such a dark chapter should not happen again must be translated into solid action to combat hate speech and dismantle ideologies of division. “As we commemorate during Kwibuka32, we are deeply concerned by the continuing insecurity in the Great Lakes region. The situation in eastern DRC is a stark reminder of the consequences of inaction and echoes the failure of the international community in 1994,” Musoni said. “We call upon the international community to take decisive action against the FDLR; combat genocide denial, hate speech and extremist ideologies; ensure accountability by bringing perpetrators to justice wherever they may be; and uphold the principles of international solidarity and the responsibility to protect.” Ambassador Musoni praised President Paul Kagame who led the Rwanda Patriotic Front/Army in stopping the mass killings and defeating the genocidal regime. He said retrogressive colonial policies that were perpetuated by the regimes that took over resulted in the Genocide against the Tutsi. “Roots of the genocide can be traced to colonial-era policies that institutionalised division and discrimination, which were later enforced by successive post-independence regimes. Decades of systematic persecution, exclusion, and violence against the Tutsi were suddenly terminated,” Musoni said. Hhe spoke about the enormous challenges Rwanda faced in the aftermath of the genocide against the Tutsi and the mammoth task of rebuilding a nation devastated by the loss of over one million lives, destroyed infrastructure, and widespread displacement. Millions of people had also been forced by the genocidal regime to flee with them into eastern DR Congo. He said Rwanda also grappled with the task of restoring unity among deeply traumatised communities. Ambassador Musoni highlighted ongoing efforts to unite Rwandans, promote socio-economic progress and development.
