Minister Habimana urges vigilance against genocide ideology at commemoration of fallen public servants

The Minister of Local Government, Dominique Habimana, called on public servants to uphold unity and remain vigilant against genocide ideology, as various government institutions commemorated the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Speaking on Thursday, April 30, at a remembrance event honouring slain former public servants who worked for MINITRASO, MINIFOP, and MININTER, Habimana said remembrance is both a duty and a foundation for safeguarding the country’s future. ALSO READ: Fallen politicians honoured as mourning week ends “Rest assured and remain strong: what happened will never happen again. Genocide will never occur again in our country,” he cited words of President Paul Kagame, extending condolences to survivors and the families of Genocide victims. The minister noted that at least 25 employees, 10 from MINITRASO, eight from MINIFOP, and seven from MININTER, were killed during the genocide, targeted solely for being Tutsi. Some, he added, were betrayed by their own colleagues. “If anyone knows of other victima, please share their names so they can be added to the list of those we commemorate,” he said. ALSO READ: How a genocide widow turned personal tragedy into leadership and purpose Habimana stressed that remembrance must go hand in hand with lessons drawn from the country’s history, particularly the role of leaders in either dividing or uniting citizens. “Genocide is carried out by a state,” he said. “The Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994 was planned by bad leadership, which promoted division, spread hatred, and organised and executed the killings.” He noted that planning meetings were held in public offices and that weapons were distributed by leaders, including local authorities and security personnel highlighting the role of institutions at the time. “This history reminds us that every government leader or employee must serve all citizens without discrimination and prioritise the protection of unity,” he added. Habimana also paid tribute to those who opposed the Genocide and to the RPA Inkotanyi forces that stopped the massacres. “Inkotanyi sacrificed themselves, rescuing Tutsi who were being killed. Their values of patriotism and sacrifice are a lasting legacy,” he said. Ongoing fight against genocide ideology While noting Rwanda’s progress over the past three decades, Habimana warned that the fight against genocide ideology remains ongoing. “Some perpetrators continue to spread genocide ideology, deny it, and pass lies to their children, often through social media. But Rwanda is strong. Nothing will take us backwards,” he said. He commended survivors for what he described as “the gift of forgiveness,” which he said has been central to rebuilding the nation. Sharing her testimony, Rose Uwimana, the widow of a former MINIFOP employee, recounted decades of discrimination that preceded the Genocide, including exclusion from education and employment. “It was difficult. Imagine a child with 60 marks not getting a school placement, another with 50 not getting one, while the one with 20 did,” she said, illustrating systemic inequality. She recalled that in 1973, employees were dismissed and blacklisted from returning to work, leaving many families without livelihoods. During the Genocide, Uwimana said, betrayal became evident as colleagues denounced one another. “On April 7, soldiers and civilians came to our house with a photo of President Habyarimana, accusing us of shooting down his plane,” she recalled. Despite the trauma, Uwimana said survivors have rebuilt their lives. “Today, we are grateful to be alive. Life is possible again. I returned to work, children go to school, and opportunities are open,” she said. Blaise Ndizihiwe, the Second Vice President of Genocide survivors' organisation Ibuka, said remembrance serves to honour victims and counter attempts to distort history. “Remembrance is not about reopening wounds but about honouring our loved ones and recalling the cruelty of the Genocide,” he said. Ndizihiwe highlighted the scale of the tragedy, noting that 15,593 families comprising 68,871 individuals, were completely wiped out, leaving no one behind to tell their stories. “This shows the genocide was deliberate and systematically executed,” he said. He emphasised the role of young people in preserving the truth and confronting Genocide denial. “As youth, we will not allow history to be distorted. We learn it and understand it,” he said. Ndizihiwe added that today’s generation benefits from equal opportunities in education and employment, unlike in the past, and must use those opportunities to contribute to national development. “Our main struggle is fighting genocide denial and distortion,” he said.

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Minister Habimana urges vigilance against genocide ideology at commemoration of fallen public servants