Kagame: Paris memorial 'a mark of respect for dignity of Rwandans, history'

President Paul Kagame has described the first permanent memorial for victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in France as a powerful symbol that preserves historical truth and safeguards memory for future generations. Speaking on Wednesday, June 2, at the inauguration of the memorial called “L’Archive,” Kagame said it represents far more than a commemorative structure. ALSO READ: All you need to know about Genocide memorial unveiled in France “The memorial before us is powerful because it sets the truth in stone and protects it from the heartlessness of time, by instructing the living,” Kagame said after he and French President Emmanuel Macron unveiled the monument. “It is not a validation, because none is needed. But it will stand as a mark of respect for the dignity of Rwandans and our history.” The memorial is located on the Esplanade Habib-Bourguiba along the banks of the Seine in Paris. Tbe inauguration ceremony was attended Genocide survivors, French officials, members of the Rwandan community, and representatives of survivor organisations. Kagame said witnessing the inauguration of the permanent memorial dedicated to victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi in a prominent location in Paris is a significant moment. He commended the City of Paris, current Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire, and former Mayor Anne Hidalgo for supporting the project and acknowledged the efforts of survivor organisations, historians, researchers, journalists, and activists who worked for years to ensure that the truth about the Genocide was documented and recognised. President Kagame commended his counterpart Macron for confronting France's historical responsibility regarding the Genocide that claimed over one million lives in 100 days. “Confronting historical responsibilities requires real courage because it generates fierce opposition by those with a case to answer,” Kagame said. “You need a strong sense of humanity to see it through.” He recalled Macron's 2021 visit to Kigali following the publication of two independent reports, one commissioned by France and the other by Rwanda, which reached similar conclusions regarding France's role before and during the genocide. “You acknowledged that France could have stopped the genocide, but did not,” Kagame said. “In response, I described your words as something more valuable than an apology: namely, the truth.” Kagame also commended former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose 2010 visit to Rwanda marked an initial step in France's acknowledgement of its failures during the Genocide. While noting that some disagreements remain regarding the historical record, Kagame said the process of acknowledging the truth was ongoing. “I believe that our common work has initiated a journey towards truth which is irreversible,” he said. The President further acknowledged efforts by French authorities to prosecute Genocide suspects and to combat genocide denial, stressing that such work must continue. Reflecting on Rwanda's experience, Kagame said the country had emerged from genocide determined to confront its own responsibilities while building a future based on unity and resilience. “One certitude is that the main responsibility for the genocide is located within our own society, as Rwandans,” Kagame said. “Others contributed, but we cannot blame them more than we do ourselves.” He added that Rwanda's determination to ensure that genocide is never repeated remains unwavering and continues to shape efforts to educate younger generations. The President also shared personal reflections after hearing testimony of Jeanne Uwimbabazi, a Genocide survivor. He recalled his personal life growing up as a refugee after anti-Tutsi violence that forced his family to flee Rwanda. He noted that the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi was a culmination of cycles of violence that had been committed for over three decades. “Survivors are living memorials,” Kagame said. “Not only by virtue of the visible scars of the body, but also the indelible wounds of the spirit, which they transmit to us through their testimony.” ALSO READ: Kagame, Macron unveil memorial for Genocide against the Tutsi For his part, President Macron described the memorial as the culmination of a long process of truth-telling, recognition, and remembrance. “This monument inscribes the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda at the heart of our capital and our history,” Macron said. He reiterated the position he expressed during his visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial in 2021, when he acknowledged France's responsibility in the chain of events that led to the Genocide. Macron noted that the permanent memorial in Paris was the result of decades of advocacy by survivors, researchers, civil society organisations, and particularly Ibuka France, whose efforts helped bring the project to fruition. Macron stressed that remembrance must be accompanied by continued historical research, access to archives, and judicial accountability. “No crime against humanity can benefit from the statute of limitations or impunity,” he said. “Justice will be served.” He also warned against the persistence of racism, ethnic hatred, and genocide denial, arguing that the lessons of the Genocide against the Tutsi remain relevant in today's world. “Genocide begins when we look at our neighbour as a stranger,” Macron said, The two Presidents described the memorial not as the end of a process, but as another step in strengthening historical understanding, preserving memory, and deepening relations between Rwanda and France.

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Kagame: Paris memorial 'a mark of respect for dignity of Rwandans, history'