Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement Jean Damascène Bizimana has warned that genocide ideology has not been completely eradicated, urging Rwandans to confront the country’s history honestly to prevent divisionism from recurring.
Bizimana made the remarks on Tuesday, October 13, during a Forum of Unity and Resilience at University of Rwanda’s Huye Campus, attended by local leaders from Huye, Nyanza and Gisagara districts.
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He said the divisions that culminated in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi had developed over decades through discriminatory policies, political propaganda and the actions of people who promoted ethnic hatred.
Bizimana urged participants to speak openly about those responsible rather than avoid difficult aspects of the country’s history.
"It is therefore right that we tell each other the truth,” he said, stressing the importance of identifying those who promoted divisionism and understanding the consequences of their actions.
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"If our country is not built on historical truth, these problems could happen again,” he added.
The minister traced the origins of ethnic divisionism to the colonial period, pointing to the role of Belgian administrators and sections of the Catholic Church in weakening Rwanda’s traditional national identity.
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He also cited political movements such as PARMEHUTU and APROSOMA, whose leaders promoted ethnic ideologies that contributed to discrimination and the violence that preceded the Genocide.
Bizimana said understanding how such ideologies developed and spread was necessary to prevent their recurrence.
"We must deeply understand the precise mechanisms that destroyed our society and remain permanently vigilant against them,” he said.
Southern Province's history
Alice Kayitesi, Governor of Southern Province, said the region’s history showed that some intellectuals also participated in the Genocide.
"Many academics from Butare and this southern region of the country actively participated in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi,” she said.
Her remarks highlighted the involvement of some members of the academic community in the atrocities, despite their respected status in society.
The forum was part of Unity and Resilience Month, observed every October, during which Rwandans discuss the country’s history, assess progress in national unity and identify challenges that remain.