Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) has said that there has been a decline in the cases related to genocide ideology and denial that were registered since 2017. In what may demonstrate the success of Rwanda’s efforts to eliminate the genocide ideology among the public, RIB statistics show that in 2017 it recorded 114 cases of genocide ideology during the genocide commemoration week. The figure reduced to 72 cases in 2018 and 2019, according to RIB figures. This comes as Rwandans are marking the 25th commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The spokesperson of RIB Modeste Mbabazi explained that genocide ideology is now manifesting in different ways. “Genocide ideology has shifted from educated people to uneducated people compared to previous years. The attendance of Rwandan in commemoration week was good and the thirst to know the truth and finally cases of trauma in survivors were few,” he explained. Mbabazi added that genocide ideology is more rampant among old people aged between 34 and 53 years because most of them were there during the Genocide and others are perpetrators. “Mostly cases were related to genocide denial where they told survivors that there was double genocide and yet they are not remembering their people, “he said Cases of denial were also common in bar or during quarrels as opposed to commemoration events. Unlike in the past when reporting genocide ideology and denial was difficult, RIB says, the public is now more equipped fight the vice through existing laws. editor@newtimesrwanda.com
