Govt outlines guidelines ahead of 28th Genocide commemoration

Government has released a set of guidelines that will guide the mourning activities as the country gears up for the 28th commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi, which begins on Thursday, April 7. According to the guidelines issued by the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagements (MINUBUMWE), there will be no Walk to Remember on July 7, while the night vigil will be aired on national television. This is the third time the commemoration activities are taking place during the Covid-19 pandemic and all these years, key activities like Walk to Remember and the vigil were suspended to limit the spread of the virus. The national mourning will last until April 13 while commemoration activities will go on until July 3, ahead of the celebrations for Liberation Day which take place on July 4. As has been the case over the past years, commemoration activities at the national level will be held at the Kigali Genocide Memorial while districts will converge at district memorial sites. “The night vigil often held on the evening of the first day of the commemoration week and will be aired on the national broadcaster from 6pm,” read the guidelines signed off by Jean-Damascene Bizimana, the minister, MINUBUMWE. From April 8 to 10, places of worship will disseminate messages regarding the country’s history that culminated into the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. On April 10, experts and academicians will discuss the role of the media in the Genocide against the Tutsi and the rebuilding Rwandan community in the genocide aftermath, according to the calendar. April 11 will be dedicated to remembering the Tutsi victims who were killed on the same day after being abandoned by the UN peacekeepers in the former Kicukiro technical school (Eto Kicukiro). The same day is used to reflect on indifference by the international community to the plight of Rwandans during the 100-day massacre. The ministry also advised government-affiliated agencies as well as private institutions to dedicate one day between April 8 and 12 to commemorate their former staff who were killed during the Genocide. Just like previous years, the national mourning week will be closed on April 13 at Rebero Genocide Memorial which is dedicated to politicians killed during the Genocide. In line with 100 commemoration days, each education institution and higher learning will hold a commemoration day not later than July 3. The same applies to other administrative areas that experienced heavy massacres during the genocide.

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Govt outlines guidelines ahead of 28th Genocide commemoration