October 1 marked 30 years after the beginning of the Liberation Struggle, which was launched in 1990 by the Rwanda Patriotic Front/Army. The armed struggle came as the last option to restore the right to belong for hundreds of thousands of Rwandan refugees who had been hounded out of their country during successive episodes of pogroms, dating as far back as 1959. The struggle also sought to liberate millions of Rwandans inside the country who were victims of a regime that had no regard for human life and dignity, and had entrenched systemic exclusion and discrimination. These divisive tendencies would later culminate into the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, claiming the lives of more than a MILLION innocent people. But, thanks to the courage and never-say-die spirit of the people – both those in exile and at home –, the genocidal regime was defeated and the country embarked on a new chapter of reconstruction, healing, and pursuit of dignity, development and other legitimate aspirations. Rwanda has since come of age, not just by turning her fortunes around and giving its people equal opportunity and a better chance at life, but is also increasingly earning itself a respectable place among the community of nations. Today, the Rwandan passport comes with a sense of agaciro (dignity) and self-worth. Rwanda also embraces friends near and far. Yet challenges remain. Some are so steeped in our dark history it will take a bit more time to eradicate them. Others will probably only disappear when stubborn, older generations exit the stage. Nonetheless, the RPF-led dispensation has laid a firm foundation for current and future generations to forge ahead, together, as one people and build a stronger, safer and more prosperous Rwanda. Every generation has its work cut out. In Rwanda, the young and future generations have the task of keeping the country on the path of sustainable peace, unity and development, and keeping all ills that nearly wiped it off the face of the earth a few decades ago at bay. That’s why it’s vitally important that younger Rwandans are continuously taught to align their personal values with the principles that have helped steer Rwanda away from the brink of total destruction. Young generations and those that will come after them are the custodians of Rwanda’s future and every effort must be made to ensure they are empowered enough to confront the future in unity – with an indomitable spirit, with resilience, tolerance and grace. In that context, therefore, the month-long unity and reconciliation drive that was launched on Thursday, October 1, must not be seen as an event attached to a specific date or timeframe, but rather a reminder that these foundational values should continuously be woven into our fabric as a society. Securing our future is not a one-time event or campaign but a daily struggle, one we cannot afford to postpone.
