Religious groups urged to help fight trauma

THE vice president of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC), Pastor Antoine Rutayisire, has urged religious denominations to put their full weight behind helping Rwandans in trauma. He said this yesterday in an interview with Sunday Times.“Trauma is caused by the accumulation of many factors, including hardships, sorrow, anger, pain and other issues. It is emotional indigestion which is very positive by the way, because it helps in cleaning what has been hidden in someone”. He added that NURC has mobilized several religious communities to contribute both physically and spiritually in this year’s fight against trauma. “Trauma healing is a gradual process, it should involve everyone more especially religious leaders, especially during this commemoration period”. Following recent statistics that show that trauma cases are estimated at 28%, Rutayisire warned that it was a serious issue the nation should closely look into. Giving an example of Haiti which was hit by a devastating natural disaster, Rutayisire compared their trauma healing as easier than in Rwanda where ethnicity was the root cause. “Management of emotions in Haiti can be a little bit easier since no one points a finger at another. I think what will help us is to remember as we try to be better people,” he noted. “We should commemorate to transform, help those who survived. If remembering is done properly, it is an engine, a propeller to development,” Rutayisire underscored. Ends