Commemorating 30 Years Since the Genocide
In a solemn ceremony, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, accompanied by his wife and 37 visiting leaders, honored the memory of over 1 million victims of the 1994 genocide. The president reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the conditions which led to such atrocities would never again infiltrate Rwanda’s political landscape.
The commemoration began with a wreath-laying at a Kigali memorial, the final resting place for some 250,000 victims. President Kagame, who has been at the helm since 2000, delivered a poignant message at a Kigali sports arena, emphasizing the political nature of the genocide and the necessity for political solutions. “Our politics are not organised on the basis of ethnicity or religion and never will be again,” Kagame declared, ensuring the audience that Rwandans would “never be left for dead again.”
The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, established in Tanzania to prosecute the architects of the genocide, concluded its mission in 2015 with 61 convictions. Rwanda’s internal justice system has since processed nearly 2 million cases. Marie Louise Ayinkamiye, a survivor of the genocide, spoke of strength and unity: “We survivors we are strong. We will build the country together.”
President Kagame highlighted Rwanda’s advancements post-genocide, attributing them to collective decisions made to rebuild the nation. Despite international commendation for fostering peace and economic growth, Kagame faces criticism over alleged political repression and stifling of free media—charges he and his administration vehemently deny.
Further complicating Rwanda’s journey towards lasting peace are accusations from Western nations of Rwanda’s support for M23 Tutsi-led rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo—a claim Rwanda rejects while accusing Congo of backing the FDLR, composed of Hutus involved in the genocide.
The U.N. cultural agency UNESCO marked the occasion by announcing plans to designate four genocide memorial sites as world heritage sites, ensuring that the memories of those lost will be preserved for generations to come.
