Participants paid tribute to genocide victims
Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) and Civil Society Organizations say the Great Lakes countries, especially in Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC), where Genocide Ideologies have been reported should and must uphold the norms Genocide Convention.
The Convention was the first human rights treaty adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 9 December 1948 and signified the international community’s commitment to ‘never again’ after the atrocities committed during the Second World War and others.
Dr. Usta Kayitesi, CEO RGB
The commitment to never again did not become practical and among other indication is the 1994 genocide against Tutsi where more than one million victims perished in April-July 1994. Genocide denial and ideologies followed and very recent cases are being reported in DRC.
Since a couple of weeks ago, videos of people believed to be Congolese were being circulated on social media, sharpening their machetes, spitting out words of hate against Rwandans and Rwandophones at large.
during a genocide commemoration -Kwibuka event at Nyanza-Kicukiro Genocide Memorial today, MINUBUMWE, RGB, and Rwanda Civil Society Platform (RCSP), reiterated the call to the never again principle.
“Today, we mark the fact that we didn’t forget those that we lost. But also, we mark the strength that has reconstructed us and the strength of shared goals, looking at the future together,” Dr. Usta Kaitesi CEO of RGB said.
“Never Again can never be a statement of those who are apart. It is only a statement of unity.”
RGB supported the activities of Ibuka, the umbrella of Genocide survivors’ associations
Elsewhere, it is close to 30 years now, and it is alleged that there has been a consistent collaboration between the Congolese military FARDC, and the FDLR, a Rwandan genocidal armed group.
The FDLR comprises remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. After killing more than one million people 28 years ago, they fled into Eastern DR Congo where hey found safe haven.
“We have heard ideologies in the great lakes region in DRC. We shall continue to fight these ideologies whether inside or outside the country. The never again should and must be a reality,” Paul Rukesha Director General in charge of Partnership and Communication at MINUBUMWE said.
