From right, Amb. Rahamtalla Mohamed Osman, the Permanent Representative of the AU to China, Ambassador Wu Peng, Representative of the Government of the People’s Republic of China, Amb. James Kimonyo, Rwanda’s Ambassador to China, Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee, the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in China, Col John Karangwa, Rwanda’s Defence Attaché to China lighting the candle of hope.
African has not benefited from governance models and systems imposed on it by western countries right from colonial times and it is about time the continent looks elsewhere for more progressive options.
This was said by Ambassador Wu Peng, Director-General of the Department of African Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, who argues that models imposed on African countries from “outside” did not bring stability or prosperity, therefore countries should explore development paths that suit their conditions.
Ambassador Peng made the observation during the event to start 100 days of mourning, to commemorate the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, at the Rwandan embassy in Beijing, China, on April 7, pointing out that the African continent is now at a critical stage of peace and development, and countries are experiencing “a new awakening.”
“Models imposed from outside did not bring stability or prosperity. It is essential that countries on the continent explore development paths suited to their national conditions and hold their future and destiny firmly in their own hands,” Ambassador Peng said.
“The African continent is now at a critical stage of peace and development. African countries are experiencing a new awakening,” he added.
This year, the commemoration happens 30th time since the Genocide against the Tutsi, that ripped a country apart, and killed over one million people in just a hundred days.
Ambassador Peng who represented the Chinese government at the commemoration event, also known as Kwibuka stated that Rwanda is a fine example of war-torn countries emerging stronger.
To begin 30th commemoration in Beijing, over 300 people gathered at the Rwandan embassy residence. They included diplomats from various countries, the Chinese community, Rwandans living in China, and business people.
Rwandan poets delivery message on Genocide against the Tutsi, reselience , rebuilding the country and the country’s vision.
Diplomats who attended the beginning of the commemoration, represented their countries in China. They are from Nigeria, South Africa, Philippines, USA, Britain, among others.
The commemoration event in Beijing featured short tour of the Rwandan history, colonial regimes and Genocide exhibtion hall, a minute of silence to honour Genocide victims, and light a candle of hope.
“For those unfamiliar with the history of Rwanda, the seeds of hate and divisionism were sowed during the colonial period, where the divide-and-rule policy was practiced through issuance of ethnic identity cards based on constructed identities,” James Kimonyo, ambassador of Rwanda in China said during the event.
“Describing each person as Hutu, Tutsi or Twa, while in actual fact what existed were simply social classes because Rwandans are one people with one language, same culture, and practice same traditions,” he stated.
Ambassador Kimonyo pointed out that these divisive politics gradually entrenched hate and deep divisions within Rwandan society that culminated in the atrocious Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994.
Killers had no an iota of mercy
When the Genocide started on 7th April 1994 none was to be spared. Women, children and men were killed. It is estimated that 10,000 people were murdered each day.
“Perpetrators had no an iota of mercy, they slaughtered people like chickens-raped banged babies against solid objects-they did all manner of callous things without sparing anyone, -young- elderly- disabled, even pregnant women,” Ambassador Kimonyo added.
According to Ambassador, Rahamtalla M. Osman, Permanent Representative of the African Union to China commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi is an opportunity pay attention of African states to the magnitude of the threat and obligation to oppose the self-destruction.
“The commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda is an opportunity to draw the attention of African states to the magnitude of the threat as well as to our imperative obligation to oppose the self-destruction to which all these criminal practices lead,” Ambassador Osman said.
He pointed out that all countries should act in favor of peace, to silence the guns and subsequently place the continent on the path of stability, security and progress.
