Trauma & stigma : Reconciliation in Rwanda
The month of April approaches again and Rwanda prepares to remember once more.
Genocide is a horrible crime with terrible repercussions be they immediate or remote .
In Rwanda after 25 years the wounds of the victims and their trauma are as deep as they were in 94.
While Rwanda should be credited for dealing with the overwhelming issues that followed the murder , abuse and demolition of the very fabric of its society , the current government has failed to take appropriate steps leading to true healing and lasting peace .
There is still a very long way towards reconciliation for us as Rwandans as today, our society is torn between trauma and stigma.
Our survivor are traumatized , many have not been able to mourn their loved ones as their whereabouts are withheld from them by some of the perpetrators and/ or privy witnesses to this day.
There is also the fact that the government of Rwanda though it may deny this continues to be blamed by survivors who feel instrumentalised by it for the purpose of legitimizing its grip on power.
On the other hand there is the stigmatization of Hutu who have since been marginalized and consigned to the role of the perpetual villain .
President Kagame has infamously demanded that the hutu youth apologize for the crime of a genocide they did not commit implying their guilt by reason of birth !
As we remember for the 25th time , let us reflect on the challenge of true reconciliation at hand .
Let us look beyond the current regime in Rwanda that we all agree stands in the way of this reconciliation by continuing to suppress the freedom of expression that would allow us to contemplate true forgiveness heal our nation.
Noble Marara