Dear compatriots Rwandans, Friends of Rwanda,

Today on 7th April is an international recognised day for all Rwandans to gather and weep in memory for their loved ones who perished during the Genocide against Tutsis 20 years ago.

Picture by Mugisha H

As an independent in Rwanda’s political climate, I am writing this statement for the first time, dedicating it to those who lost their lives during Genocide against Tutsis and to show how much I care about our Rwandan history.

If I am honest with you, for the moment it clicks in my brain that Rwandans themselves are the ones that makes us be here today with this sorrow; it does sincerely feel right with me to show how sorry I am for those who lost their lives during this mayhem period. It was wrong for those who used their long term hate ideology against their innocent compatriots. That political ideology to get rid of one citizen based on their ethnic and political background was not right and should not get support.

It is now 20 years on after genocide and our bitter past memories are still fresh. It is as if the crime of genocide was committed yesterday and I don’t say 20 years is too soon or too late to forget because I am certain that those memories may live with us for ever. However, I do believe that where there is courage, our history is here to teach us and Remembrance Day is to give us a grip of the past that a green light to kill isn’t always right.

 

Slaughtering minority Tutsis was in plan of greedy leadership as against all odds and against all Rwandans wishes, small margin of Rwandans under the cover of ethnic strived to maintain political power by using all they could get hands on and only in one objective; to rob and wound Rwanda. Their evil plan went in their way and consequently, in only one hundred days, the country was covered with innocent blood and; the terror was in every corner of the country.

 

Many people lost their lives. It was a devil day because even those Hutus who owned humanity and who tried to fend off killers arms in order to protect and save their compatriot Tutsis; they were never spared for their humanity; sadly they were all killed alongside their compatriot Tutsis. Even though, those Hutus who were killed by other extremist Hutus were not the main target, but they lost their lives under a good cause and their humanity to save lives from a killing powerful hands should not be in any way dismissed because any greedy social endeavour has one way to hatred.

 

Any action that can lead to hatred or cause it, should not get support because the killings of Tutsis was a result from a long term hate ideology that was taught in schools and social gathering and we cannot exclude a long term injustice against them because Justice and political power was just in hands of few; hence from my own analysis of the situation, It seems to me that discrimination against Tutsis in every social, judicial and political system by so called Hutus Governments allowed an easy execution of genocide.

 

As Killings of Tutsis seemed to be not near to an end, I have always appreciated the courage of those men and women, some of them still currently in Rwandan Defence force whose sacrifice saved some life by bringing this type of killing to an end. I believe that, away from domestic political manipulation, our Rwandan security forces are among those forces that understand better civil liberties and Human rights and, their courage of ending genocide is among many reasons why the world has even believed in them by assigning them to peace keeping mission in the most conflict and hostile zones.

 

The Rwandan security forces are the only institutions that can prevent a rehearsal of a crime of genocide by not taking part in any slaying act through any motive and they should not allow themselves to be over powered by political manipulation as it was in 1994 when our compatriots Tutsis were being tortured and later slaughtered while security forces were watching doing nothing to save those lives that were in danger.

 

As we remember our bitter past today so as I urge all Rwandan security forces not to be manipulated by individual or a group’s political interest. They should rather continue their professionalism in order to protect both our country and all lives from any harm and danger. In doing so, all ethnic background will feel safe in their hands as the mind of evil gets completely defeated and consequently, a long term peace will prevail over our land.

 

I always believe in what peace can do for Rwandans and may be for other citizen on the whole continent of Africa and beyond hence my belief that where there is a political disagreement, a peaceful solution should be sought to settle any political matter. Under any human ethic, Political disagreement should not be resolved by violence because violence is the father of all evil and the mother of dictatorship. We, Rwandans know better because we have already tasted the seeds of violence and their taste was not good at all. Thus, we should all say never again.

 

Justice and impartial justice is the key for a better and stronger reconciliation and healing. For those who committed the crime of genocide, especially those who planned it, they should come forward and ask for forgiveness and be punished if necessary; because Justice and a fair justice is the best ingredient for a better reconciliation and a strong foundation for a peaceful and prosperous country.

 

The credit of courage and endurance goes to those Rwandan people especially those victims of genocide who continue to seed peace through tolerance and a forge of unite because without their courage and endurance of forgiving those who used to wrong them, the hope for a better Rwanda would be a myth. We need a country and a better country that we can leave behind for our children and many generations to come.

 

As we remember this day when Rwandans from Tutsis ethnic were hunted untamed just like wild animals, we should all take into account the basichuman rights that no human was born to be deprived life by other person and we should all acknowledge that we are all born equal and so we should get equal treatment and rights because the absence of understanding this simple rule of humanity, would be another birth of another catastrophe.

 

The thyme of this year remembrance as approved by the government of Rwanda is to remember, unite and renew and I hope that you all,my Compatriots as you remember this day of April, you don’t forget that unite is strong.

 

I join hands with you to day to grieve and to remember for our loved ones who lost their lives during genocide.

 

Let us all remember this day.

 

Jean Paul Ndindamahina

 .