Editor,

I wish to express my support for the joint efforts of Aegis Trust and the National Commission for the fight against Genocide (CNLG) in preserving Genocide archives.

It’s true that history has to be seen, told and preserved. Today, there is a growing interest in Rwanda as more and more people seek to understand the horror that took place in this country nearly 20 years ago, and why violence of such magnitude could have happened in our generation!

The national archives will be a living memorial of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and they will inspire citizens and leaders worldwide on how to confront hatred and promote human dignity, and cultivate a sense of moral responsibility among citizens.

History being a reasoned reconstruction of the past through research, Rwandans must remember and pledge if we are to pay tribute to the past. Once something is known, it can never be unknown, it can only be forgotten. Let’s preserve the records of history to champion remembrance because truth lies in remembering.

History must be in our hands for it is more than the path left by the past, because it influences the present and can shape the future. Our cultural memory needs to be strengthened for our cultural survival and identity through a shared past. Let’s be vigilant and cherish our historical archives and guard our heritage for dignity and self-realisation, and live a legacy judged by history.

David Nkusi, Southern Province

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I would like to commend the efforts of CNLG and Aegis Trust in digitally archiving Genocide records.

The idea is great but the end result is more important to Rwandans. History has shown how good ideas sometimes degenerate into games and don’t deliver the desired results. The point I’m trying to make is that as long as we need help here and there, most of the help have strings attached.

You mentioned of Genocide denials, this is no mistake; it’s intentional and those attempting to minimise or deny the Genocide against the Tutsi will not relent.

We need to keep safe the evidence we managed to get and in its original state; otherwise it can be manipulated and we lose it for good.

Bagabo, Kigali

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