Rwanda Genocide archives online platform is designed to help bolster efforts to counter Genocide denial by presenting documented evidence in form of experiences of survivors, rescuers and perpetrators’ confessions.   

The platform, launched early last month  through a partnership between  the Government and organisations involved in the archiving, has over 8,000 historical photos, videos, documents, audio files and artifacts on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The platform, managed by Aegis Trust Foundation, provides an online collection to serve multiple purposes, including learning, research, fighting genocide denial and promoting peace-building and reconciliation in the community.

By recounting events around the Genocide through highlighting first-hand experiences of survivors, perpetrators and rescuers, the platform seeks to confront the deniers with facts, those behind it say.  

The platform’s manager, Claver Irakoze, told The New Times last week, that by using the various documented angles on the Genocide, they hope to provide more facts to counter Genocide denial.

This comes in the wake of a report by the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide that shows that this year’s 21st Genocide anniversary registered more cases of Genocide denial and revisionism than previous editions.

At 168 cases of genocide ideology compared to 86 last year, this year’s commemoration had by far the largest number of cases reported.

"We also have developed maps that feature memorials which are evidence of what happened. In the long-term, we see the platform having a role to preserve the history of the Genocide for current and future generations,” Irakoze said.

The platform has been commended by the Government for its noble cause.

During the launch of the platform, the Minister for Justice, Johnston Busingye, said it was ‘an addition tool’ against genocide denial. 

Following its launch, the platform has seen growing traffic and requests for additional collection and information from researchers, students and international media houses.  

According to the platform’s management, the physical address of the platform has been visited by international students and researchers from leading universities around the world with some proposing partnerships.

Officials say the platform will be reconstructed and improved in coming days to increase its relevance to user demand, including having the platform in multiple languages. Among the improvements to be made include developing content and building collections according to topical issues.

"A very important aspect is developing specific packages; we want to create modules or syllabi  around the specific topics so that educators can use it better. We want to create specific modules for the interest of educators and also create activities that will send students to the platform,” Irakoze said.

The content will be arranged according to age suitability, he said.

They are also looking into the possibility of partnerships with various universities where genocide studies are taught, to make sure that these packages created will be relevant to the course.

Some users of the online platform told this paper that it was an important additional resource for research.

Antoinette Wangari, a law student from Kenya, said the online platform had been useful in accessing materials on the Genocide without requiring her and her colleagues to travel to Rwanda.