I&M Bank former BCR (banque commercial de Rwanda) commemorated the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi by paying tribute to its former staff killed during the Genocide.

At Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre last week, the bank’s staff heard testimonies about the harsh treatment former Tutsi employees went through.

Genevieve Banaijya worked in I &M (BCR) since 1986.

Banaijya recalled how Tutsi were denied their rights, discriminated in job recruitment, unfairly dismissed, given untimely transfers without reasonable ground, harassed and denied promotion.

She cited Jane Nyiranzagye and Jane Uwanyirigira said to have spent over 30 years without promotion at the institution.

"We always reported our grievances about infringements to senior managers but nothing could be done,” she said.

Erasmus Rwanamiza, the director of education at AEGIS TRUST Rwanda urged the employees to draw strength from past injustice and warned them against Genocide ideology and denial.

Tom Ndahiro, a genocide scholar and researcher said banking institutions played a great role in financing the genocide because it’s where perpetrators could keep their money for buying machetes, pangas, and other equipments that were used in the Genocide.

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