Judicial institutions comprising the Supreme Court, the Ministry of Justice and the Superior Council of the Judiciary, on Friday, gathered at the institutions’ headquarters in Kimihurura, to pay their respects to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

In honour of the victims, including slain employees of the institutions and judges, the judiciary staff laid a wreath on the commemoration monument that has been erected at the premises on which the victims’ names are inscribed.

The commemoration event was attended by victims’ relatives and friends, among other participants, and featured lectures on Genocide by various speakers.

Delivering a lecture on the contribution of justice toward healing the wounds of the Genocide and uprooting genocide ideology, Sr Immaculee Kizito noted that justice starts with self evaluation, and that had everyone embraced justice in their soul, the Genocide wouldn’t have happened.

Comforting the survivors, the catholic nun said that they shouldn’t fall into the trap laid by perpetrators who continue trivialising the Genocide.

"I survived to remind you that killing is evil, that you should live in harmony, speak about forgiveness and love, comfort others, build the country, hate is not a heritage in Rwanda, and assure you that life is longer than genocide,” she said.

Clementine Uwishema, representing families of the fallen staff who is a Genocide orphan, thanked the RPF soldiers for rescuing them, and commended the judiciary sector for putting in place a monument in memory of their slain relatives.

Chief Justice Sam Rugege, quoting Elie Wiesel’s statement that to forget the dead is akin to killing them for the second time, said that remembrance helps honour and value victims and helps young generations to learn about the history of their country.

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