Experts from around the Great Lakes Region who are attending a meeting on genocide studies, in Kigali, have warned of growing denial of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

They said Genocide denial is a major threat to peace and development.

The genocide scholars were speaking yesterday on the first day of the 8th International Conference on Peace and Security in the Great Lakes Region at University of Rwanda’s headquarters in Gikondo.

Yesterday, delegates at the two-day conference heard from several scholars, including genocide researcher and journalist Tom Ndahiro; Senator Prof. Laurent Nkusi; Dr Wandia Njoya, a senior lecturer at Day Star University, Kenya; and Thierry Kevin Gatete, senior research fellow, Institute for Policy Analysis and Research in Rwanda.

Ndahiro said genocide denial is a continuation of any genocide effort, adding that there are still many people who want to see genocide happen again.

He urged the academia to actively participate in the fight against Genocide denial through two approaches: "The first is to not tolerate the intolerable because if we do, then genocide would happen again, anywhere in the world.

Genocide starts with words, and then it is put in action through planned events and carried out through egregious ways. These words and language shouldn’t be tolerated and we still have Genocide deniers, they pose a big threat.”

Ndahiro also said denial of genocide is carried out through generations. He presented a list of genocidaires who are actively involved in Genocide denial along their sympathisers. "They are espousing Genocide denial in an organised way,” he warned.

As such, he urged the academia to conduct research on why Genocide deniers are able to organise themselves to continue trivialising the tragic events that Rwanda witnessed just over two decades ago.

"Secondly, we need a think-tank which can ably deal with the issue of Genocide denial through intensive research and advocacy. There’s research about the Genocide but there’s none on the people who plan and spread Genocide denial ideology which, in most cases, is actively engaged in by intellectuals,” he added.

His views were echoed by Dr Wandia Njoya, who explained that the act of recognising Paul Rusesabagina for his role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi constituted Genocide denial.

Njoya said that the Lantos Foundation acted solely on Rusesabagina’s account of events and never conducted their own research before awarding him – which amounted to denial of the Genocide.

"The Lantos Foundation never did due diligence to authenticate the information about Rusesabagina and in awarding him, they exhibited genocide denial on four levels.

"The first level is individualism, whereby he was concentrated on as an individual, while ignoring collective efforts. He was relied on as the sole hero.”

Second, he said, the Foundation deliberately did not put into context what exactly happened at the hotel (Des Mille Collines) and how genocidaires used it to only protect diplomats.

Third, he said, the Lantos Foundation, only cared about taking delight in awarding Rusesabagina as a foundation "because it’s what they wanted, regardless of the important information that they received later”.

"They described the award as exhibiting their morals and values without putting into consideration the emotions of the (Genocide) survivors. Lastly, they so much focused on the state by using survivors as collateral, like in the case of the BBC documentary [The Untold Story]. By doing this, they continued tramping on survivors’ humanity and their memories,” Njoya said.

Although she described these levels as threats to fighting genocide ideology, she also said that she had learnt some useful lessons. "The first lesson was the importance to speak out which happened in the case of Rusesabagina when he was awarded and that brought to light the truth about the controversial ‘Hotel Rwanda’ book.

The Kenyan writer noted that the synergy between the people and academia is important in order to establish the truth.

She urged the academia not to allow genocidaires to exploit international relations to their advantage, like they have done in the past.

Thierry Kevin Gatete explained how the Western media had nurtured Genocide denial through freedom of conscience, speech and opinion, while Prof. Nkusi talked about dehumanisation and threat of genocide in the region.

The meeting is being held under the theme "Implications of Governance for Genocide Prevention, Recovery and Peace building in the Great Lakes Region” and attracted varsity dons, researchers and students, among others.

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