The National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG) has embarked on a campaign to fight genocide ideology and denial within secondary schools and prisons across the country.

The three-week national campaign targets to take sensitisation to 30 schools and seven prisons countrywide.

According to the Commission, the drive aims at creating awareness to students and prisoners so that they consider their part in fighting genocide ideology and denial.

Clever Gatabazi, the in-charge of memory and prevention of Genocide at CNLG, said sensitising of Rwandans in different sectors is crucial to uproot this ideology in the society.

Gatabazi said approaching all Rwandans in their different institutions both within and outside is critical to come up with a harmonised way and strategies to combat the vice.

"Fighting genocide ideology is a battle that requires everyone’s participation. That’s why to uproot genocide ideology, we need all categories of people,” Gatabazi said.

Awareness in schools

Gatabazi said the need of awareness in schools is premised on the fact that the majority of students were born after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, and they have to be taught the history of the country.

He said it is prudent that students learn about the history of the Genocide and get a clear understanding of the different regimes that led the country and the successive roles they played in entrenching hatred.

"During the campaign, we create discussion groups that engage in debates to allow students express their views about the Genocide,” Gatabazi said.

"A documentary film on the Ndi Umunyarwanda programme will be screened; the film, among others, consists incendiary speeches delivered by leaders who betrayed the country. This helps them discover the real truth,” he said.

"We will also sensitise them on the vision of the country, explain to them how Rwanda came out of the darkness.”

The commission has experienced the commitments of students after the campaign such as creating anti genocide clubs in their schools, committing to be the agents of genocide ideology fighters in families and among fellows.

Prisons

According to Gatabazi, the awareness drive in the prisons aims at telling the truth, encourage prisoners who played a role in the Genocide to come forth and apologise and provide information about the Genocide.

"Majority of those in prisons were not among Genocide ideologues, so we use these campaigns to show them the main source and how it was planned to dupe them into doing what they shouldn’t have done,” he said.

The prisons to be visited are Rubavu, Ngoma, Rusizi, Musanze, Nyagatare, Nyanza, and Miyove.

The campaign is expected to be concluded on September 23.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw