Students in the country have been urged to help in the fight against genocide ideology.

The Head of Military History at Rwanda Defence Forces, Lieutenant Colonel Ndore Rulinda, made the call on Friday during Genocide commemoration event at Green Hills Academy in Kigali.

Speaking about the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Rulinda stressed that it happened because of the failure of the then leadership.

"There is no other way you can carry out genocide if you don’t have the state machinery, population to give orders and military that is ready to play its role in execution,” he said.

Genocide doesn’t happen overnight, but it is planned and executed over a very long period of time, he added.

He briefed the students about the liberation war by the Rwanda Patriotic Army that stopped the Genocide.

"I think, what we are seeing today is a reflection of the future, this school and its location now tell us that it’s all possible. It’s all possible that we can be here and we are in one of the best schools in the country while 23 years ago this was a hyena-inhabited area,” he added.

"Since the future belongs to you, you need physical, mental, psychological and emotional readiness to carry on leadership roles,’’ he told the students.

The Green Hills Academy Headmaster, Alan Shanks, said it is important to commemorate the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi as school community. "We, as the community have to honour those whose lives were taken by the Genocide, to empathise with those who survived but lost their loved ones and also to show solidarity with those who live with scars either physically or emotionally,” he said.

"It’s an important occasion for us to reflect and ensure that genocide never happens again. It’s our responsibility to think as individuals, respond and react when we see the evil taking place. We need to think about that regardless to our nationalities,” he noted.

Fabiola Batakaliza, a student, called on her fellow youth to stand up against genocide ideology, adding that the beauty of the country that’s visible everywhere is a result of unity.

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