As part of the 27th commemoration of 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, I&M Bank honored 25 former employees killed in the genocide.

The commemoration event, which took place last week on Friday, was hybrid as some participants commemorated virtually while the Chief Executive Officer of I&M Bank (Rwanda) Plc. Robin Bairstow and some staff laid a wreath at Kigali Genocide Memorial site and also lit candles to honor the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The Bank staff and other participants learnt about genocide history from Theogene Kalinamaryo, a representative from the National Commission for fight against Genocide (CNLG) who explained to the participants how 1994 genocide against the Tutsi was planned and executed by Government.

"Citizens who committed genocide crimes were taught and led by government. People should know and understand how genocide is planned. Those who prepare genocide first divide society by spreading genocide ideology. One part is deprived of their rights and faces persecution as Tutsi were persecuted for many years being accused of being Inkotanyi spies, "he said.

The genocide ideology traced from 1957 and spread by republic, he said, has led to 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in which over 1 million people lost their lives.

He said that all people should understand the genocide history and get a way to fight genocide denial and ideology.

"People devise tricks to deny genocide. We are still fighting genocide ideology and we have to strive to learn about genocide history because we cannot fight what we do not know. This will ensure all people commit to fight genocide. We should inculcate Rwandan values in children and we have to use technology to fight genocide deniers and genocide ideology,” he said.

He reiterated that commemorating and visiting genocide memorials is a way of learning about genocide and getting facts to fight genocide denial.

Robin Bairstow, the Chief Executive Officer of I&M Bank (Rwanda) Plc. said that remembering 1994 genocide against the Tutsi also contributes to the renewal of Rwanda.

"Honoring the memory of those who were killed is our responsibility and we must ensure that their legacy survives for many years. We are gathered here to remember but to also contribute to the renewal of this country. We are surrounded on a daily basis by people with unique stories of survival, courage and determination and that is our daily motivation as an institution to join hands and supporting those among us that still need our help,” he said.

He said that the Bank will also continue supporting genocide survivors.

"We also take this opportunity to reiterate our commitment to supporting Genocide survivors in their healing journey. We have partnered with survivors associations and AEGIS Trust to make sure this is possible. It is our collective commitment to uphold the protection of human rights and make sure "never again” is a reality,” he said.

He added that through Corporate Social Responsibility, the Bank will support various initiatives to build resilience of genocide survivors.

"We reiterate our commitment to support the nation’s rebuilding efforts and we shall maintain our Corporate Social Responsibility activities, which include capacity building, contribution to the preservation of Rwanda’s history and support to survivors of the genocide against the Tutsi,” he said.

Alain Mwizerwa is a survivor of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi whose father was killed during the genocide. His father was a BCR staff—currently I&M Bank.

He shared his testimony about genocide and how he survived at one and a half years as he learnt from his mother.

"I was young when the genocide happened. One and a half years after my birth genocide started. We were in former Butare prefecture. In April 1994 we went to seek refuge in a church. We stayed there and people started to be killed,” he said adding that his father was also killed by Interahamwe militia as well as his siblings.

My mother told me that she was cut by Interahamwe and fell down on me. When she gained consciousness, she thought I had died due to suffocation but I survived after the RPF-Inkotanyi army rescued us, he added.

Currently, Mwizerwa is a Credit Admin Officer at I&M Bank Rwanda.