President Paul Kagame has said that 28 years since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, every year that passes makes Rwandans stronger and better.

Kagame shared the message while speaking at the Kigali Genocide Memorial as the country started the commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi.

Every year on April 7, Rwandans and friends of Rwanda come together to honor the more than a million innocent lives that were lost within just 100 days.

"A day like this is a moment when people are speechless. Not because of lacking freedom to speak as some want to characterize us, but because of what we went through.”

Kagame’s remarks followed a grim account by Jean Nepomscene Sibomana, who survived the Genocide in the current Gatsibo district. He lost both parents and all his siblings.

Mourners observe a moment of silence to pay tribute to the victims of the Genocide Against the Tutsi during the commemoration event at Kigali Genocide Memorial on April 7. Photo by Village Urugwiro

The 39-year old said he is now blessed with a family and has two children, thanks to the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF).

"Imagine if those of us who were carrying arms had allowed ourselves to pursue those who were killing our people indiscriminately and also killed them? First of all we would be right to do so. But we didn't,” Kagame said.

He added, some of them (perpetrators) are still living today. They are in their villages, others are in government, others are doing business. Yet people have the audacity to say what they say about us.

"But the most important thing is that these very hard, bad lessons should never be wasted. For the past 28 years, every year that passes makes us stronger and better people.”

Small country, big on justice

President Kagame highlighted that Rwanda is a small country but big on justice, citing that ‘some’ other countries are big and powerful but small on justice. 

"They have no lessons to offer because they are part of history that led to what happened here.”

Officials follow President Kagame's remarks during the commemoration event at Kigali Genocide Memorial on April 7.

"The fact that they are part of what happened here is the very reason they do not give us peace. They want to cover up their deeds,” he asserted.

Kagame pointed out that they want to cover up for their silence to the calls to help Rwandans when they were being killed in 1994.

"So according to them, we are all the same. But we are not the same. That is why we did not kill another one million on top of those we lost on the hands of these criminals.”

He said that the fact that Rwandans decided to abolish the death penalty at the time when the country was coming out of a genocide is further demonstration of a nation that was determined to build a society anchored on restorative justice.

"In fact some of those powerful countries accusing us of lacking justice actually do have the death sentence and they are still hanging people,” he said.

Rwanda decides for herself

Kagame said that there are three systems of governance, citing democracy, autocracy and hypocrisy, which he said lies between the first two.

For Rwanda, he said, we will carry the name anyone will want to give them.

Friends of Rwanda joined Rwandans during the 28th commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi at Kigali Genocide memorial.

"But the lesson we have learnt or things we knew anyway is that it doesn't matter how far you go from here, you are not going to find people whose lives are more important than ours.”

"There is no hero in a situation like this. When you talk of heroes, you are talking of a situation that was so bad that people did what they did to save others.

"Maybe I ask myself, the best thing is not to have a situation that has to produce heroes. More people were killed that needed to be saved. We shouldn't have a situation that produces heroes. We would be better off.”

Also possible, he pointed out, is that some heroes are manufactured.

"You can decide to create a hero when you are powerful and if anybody raises a voice, they are made to shut up. That is what I meant when I said the powerful are small on justice.”

President Kagame further said that some talk about freedom, even when they go on to create false stories about the Genocide.

"And when you confront them with facts that there is that power to ensure you do not have a platform where you can challenge those lies. They then turn and accuse you of not having freedom of expression.”

The head of state reiterated that the same thing still happens today.

For instance, he said that there are a number of newspapers that falsify stories about Rwanda, and when you want to challenge them, they will not give you the platform to respond. 

"Make no mistake, this country of ours, small as it is, does not have small people,” he said.

"Like we did in the past, guided by the truth and what is right and didn't use the means and possibility we had, to kill those who killed our people, you can imagine people who doubt our justice.”

Rwanda, Kagame said, decided to abolish the death penalty at a time the country had people who could be hang justifiably. "Then you turn and say that we do not have justice?” he wondered. 

"Some of those powerful countries accusing us of lacking justice actually do have the death sentence”

The head of state also thanked leaders of the country as well as citizens and young people who still find it in themselves the courage to live a normal life, despite the tragic past.

Earlier, the President and First Lady Jeannette Kagame had laid a wreath at the memorial, in honour of the over 250,000 Genocide victims who were laid to rest at this memorial. Later they lit the flame of remembrance which is also at the Genocide memorial.  

The event was attended by senior officials in government, diplomatic corps, civil society and business community, among others.

Mourners observe a moment of silence to pay tribute to the victims during the commemoration. Village Urugwiro.