At the height of the forgiveness and reconciliation conference organized by the youths from Peace and Love Proclaimers (PLP), two survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi came out and openly forgave those who took part in the killings.

The four day conference dabbed ‘Forgiveness, step to reconciliation’ was organized with an intention of preparing people, especially the youth to embrace forgiveness as a way of healing from the cruel fate that befell them.

The climax of the conference came when Pascal Niyomugabo, 40, a genocide survivor came out openly and said that he had forgiven Tharcisse Ruhangintwari, a man who killed his family during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

"Though this man killed my family members, I have forgiven him completely and I call upon others to embrace forgiveness.”

During his address, he pointed out that though it is not easy to forgive a person who inflicted to you such untold pain, it is worth trying and that it helps the wounded more than the perpetrator.

"I have forgiven him completely but I think I am feeling much better than him. I am peaceful because I have broken free from the yoke of resentment and anger that I have been harbouring,” he said.

"I grew up with Pascal but I turned around and killed his people. It takes courage to forgive a person like me and I am really grateful that he forgave me,” said Ruhangintwari said after.

He called upon other perpetrators to seek forgiveness from the people they hurt instead of just looking on as time passes by them.

"Perpetrators should not wait for survivors to be the ones to look for them to forgive them, but they should bury their fears and make the first move because the survivors are ready to forgive, especially if genuine remorse is expressed,” Ruhangintwari said.

Another survivor from Bugesera, Munyeshema Karoli, also stood up and forgave Emmanuel Ruzindana who killed his wife and kids during the Genocide.
The conference laid a platform for asking questions to the perpetrators and survivors on a wide range of issues surrounding forgiveness and reconciliation, for instance when to forgive and how to forgive completely.

The Minister of Culture and Sports, Joseph Habineza, congratulated PLP for this initiative and advised them to reach out to other people who are still struggling with reconciliation.

Mark Gwamaka, the president of PLP called upon all the youths in the country to be the change needed in the country, adding that this can only materialize if the youth take up the mantle of changing the country into what it is supposed to be.

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