NGORORERO – The National Unity and Reconciliation NURC boss, Jean Baptiste Habyarimana, has lauded residents and genocide convicts in Muhororo sector for their response towards unity and reconciliation efforts.

Habyarimana made the remarks on January 12, while addressing convicts serving their sentence under Works for Community Interest (TIG) at Muhororo TIG site in Ngororero district.

The occasion was aimed at bringing together residents and those serving their sentences to celebrate their contribution to the community development for the last two years.

Over 350 convicts in the camp have been able to reconcile with Genocide survivors, it was noted.

They have constructed a 40 km road stretch and 747 hectares of terraces. They have also built 33 houses and planted 31 hectares of maize for residents.

Other activities the convicts have undertaken include planting trees and other cash crops while constructing classrooms for the 9-year basic education program. The convicts have also been able to part of the team that constructed the Kibirira genocide memorial site.

Habyarimana noted that the achievements are commendable and there is need to speak the truth while seeking to build a new community free of genocide ideology.

"Unity and reconciliation is still a responsibility of all Rwandans regardless of their background. We need to see these efforts of fostering unity and reconciliation for the purposes of rewriting a fresh history in Rwanda,” Habyarimana said.

He also remarked that Rwanda has earned an international recognition as being on the right path a feat, he said, needs to be maintained.

At the occasion, survivors asked genocide suspects to come up front and give more information on genocide activities in the area as it has been evident that some crimes have not been given sufficient leads.

The convicts openly confessed their crimes and asked for pardon from the victims of the genocide.

Ends