One day after the 17th Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, the memories of the tragedy are fresh and real.

It’s hard to describe what the Genocide survivors feel. The pain is from deep within. Their cries and lamentation are just but a fraction of anguish indescribable.

‘Upholding the Truth: Preserving our Dignity’ is this year’s commemoration theme. The statement in itself speaks volumes about the value of professing the truth.

Once the truth is distorted, even by the tiniest fraction of lies, accuracy is lost. Speaking the truth about what happened 17 years ago will enhance the commitment to ‘Never Again’.

However painful it may be, the truth helps ease the suffering the survivors go through. And, it is the truth that will help bring the perpetrators of the Genocide, who are still at large, to book.

By knowingly harbouring Genocide suspects, the international community is not only failing the Rwandan people, but it is also violating the principles of universal justice.

Genocide is a crime against humanity and it concerns us all. As ugly as the truth may sound, it is the core of integrity. Those who attempt to distort the facts about the Genocide should be challenged and exposed for what they are. 

Seventeen years on, there is no doubt that the dignity and resilience of the Rwandan people is steadily restoring hope and the future looks brighter than ever.

Ends