Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) announced that cases of genocide ideology and related crimes decreased by 5.7 per cent during the week of commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi compared to 2022.

The number of alleged genocide ideology and related crimes recorded by RIB in the 2023 commemoration week represents a slight drop from 53 cases reported in 2022 to 50 cases, which is the lowest number to be reported to the investigator compared to the recent years.

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Among the crimes, the most committed is the violence against a survivor of genocide, which is 44.3 per cent - 27 cases reported. Nine cases of genocide ideology and minimization of genocide representing 14.8 per cent.

RIB Spokesperson, Thierry Murangira commended the effort of Rwandans in tackling genocide ideologies and other related crimes especially on social media platforms, which results in the reduction of such crimes.

Murangira insisted that people have taken the responsibility of reporting anyone who can seem to have ideology or discrimination.

"People have comprehended that the words of discrimination are unbearable, compared to the previous years which shows social transformation. There is another positive change whereby children report their parents," he said.

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There was no single case of Genocide ideology and related crimes found in nine districts of Rulindo, Gakenke, Burera, Nyabihu, Rutsiro, Rusizi, Nyamagabe, Kicukiro and Kirehe.

There is no case of killing or injuring animals or genocide survivors reported during the 29th commemoration week, besides the case appeared in Gatsibo where two pigs were n poisoned.

Eastern province has the highest percentage of genocide ideology cases, which is 33.9 per cent, whereas City of Kigali has the lowest number with 10.7 per cent.

Rwamagana tops districts with the most cases of genocide ideology and related crimes with 12.5 per cent, while Ruhango and Rubavu have the lowest number of cases, which is 3.6 per cent - per each.

Over 1,800 trauma cases

A total of 1,829 trauma cases were recorded during the 29th commemoration week of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi, according to the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC).

Of these, 1,658 were female and 171 were male.

The 1994 Genocide against Tutsi claimed over a million lives, leaving many survivors with psychological wounds that continue to affect them to date. Trauma is one of the major challenges faced by survivors, and it is also affecting people who were born after the genocide.

According to the Director of RBC’s Psychiatric Care Unit, Jean-Damascene Iyamuremye, the number of trauma cases escalates during the commemoration week.

"In trauma cases that occurred in commemoration week, 162 were young people aged between 15 and 24, who were born after genocide," he said.

Iyamuremye stated that there is a need for a new approach to reduce the number of trauma cases since they continue to grow. However, there is some good news as the number of trauma cases reduced compared to the previous year, in which 1,923 cases were recorded.

RBC had expected higher numbers compared to the previous year, but the situation turned out differently. Iyamuremye explained that the environment that people are living in can influence the risk of exposure to forms of trauma, and the situation in neighboring DR Congo was a major factor they considered in expecting a higher number of trauma cases.

"But it turned out differently, it shows that people are stable, and that is a good sign," he added.