On Friday, May 5, the management and staff of AOS held a ceremony to commemorate the 29th anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi at the Muyunzwe Genocide Memorial in Ruhango District.
The event saw AOS donate 10 cows to the families of Genocide survivors in Ruhango, as well as money to the memorial's management.
At the memorial site, AOS staff laid wreaths to pay tribute to the victims of the Genocide. The commemoration event was attended by Ruhango District officials and the Muyunzwe community.
Delivering his remarks, the Chief Executive of AOS, Seong Woo Kim, emphasised that the day was a symbol of remembrance, reflection, and commitment. He noted that it was essential to show solidarity with the survivors of the Genocide and to remember the lost loved ones as a moral obligation to all of us.
Regarding the history, he urged that we should transform it into lessons of humanity that are relevant to our societies today.
"Remembrance is an opportunity for younger generations to get more insights about the history of their country, fight ethnic segregation, and participate more in activities that promote humanity, peace, unity, and inclusion," he said.
He called on the youth, saying they need to know the fundamental truth that we are all created equal, and we have certain undeniable rights that include the right to life.
"No one has the right to take it away as it was done 29 years ago to the innocent men, women, and children whose remains are laid to rest at this memorial site," he added.
Muyunzwe Memorial site is a resting place for 950 bodies and more than 4,090 remains of Genocide victims.
The survivors who lived at Muyunzwe during the Genocide testified how they were chased upon hills that surround the area, forcing them to fight back with stones even though it was all for nothing because they were overpowered by grenades and gunfire.
According to the survivors, it was very hard to hide as the place was a hilly graze land. The killers looted and took away their cows, and some starved in hiding.
Even those who managed to flee to Kabgayi were denied asylum by the Catholic Church.
However, they are now happy with what the government has done, living peacefully with even the perpetrators who served their time.
The Vice Mayor of Economic Development in Ruhango District, Jean Marie Vianney Rusilibana, thanked AOS for choosing Muyunzwe to commemorate the Genocide. He also noted the government's efforts in the business landscape making all this possible, hinting at how a company from South Korea is helping out in development.
He said that AOS donating cows to survivors marks the theme of remembrance because they are helping them to become financially stable.
He said the donation by AOS will go a long way in helping the survivors to become financially stable and improve their standard of living.
"As an ICT firm, you should continue to be at the forefront of fighting genocide ideology, especially one fueled by technology, " he said.
About AOS:
AOS Limited is a joint venture company between the Government of Rwanda and Korea that operates the National Data Centre of Rwanda and offers various quality ICT services.
As part of their corporate social responsibility, they have been supporting the Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in various ways. Last year, they donated 700 iron sheets to the families of Genocide survivors in Ngoma District.