Liberation struggle gave rise to a resilient generation

Editor,I wish to respond to Pan Butamire’s article, “Positive contradictions born of 1st October 1990”, which was published in The New Times issue of October 11.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013
RDF soldiers dance during a past event. The liberation struggle is credited for Rwandau2019s rebirth. The New Times /File.

Editor,I wish to respond to Pan Butamire’s article, "Positive contradictions born of 1st October 1990”, which was published in The New Times issue of October 11.The truth is that there are many great things that have been done in Rwanda that are worth sharing with others. But we can tell the stories in a different way reach better results.When I read the article in question I remembered the heroism, bravery, patriotism and selflessness of President Paul Kagame and what he did to take Rwanda from the bottom of hell – by stopping the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and leading Rwanda to a miraculous resurrection – and how he managed to sow seeds of reconciliation into the hearts of Rwandans.Albert, Lubumbashi, DRC**************************I find Pan’s articles inspirational. This one was even more motivating. The columnist should keep chronicling the extraordinary stories of individual Rwandans and families or entire communities overcoming all odds to rebuild what many considered irreparable.Of course none of us can be so naive as to think that this is the typical outcome in post-Genocide Rwanda, but I have no doubt it is sufficiently representative to explain to a large extent the largely peaceful inter-communal environment in post-Genocide rural Rwanda. But even without trying to read too much into Pan’s article, I found it very inspirational in terms of a family that has pulled together so heroically to overcome the kind of experience that would have destroyed many.Mwene Kalinda, Kigali