Kwibuka Flame sets off for national tour

The Kwibuka Flame will today set off for a countrywide lap of honour as Rwanda steps up commemoration activities ahead of the 20th anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The Flame, lit on Tuesday at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, departs from Kigali to Nyange School in Ngororero District, Western Province, the scene of horrendous massacres during the Genocide and a few years later.In 1994, militia groups, backed by a senior Catholic priest, killed thousands in Nyange, and then three years later, remnants of the Genocidal militia attacked Nyange Secondary School and indiscriminately killed six students after the youngsters had courageously refused to separate themselves along ethnic lines as the attackers had ordered them to. The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Kamlesh Sharma, has lauded Rwanda’s recovery since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, describing it as “an inspiring story of reconciliation and nation building.”Sharma was on Tuesday speaking at the launch of Kwibuka20 and the lighting of the Remembrance Flame at Marlborough House in the UK, home of the Commonwealth Secretariat.The event, which was hosted by Rwanda’s High Commissioner to UK, Williams Nkurunziza, attracted members of the diplomatic corps, members of the UK Parliament, the Rwandan Diaspora and a cross-section of civil society organisations.“The images of what took place in Rwanda remain etched on our consciousness and our consciences. The memories continue to stir deep emotion within us–of revulsion, sorrow, grief and shame,” said Sharma.He added: “To understand this legacy in whatever measure, and to begin to overcome it, we need to know that serious efforts have been made to recall and acknowledge the gravity of the offences and the gross violations that occurred.”He commended Rwanda for championing unity and reconciliation.“The 20th anniversary of the Genocide is an important occasion on which to remember and grieve for the lives that were lost, show solidarity with survivors and renew commitment to ensure it never happens again. It is also an opportunity to reflect on Rwanda’s inspiring story of reconciliation and nation building,” he said, adding that he encourages other Commonwealth countries with challenges in peace building to borrow a leaf from Rwanda’s experience.Nkurunziza said commemoration activities are held to honour those who perished in the Genocide, comfort those who survived and to share the narrative of our tragedy with the world.“We can’t exorcise the ghosts haunting survivors through acts of remembrance, but we can clothe them in our compassion and assure them that in times of emotional vulnerability, they have us to lean on. We may not change their past, but we can be their anchors as they craft new pathways to a better future,” the envoy said.Nkurunziza also shared details of Rwanda’s journey to recovery.“Where we are and where we aim to be is a long way from the basket case Rwanda became in 1994. Good leadership and the hard work of ordinary people have delivered opportunity out of the improbable.”“As we stand on the threshold of the third decade after the genocide against the Tutsi, we do so with a strong sense of optimism rooted in our abiding faith in our resilience; in our commitment to reconciliation; and in the simple, but unimpeachable truth that: we are all her children and together we can build enduring peace and shared prosperity,” he said.‘Inspiring optimism’Also present at the event was Lord Jack McConnel, a UK MP and chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Great Lakes Region, who also said Rwanda’s development trend “inspires optimism.”“Rwanda’s leadership and people have achieved so much in the last 20 years. While there remains a lot to be done, I have trust in the determination of the people of Rwanda,” said McConnel, who is also the chief executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust.Key highlights of the day included testimonies by survivors.Sports for unityEric Eugene Murangwa, who survived thanks to his Rayon Sports soccer team mates who hid him, said this was a demonstration that good people, few as they might have been in 1994, could have saved lots of lives.The former goalkeeper, who also featured for the national team, Amavubi, said sports can help to unite societies.The ceremony had a rendition of dirges and elegies (mournful poems) performed by Jean Paul Samputu, Jackie Mugabo and Josephine Mbabazi.At the end of the ceremony, Sharma, assisted by Nkurunziza and two 20-year-old Rwandan youths, lit the Remembrance Flame.The flame is set to travel to several parts of the UK, ending up in Birmingham on April 12, where Rwandans and friends of Rwanda will meet to launch the mourning period marking the 20th Commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi.Other cities where the flame will be lit include Washington, New York and Addis Ababa.Within the country, the Flame, lit on Tuesday at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, will traverse all 30 districts in the country in a lap of honour, starting today in Ngororero District, Western Province.The three-month activities ahead of the national mourning that starts on April 7, will also include outreach activities to support Genocide survivors and debates across the country. 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Kwibuka Flame sets off for national tour