Genocide: Keep the memory alive and bring the perpetrators to book

Editor, The piece, “Genocide as ‘civil defence’: Arming ordinary citizens to kill innocent Tutsi” (The New Times, January 28), by Tom Ndahiro, should serve as a cautionary tale and reminder that society as a whole should act as a “memory keeper”. That no one should feel as if a tragedy happened too long ago to still be talked about and that horrible recollections should be pushed aside for the sake of building the future. The fact is that what happened in Rwanda was so tragic. It is so unfortunate there are people out there who are keen on downplaying this tragedy. Humanity requires us to fight against these revisionist and denial tendencies. Perpetrators of the Genocide must answer for their actions. Those who are still at large should be pursued relentlessly until they are brought to book. Acknowledging the above – and making sure everyone is duly reminded about it – has not precluded the country from moving forward socially, economically and politically. The naysayers who keep saying that people should forget their past – regardless of how tragic it was – and only focus on the future are only a batch of pretenders who should be ignored. What we’re doing is not reliving but rather commemorating the past, and unapologetically so. In order to honour the memory of our beloved ones, let’s examine the circumstances surrounding their deaths, and make sure the whole truth is out, justice rendered, and unity rebuilt. Diyana, Rwanda

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Genocide: Keep the memory alive and bring the perpetrators to book