Rwandans have been urged to own the culture of remembering Genocide victims and pass it onto to their children in order to ensure the notion of ‘never again’. The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Gender and Family promotion, Henriette Umulisa, made the remarks over the weekend at an event to commemorate women killed in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Kirehe District. Umulisa said remembering Genocide victims helps Rwandans reflect on how far they have come and the need to work hard for a better future. She urged women to play a critical role in the development of the country. Survivors at Nyarubuye memorial site gave chilling testimonies of how Tutsi were killed at Nyarubuye Parish where they had sought refuge. Beatrice Mukasine, the president of the Women Council Committee, said remembering offered an opportunity to reflect on what happened in the Genocide. “It’s our responsibility to remember women killed in the Genocide in order to honour them, reflect on the barbaric way they were killed, and ensure that the tragic history does not happen again,” she remarked. Although the post Genocide challenges are still evident, Mukasine commended women survivors for their continuous commitment towards self-reliance and active participation in the country’s development. She slammed women who instead of protecting their neighbours participated in the killings. Statistics from the research conducted by the Association of Genocide Widows (Avega) in 1999 show that 250,000 women were sexually violated and 66 per cent contracted HIV/Aids during the Genocide. The Women Council also provided cows to widows and vulnerable women groups.
