Rwanda’s liberation through the generations

Rwanda’s history has been blighted by a series of events that few nations could recover from; massive ethnic exodus, civil war, and finally a genocide. Rwanda’s cultural identity could be driven by these parameters; after all no one would blame a Somali for framing their identity vis-a-vis not having a stable nation for over two decades. Rwanda’s 20th liberation celebration is not only about marking a moment when the RPF took control and ended the genocide, but, more importantly, a moment to reflect on all that has happened. The independence generation Many Rwandans were born around the time that Rwanda gained independence. While it would be hard to imagine today, independence in Rwanda wasn’t guaranteed and many Africans would have assumed that a clerk role would be the highest reaches of the occupational experience. According to the World Bank, in 1960, the gross domestic product of Rwanda remained ‘nearly’ steady at approximately $240 per year when adjusted for inflation. To say that Rwanda’s economy was poorly managed is a definite understatement. While the exact number isn’t fully known, at least 300,000 Rwandans were forced into exile by a discriminatory government that prioritised ethnicity over development. These Rwandans grew up in refugee camps throughout the region and beyond. Those that remained in the country were told that their neighbours were evil and that ‘foreigners’ in other countries wished them nothing but harm. This generation is the generation that knew what it meant to be a second class citizen: in Rwanda and abroad. This is the generation for whom gaining a state was, for the moment, more important than the economic development that would define Rwanda in the future. This is the generation that equally planned and executed the Genocide. But it is the same generation that stood up for the pride of all Rwandans, ended the genocide, and prioritised reconciliation. The new generation Children born of independence era Rwandans, mostly born between 1970 and 1990, had to reconcile differing pieces of information. Many of these Rwandans were told that a tribe was better or worse; they were taught to hate and fear. But many of these came of age as Rwanda was liberated and a new age was coming to fruition. For the children born outside of Rwanda, many came back to find out about this so called land of ‘milk and honey’. Their age mates who had been in Rwanda the whole time, had to deal with the trauma of witnessing the genocide, know those that perished or participated in the killings. This is the generation of reconciliation. This is the generation that has seen Rwanda’s economic miracle of over 8% growth in the last decade. This is the generation to see the effects of Girinka, Umuganda, and has watched one million Rwandans pull themselves out of poverty. Many of the people of this generation have helped shape the systems and policies that mean that Rwanda has near complete primary enrolment and a universal healthcare coverage that provides a social safety net for all Rwandans. This is the generation that President Paul Kagame has empowered by giving them the opportunity to take leadership roles far faster than many other nations. The children born today A child born today would be hard pressed to believe that before the genocide Rwanda was the poorest country in the world. The child would be shocked that their so-called ethnic background was a clear determinant of what they could study, what jobs they could get, or even who they could love. A child born today is likely to expect economic growth as the norm, luckily unaware of the decades of economic stagnation that epitomized Rwanda before liberation. This child’s experience would be a stark opposite of the independence generation. Rwanda’s liberation Rwanda’s liberation is more than just a liberation struggle. It is a message to the entire continent, and the world, of the resilience of humanity’s determination to do good. The triumph of good over the basic natures of our instincts is shown with each graduating class, the success the nation is shown by achieving nearly all the millennium development goals, and the security that is palpable to any visitor. The story of Rwanda’s liberation starts years before with colonial intent to divide and conquer. The story of Rwanda’s liberation will not end at any specific moment or lose its importance to affect each Rwandan. People often question how we can honour those that died liberating Rwanda; we honour them by ensuring that each child born today is better off than a child born yesterday. Adam Kyamatare is a Rwandan economist based in Copenhagen Twitter: @adamkyam

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Rwanda’s liberation through the generations