PM commends Genocide survivors resilience

The resilience shown by the Genocide survivors to overcome challenges they faced during and after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi has complemented the government’s efforts towards rebuilding the nation, Prime Minister Anastase Murekezi has said. The premier said this yesterday while officiating at the closure of the AERG/ GAERG Week; an initiative by Association of Student Survivors of the Genocide (AERG) and former members who have since graduated (GAERG). Members of AERG clear bushes in their farm in Nyagatare District yesterday as part of the activities of AERGGAERG week. Month long activities, under the theme ‘Building Rwanda with dignity’ and involving a series voluntary activities across the country aimed at supporting the most vulnerable and Genocide widows, as well as recognizing those that rescued them in 1994, came to a close with a special ‘Umuganda’ at a survivors’130 hectare farm located in Karangazi Sector, Nyagatare District. “Coming together as a team was the best way to finding solution to your challenges…I want to tell you that the government recognizes your efforts in rebuilding this country,” Murekezi said. “The act of uniting yourselves, as young survivors, has shown all Rwandans that you are such resilient people with a vision for a better future,” the premier added. Members of AERG clears bushes in their farm in Nyagatare District yesterday as part of the activities of AERGGAERG week. 12 students in the University of Rwanda formed AERG in 1996. This group then later formed the association of university graduate survivors, GEARG, in 2003. The PM said that the resilience of young survivors to face their own challenges caused by the Genocide, was an example to the rest of citizens in finding a common solution to day-to-day challenges facing their families and the nation at large. “You made the job easy for the government in supporting you and now you have all grown up, to the extent that you have joined the government in helping the most vulnerable survivors of Genocide. We truly thank your spirit of heroism,” Murekezi said. AERG and GAERG renovated about 120 homes for genocide widows and gave cows to the most vulnerable survivor’s families in various parts of the country during the month long series of events. Members of AERG clear bushes in their farm in Nyagatare District yesterday as part of the activities of AERGGAERG week. Jean de Dieu Mirindi, 25, the national coordinator of AERG, noted that the survivors’ association will continue to support various groups of genocide survivors in finding solutions to their problems. “It’s been 21 years since we survived the Genocide and most of us now have our own families. We applaud the resilience of those who fought to save us from the merciless machetes of genocide perpetrators, we recognize the widows and widowers who took us in and raised us when we did not have our own parents to take care of us”. Some of the cows donated by different people to supplement the existing stock. “We will not stop carrying out our responsibilities of helping one another throughout the course of life; we are faced with various challenges ranging from psychological trauma to daily life challenges, of which some of us would not be facing had we not lost our parents. With unity, we believe we can achieve much more,” Mirindi saidCharles Habonimana, the GAERG chairperson, said that survivors are willing to work together with the government in fighting genocide ideology and denial. “We are not afraid of those that are promoting genocide ideology and denial; we have a vision to be the best we can be and are dedicated to attaining sustainable unity and reconciliation of all Rwandans… all we ask of is, the Parliament to consider amending the constitution such that we are able to show our appreciation to the current government. The president should be given another term in office,” Habonimana said. Jean Pierre Dusingizemungu, the chairperson of IBUKA, an umbrella organization of Genocide survivors associations, spoke extensively on the resilience shown by survivors and Rwandans in general, owing it to visionary leadership that was able to rebuild a strong state from the ashes. AERG cultural troupe entertains guests. (All photos by John Mbanda) “At this time, we celebrate our resilience to live a better life again; we recognize that we have come from nowhere to far beyond our wildest imagination in the shortest time possible. We chose to rise again after our fall and we worked together in rebuilding our lost families and a nation, we can confidently say that people from far parts of the world are coming to Rwanda for tour studies to learn from the best example of resilience.” “Even those who masterminded the genocide must be shocked of how fast we have rebuilt our nation with resilience,” Dusingizemungu said. 54 cows were donated to the survivors’ farm from the farmers surrounding area and other well-wishers who attended the event. AERG and GAERG have about 60,000 members in total.

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PM commends Genocide survivors resilience