Why the youth must read widely about Genocide

Editor, RE: “Public urged to read more publications on genocide” (The New Times, September 27). Youth should be encouraged to read books about the Genocide against the Tutsi. In 2000-2002, a census of Genocide victims was conducted in Rwanda and published in 2004 by the Ministry of Local Government. This census identified 1,074,017 people killed during the Genocide against the Tutsi between April and July 1994. Also, 527 mass graves were identified, each with thousands of bodies. All these people have names, places of birth and residence; we know their age and their profession for those who worked. The study revealed that among these victims, young people aged 0 to 24, represent ing the vast majority (53.8%). Besides, figures from Gacaca courts revealed that a population of about two million out of the 3.4 million adults in 1994 was involved in the Genocide; 1.6 million were convicted, which means that more than one in two adults, or 55.8%, was involved in the genocide. This means that the future of the country had been destroyed, which requires the current youth—as future leaders—to do their best to understand how the Genocide against the Tutsi was prepared and executed so that they cannot fall in a similar trap, and rather strive to end genocide with all its roots . It is also of great importance for the youth to better understand their history because you cannot shape your future if you do not understand where you come from and what you passed through. If the youth want to shape a bright future, I advise them to read about the Genocide against the Tutsi and other genocides for them to prepare a future free of genocide and its ideology. Bemba

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Why the youth must read widely about Genocide