FEATURED: BDF staff visit the Campaign Against Genocide Museum

Staff members of Business Development Fund (BDF) on Friday toured the Campaign Against Genocide Museum (CAG), located at the Parliamentary Building to learn about Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA)’s journey to end the Genocide against the Tutsi. The team led by BDF CEO Innocent Bulindi held a three-hour guided tour of the different sections of the museum which presents the Genocide against the Tutsi from a military perspective and demonstrates the bravery and sacrifice of the RPF in their work in liberating Rwanda in 1994. After the visit, Bulindi said that the bravery of the young RPA fighters should challenge everyone to demonstrate their love for the country by accomplishing their responsivities effectively. “I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the people who sacrificed their lives to bring the country to where it is today. Now that the armed part of the liberation was won, each and every staff member should leave here with a renewed commitment towards winning the battle against poverty and other problems the country still have,” he argued. On the other hand, Medard Bashana, the CAG Museum manager who gave facilitated the guided tour of the museum said that this facility compliments the Kigali Genocide Memorial very effectively but provides a new perspective of power of patriotism to win the enemy. He challenged the visitors to take a deep individual reflection of themselves to ensure those that paid the ultimate price did not die in vain, saying that the prevailing peace and security should not be taken for granted. Instead, that peace ushered in by the liberation should be used as a basis to build a prosperous nation, one that each and every citizen is prosperous. Part of the CAG museum details the story the fight by the RPA fighters of the 3rd battalion who were stationed at Parliament when they came under sustained gunfire from the then government troops that had surrounded the parliamentary precincts. The 600-strong protection force (3Bn) – which had been deployed to protect RPF cadres who were supposed to be part of a peace deal with the then government- responded by defending themselves and rescuing victims of Genocide in their vicinity. This, according to the guide, followed an order to stop Genocide that was given by the then RPA Chairman of High Command Major General Paul Kagame. The museum also details how the RPA fighters conducted rescue operations to save victims of Genocide across the country and defeated the Genocidal forces. The Campaign against Genocide Museum also comprises of several monuments including that of the 12.7mm Machine Gun mounted on the Parliamentary rooftop that helped in containing the advancing genocidal forces Rwandans and non-Rwandans civilians who played a role in the campaign against Genocide are also recognized in the museum.

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FEATURED: BDF staff visit the Campaign Against Genocide Museum