Six things you should do to mark Liberation Day

As the country celebrates Liberation Day on this 4th July, Rwandans, especially young people, can learn and celebrate liberation through various ways. The following are six things that you should do to celebrate and educate yourself about the Liberation Day. 1. Visit the National Liberation Park Museum Liberation Day represents a story of how Rwanda was liberated from the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, and disentangling the country from shackles of bad leadership. To know much about the liberation war and the reason behind it, there are museums such as the National Liberation Park Museum that are purposely there to educate the public. Located some 80 kilometers to the northeast of Kigali City, the National Liberation Park Museum sits on a famous hill dubbed “Umurindi w’intwari”, which for the longest period of the four-year struggle hosted its high command. Then Maj. Gen. Paul Kagame was the chairman of the high command of the liberation army, when this hill was officially made the focal liberation point on June 9th, 1992. The site still has the bunker used by now President Paul Kagame’s and it is known as the “Single L-shaped Bunker”. Murindi is located at Nyakabungo village of Murindi Cell, Kaniga sector in Gicumbi district, not far from the border with Uganda. Different parts of the museum also include: a women’s wing dedicated to the political and military activities of women in the liberation force; commanders’ bunkers who were always close to the Chairman’s; a bunker that was reserved for telecommunication gadgets, as well as the bunker that acted as a sick bay to the commander in case he fell sick. The Liberation Museum also includes the Arusha desk, where politicians and liberation forces would meet for decisions about the liberation battle before the ceasefire negotiations in Tanzania. Nearby, there is also a football pitch where APR Football Club was initiated, and a tennis court from where officers used to play, among others. A visit at the park costs Rwf10, 000, and all features of museums are open to the public from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm 2. Visit the Campaign against Genocide Museum Located in the parliamentary buildings about 5 km from Kigali International Airport and about 800 metres from Kigali Convention centre, the Campaign against Genocide Museum was officially opened on 13th December 2017. It primarily tells the story of the Rwanda Patriotic Armys (RPA) military campaign to end the Genocide against the Tutsi. The 600-strong protection force or Third Battalion, as it was known then, responded to sustained attacks from government forces by defending themselves, and rescuing victims of Genocide in their vicinity. This followed the 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 missions to save the victims of Genocide across the country, and defeated the Genocidal forces. In May 2018 the museum was visited by over 8,037 people that composed 6,228 nationals, and 1,809 foreigners. 3. Check on veterans/families that lost loved ones There are so many veterans who were left disabled by the liberation war and also vulnerable families whose loved ones were killed in the Genocide against the Tutsi. All these should not be left out as we celebrate the liberation of the country. There are different model villages across the country that have been built for these veterans who sacrificed their lives for Rwandans to have a country that each is proud of. Visit them; these gallant soldiers have a lot of stories to tale about the liberation struggle that you will be amazed. 4. Celebrate with loved ones As the liberation is marked, so many events from national to village and family level have been organized which should be exploited to gain knowledge about liberation. So many stories are always shared during the events about the history of Rwanda, the planned path to genocide against the Tutsis, testimonies from genocide survivors and those who were involved in the liberation among many others. 5. Watch documentary films, media talk shows, read books on liberation During the liberation war and after it, different documentary films and songs were produced. For many who were too young to understand how liberation was being carried out, and others who need to know how the liberation was planned, can exploit such sources of information on liberation. So many scholars have also published books on Rwanda’s history, on genocide against the Tutsis and how it was stopped. These books can be found in libraries and people can access them for more information, while talk shows and publications on liberation can also be a source of information for people. 6. Join your Umudugudu for discussions As liberation is celebrated, community dialogues on Liberation will both be held at National and village level. People should attend the discussions especially those organized at village level because it is easy to access. During the events different officials, veterans, residents share different stories about the liberation war which people can refer to for more understanding about liberation.

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Six things you should do to mark Liberation Day