Even today, it still begs for comprehension, that 26 years ago, in the hills of this country, a madness never seen before was unfolding; a human instigated lunacy. Within one hundred days, the lives of over a million people had been snuffed out under the glare of the world’s media and indifference of the international community. The 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi has been described as the most efficient killing spree, much more efficient than the Holocaust but without the sophistication of the German killing machine. This year, Rwandans will not be able to mourn their dead befittingly because of the COVID-19 outbreak and the lockdown in place. However, authorities are aware of the dangers of not properly mourning among some sections of survivors and expect a spike in trauma cases. Family members during this time usually gather and support each other emotionally while keeping the memory of the departed alive. This year social distancing has decided otherwise. The only consolation is that there is a toll-free number to call for help and mental health experts on standby in all districts. Rwandans have one thing in their favour, though, as they navigate between COVID-19 and burning the midnight candle for the victims; they have developed a strong outer shell known as resilience. There is no doubt they will come out of all these tragic events even stronger.
