Diaspoman: When darkness gives way for the Shining Stars

As Rwandans sadly look back and remember the loved ones that we lost during the Genocide, we still find it extremely difficult to grapple with the whole thing. The question that keeps coming back is “Why?” Indeed, why did all this senseless killing really take place? It is very hard to deal with. Even for us who were born and brought up in the Diaspora. As young boys and girls, we always gathered at night to listen to lovely stories from the elders. They used to recite incredible stories about the Kingdom of Rwanda and the lifestyle before colonialists arrived. The stories reflected total harmony among the people of Rwanda. People shared everything. You could walk from one area to another and easily find free accommodation from just about anyone. This would be escorted down by a hefty bowl of milk and potatoes. Sometimes, a calabash of banana wine would be served, as you would prepare yourself for the night. Such stories always moved us to tears. Why were we then not living in our beloved country? Why were we living abroad and seemingly accepting some degree of persecution? Well, circumstances had changed after colonialists infiltrated Rwanda and Africa in general. They proceeded to divide the people along ethnic lines. They instigated violence and encouraged one group of people to expel and kill the other. That is how we ended up in the Diaspora. This is why we are here. But one day, we shall return to our lovely Country, no matter what. That was always the emphasis from the elders. Those words still echo in the back of my mind. I can still hear my Grandmother’s direct statements like it happened yesterday. With such high hopes of home returning, we started to positively live on. In our homes in the Diaspora, we constantly listened to Radio Rwanda. The music was great. The Radio plays and drama on Tuesday nights always brought us ever closer to home. Over the weekends, we would tune in for live football commentary as the likes of Muvala scored goals from all directions. The image that Radio Rwanda had created in our minds was one that made us more and more envious. And so the urge for going back home became unbearable. Our people, who were scattered all around the globe, decided to fight for that just cause. Since peaceful means had yielded little results, our people resorted to an armed struggle. This was not only a struggle for our people in the Diaspora, but also for hundreds of thousands of local people in Rwanda, who had been marginalised for such a long time. It was a united front and was bound to succeed no matter what. That is why everybody who considered him/herself to be of Rwandan origin, endeavoured to contribute morally, financially and above all physically. It was not just a struggle to return home but a struggle to bring back the lost glory of Rwanda, to make Rwandans proud of being Rwandan and not look at each other on ethinic grounds. Now, there is a chance for Rwandans to get back to their roots. An avenue for reconciliation and unity has been paved. With the Gacaca system, Rwandans can at last grasp those two very important words; Justice and Reconciliation. People have confessed their terrible role and asked for forgiveness and they have been granted it. More need to do the same. When we finally returned home after the war, the images that Radio Rwanda had painted began to vanish when we approached Nyabugogo area. Was this Kigali City or simply Kigali slum? Everything was the exact opposite. It was all about dirty streets, dilapidated buildings and a terrible habit of people spitting every time and everywhere. Rwanda had a long way to go before sanity could return. It is now 15 years down the road and Rwanda is fast becoming the Switzerland of Africa. Everyone is friendly and warm. The streets are clean and beautiful. Mansions and villas are cropping up on the thousand hills. There is a very strong and solid leadership in the land. A leadership that simply hates and fights with all its might corruption and injustice. As we reflect on what happened in the past, let us look forward with a sense of hope. This is what we fought for and our children and grand children will certainly reap the good harvest. diaspoman@yahoo.com