For anyone, especially the youth to counter Genocide ideology, they need to be equipped with facts about what actually happened and backed by necessary resources, according to experts. It was shared during a panel discussion that brought together international journalists, authors, local initiatives in preserving and honouring the memory of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi, and the government officials to discuss how Genocide denial can be fought. First and foremost, there is a law enacted in different countries that punishes anyone who denies or negates the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, according to Alain Mukuralinda, Deputy Government Spokesperson. “It’s not just any Genocide, it’s the Genocide against the Tutsi…we speak back but we also know how to pursue them in court. If there are people who pretend to be politicians, youth or anyone who engages in negationism, nothing stops the Rwandan youth or another category of people to counter them but with facts.” Rosemary Mbabazi, Minister of Youth and Culture delivers remarks during the discussion at Kigali Genocide Memorial on April 12. Dan Nsengiyumva Paul Rukesha, researcher and Digital Content Development Team Leader at Kigali Genocide Memorial, explained measures put in place to collect and preserve testimonials, books, and other findings from research done, in both digital and physical form, in order to share and transmit the knowledge to the younger generation. “Many youths have the desire to fight Genocide denial but they lack facts, which, for instance, can be seen through social media platforms,” he said. Linda Melvern, an investigative journalist and author of Intent to Deceive: Denying the Genocide against the Tutsi, a thorough historical and legal inquiry into the denial of the Genocide against the Tutsi, discussed how nations in the United Nations council in 1994 refused to acknowledge the Genocide against the Tutsi. “The UK (United Kingdom) and the US (United States of America) are the only two states in the whole UN General Assembly (in 1994) to refuse to designate the Genocide against the Tutsi. It is particularly shocking but negationism and denialism spread so quickly into journalism…we have journalists in the UK who are using the Genocide against the Tutsi for their own political aims,” she said. In my own opinion, she said, “We should not argue with denialists and negationists because it’s like arguing with people who believe that this is flat earth. I think research must continue, the more facts we have in our armory, the more we can dismiss these pernicious campaigns, which as far as I can see, in the UK continue to gain power.” Ministers follow panelists as they discuss on nhow Genocide denial can be fought. However, Alice Urusaro Karekezi, lecturer at University of Rwanda, emphasized that people have to wonder whether the denial and revisionism are out of ignorance to which presenting facts would be enough or it’s actually a war that involves powerful and resourced actors that require an equivalent response. “We think we will overthrow their speeches because we deceive ourselves by thinking that they say what they say out of ignorance of what actually happened, no, it’s a war like any other, and since it’s a war, we have to know well the strategies used by the adversary to proportionally retaliate,” she said. Rosemary Mbabazi, Minister of Youth and Culture, said that denial of Genocide against the Tutsi is deliberate and intentional, reason why, as a country, we are and should be intentional in countering it. “The deniers will not keep quiet, they will want to cover their mess and crimes, they will want to play the victim and seek attention. On our side, we have to do two things at the same time; fighting against the fake information and rebuild our country economically, socially, politically, and psychologically.” “Improving our lives is a tool that will silence them wherever they are,” she added. Linda Melvern, an investigative journalist and author of Intent to Deceive Denying the Genocide against the Tutsi during the discussion. All Photos by Dan Nsengiyumva
