The promotion and support of books that show the truth of what happened during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi to increase awareness, challenge denial, and educate the youth, is critical. Speaking on Friday, January 3, at the launch of catholic nun Sister Marie Josepha Mukabayire’s memoir “Lessons from the Genocide against the Tutsi: Resilience and Forgiveness,” Jean Damascène Bizimana, the Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, underscored the role of such books in combating denialism. ALSO READ: Resilience and forgiveness: Lessons a Catholic nun learnt from surviving 1994 Genocide The minister emphasized that Mukabayire’s is one of the few books from the clergy that provides an honest account of events during the genocide. ALSO READ: Genocide: A Catholic nun's resolve to forgive without measure, no matter how deep the loss and pain “Usually, some clerics write content in denial of the genocide,” he noted. Bizimana noted that, historically, some clerics have contributed to genocide denial. “Even when the genocide was stopped, the first written denial documents of the genocide were written by clerics including a Catholic Father Serge Desouter and 29 other Rwandan priests on August 2, 1994, in Goma (DR Congo). Their letter to the pope was a misrepresentation and a twist of history,” he said. Bizimana pointed out that such denial ideologies still exist and use social media to propagate their messages. “Even now among clerics, we see books and testimonies of deniers of the genocide against the Tutsi. You see them on YouTube and other platforms,” he said. Bizimana stressed the need for more clerics to write about the truth of the genocide, particularly since some of the atrocities were committed within religious institutions. “It will help the church to reevaluate itself, and recognize this history since the genocide was carried out in most catholic churches and other religious institutions,” he said. Highlighting the importance of such re-evaluation, he added, “So, it is good that some clerics write the truth about the history. This helps in education and showing what happened during the genocide against the Tutsi.” The minister underscored the importance of documenting the truth as a lesson for all religious groups and the youth. “This is a lesson to all religions and young people that this history must be known and shown,” he noted. He said that more testimonies like Mukabayire’s are needed. “The main reason is that the genocide against the Tutsi was carried out by Rwandans and some foreigners in all categories. This includes politicians, soldiers, the clergy, and all other sectors,” he added. “Catholics, protestants, and all other religions, it is heartbreaking but true that no religion is without genocide perpetrators. Even when we check out in courts, you will find there are convicted clerics.” Bizimana commended members of the clergy, Rwandan and foreign, who actively fought against the genocide and saved Tutsi lives during the genocide. “A book like this should be supported and promoted to increase awareness of such history and help build the country on the foundation of truth,” he said.
