The Genocide commemoration week ended Friday with a vigil in tribute to senior politicians who were slain during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.The politicians had led their respective parties in exerting pressure on the Habyarimana dictatorship to introduce multiparty democracy, and had presented sustained civil opposition to the then divisive government.They had presented a united front and actively opposed the sectarianism and hate ideology that had come to define the Genocidal regime. They participated in the Arusha talks and believed in the ideal of a homeland for all Rwandans in unity.Given their social, economic and political standing, they could have chosen the easy way out and left the country. But they stayed put, hoped and worked to change the country’s politics for the better. For this they paid the ultimate price.Their sacrifice offers lessons in courage. That choosing a path of political activism and public service should not be a selfish and opportunistic undertaking but a call to serving the public good. Their story teaches us that politics is not for opportunists and hate filled demagogues, but a noble calling for the finest of society.They were willing to sacrifice for the ideals they believed in and they demonstrated leadership principles. Commemorating and honoring them is a vindication of the virtues of good politics.The political class has the onus to emulate them and for the rest of society, it becomes imperative to always be able to discern progressive politicians from those who harbor hate and retrogressive ideas.
