Belgian youth to form club against genocide

A new idea born in Belgium will see youth in the European country born on April 7, 1994 forming a club to partner with Rwandans during commemorations of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, and in fighting the Genocide denial in Europe.April 7 1994 is the day the full scale Genocide started across the country leaving over a million people dead in just 100 days.Friends of Rwanda in Liège, the third most populous city in Belgium, after Brussels and Antwerp, on Saturday, backed the idea after it was proposed by Rwanda’s Ambassador to Belgium, Robert Masozera, during an event to pay tribute to the victims of the Genocide.Masozera, told The New Times that Belgian youth who were born on this day, could be very useful during the annual commemoration events to remember the Genocide against the Tutsi as it started “on their birthday.”“I have confidence that it is a good project. Once realised, or implemented, it will create an incredible positive impact and produce numerous physical and spiritual mutual benefits.“I can already see footprints left behind by that network of friendship and partnership. Both bilateral and people-to-people relationships between Rwanda and Belgium will benefit.”Meanwhile, over 200 Rwandans and friends of Rwanda attended the event where Liege’s Mayor, Willy Demeyer, was chief mourner. The envoy’s proposal was reportedly supported by all present.In Liège, Masozera suggested that once these youth were identified and organised, they would form an important group. He told the gathering that it is such a group that can carry the torch further as the generation of tomorrow, and noted that it could even be better if they interacted with the Rwandan youth in similar collaboration activities.Participants agreed that the idea could have a clear and significant impact during future commemoration events.The event in Liège also saw the birth of a collaboration pact between a Genocide survivors’ union based in the city – Union des Rescapés du Génocide des Tutsi (URGT) and Territoires de la Memoire, a Belgian institution charged with education on memorials.Like France, Belgium is home to the former Rwandan regime’s supporters, most of them who are hard-line militants associated with Genocide deniers.Last year, Belgian authorities arrested some of those suspected of taking part in the Genocide. They include Jean Marie Vianney Ndahimana, alias Rumende, a Colonel in the former government army (Ex-FAR), whose troops along with Interahamwe militia, masterminded the mass killings.In 1994, Ndahimana was commandant of Camp Kigali military and he is accused of having participated in killings both in Kigali and in the former Kibuye Prefecture, his home area.

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Belgian youth to form club against genocide