Rwandans in Uganda, TZ commemorate Genocide

The Rwandan communities both in Uganda and Tanzania on Sunday commemorated the 19th anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi with a call on keeping the memory alive in order to avoid making mistakes again.In Uganda, hundreds of mourners braved the scorching sun at Kansesero memorial site in Rakai district, while in Tanzania Rwandans and friends of Rwanda gathered at the Mlimani Centre in Dar es Salaam.Different speakers thanked Kasensero residents in Uganda for having accorded thousands of Genocide victims a decent send-off and called on them to denounce any chance for Genocide revisionists to poison humanity again.“The Genocide against the Tutsi was planned over a period of more than three decades. For all that time, there was silence both by the Rwandan people and the international community,” Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Uganda, Frank Mugambage (pictured) said.“So, silence has become a good weapon for the perpetrators of Genocide and their supporters.”The Rakai Member of Parliament, Mathias Kasamba, underscored the need to making the memorial site a retreat centre that will document history and serve Genocide prevention lessons for the youth.“It used to be different in Africa but now a culture of selfishness is catching up with us and it’s mostly the youth who should reverse this trend,” he said. Meanwhile, in Tanzania, Rwanda’s High Commissioner Dr. Ben Rugangazi, said Rwanda’s current membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is an opportunity to show to the world that the new Rwanda is different from that of 1994 which used her UNSC membership to carry out genocide.Dr Salim Ahmed Salim, who in 1994 was the OAU (now AU) Secretary General, commended the path of reconciliation and meaningful development Rwandans have taken after the tragedy.The mourners also participated in a Walk to Remember event through the city of Dar es Salaam and held prayers and a candle lighting ceremony.

National

Rwandans in Uganda, TZ commemorate Genocide