The pledge was revealed on Thursday last week during the commemoration of victims of 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi killed in the former commune of Kirambi where 17 remains were accorded decent burial at Kiziguro memorial.
The president of IBUKA in Gatsibo district, Jean Nepomuscène Sibomana said that having RPF Inkotanyi chaired by President Kagame was God’s plan to rescue Rwandans.
“We thank God for giving us a good leader who trained us to forgive that Rwandans have now united against divisionism,” he said.
Sibomana requested officials present during the event to convey their gratitude to President Kagame on their behalf.
“Please, convey our gratitude to president Kagame for rescuing us. Tell him that genocide survivors in Gatsibo will give him a cow as recognition for his efforts in liberating us. We would have been wiped out hadn’t he led soldiers to liberate us,” he pledged to request survivors in the area to make sure the promise is fulfilled.
The request was part of the message Catholic Church bishops in Rwanda delivered to Christians for the 25th commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi on 7th April 2019 as commemoration activities began. The message was read in all churches across the country.
“Older and sick convicts are among people jailed for role in the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi. These people need help. Then seeking how their punishments can be reduced. But they also have to be integrated under the program of seeking an apology and reconciling with people they offended,” reads part of the letter.
The request was not welcomed by genocide survivors. Commenting on the request, IBUKA, the umbrella organization of genocide survivors observed that such a message should not be released during commemoration period requesting to respect laws for further actions.
Jean Damascène Ndabirora Kalinda, IBUKA’s legal advisor told IGIHE that inmates were convicted by courts of law and their release should be done through a legal process.
During the vigil night to remember victims of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi held in Nyanza, Kicukiro on 11th April 2019, the president of IBUKA, Prof Jean Pierre Dusingizemungu said the request should be strictly assessed because there are genocide convicts with persistent genocide ideology.
The Catholic Church released the statement as Rwanda closed the commemoration week on 13th April 2019.
“There are clauses from the letter that hurt people especially the ones concerning the request for commuting sentences of old and sick genocide convicts,” reads part of the statement signed by the President of Episcopal Conference in Rwanda, Bishop Philippe Rukamba.
“We regret that the message hurt people especially considering the period during which it was communicated. This was not our intention. We apologize for having communicated the message during the commemoration period,” adds the statement.
The Catholic Church assured of its commitment to keep solidarity with genocide survivors and Rwandan community to commemorate the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.
The apology has been welcomed by the Minister of Local Government, Prof. Anastase Shyaka.
“The Catholic Church has sought an apology from people hurt by the message communicated in its letter written on 25th March that was read on 7th April 2019. Let us remember and renew,” he said in a tweet.
General Kabarebe said this on Friday during the commemoration in respect of former employees of the Ministry of Transport and Communication (MINITRANSCO) and Public Works and Energy (MINITRAPE) currently merged under the Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA) killed during the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.
Gen Kabarebe told MININFRA employees that since 1957 Rwanda had the misfortune of bad leaders who promoted genocide ideology until its execution of genocide in 1994.
He said that genocide ideology is like cancer likely to affect the whole body if not burnt.
“Even a thief that fled the country, leans on genocide ideology. A neighbor intending to destabilize Rwanda has no other choice other than assuming that Rwandans can be divided easily referencing to the genocide that took place. That is how they understand it but the strong foundation has been already built. Institutions with zero tolerance to genocide ideology were put in place,” he said.
“Those outsiders have no power to fight Rwanda. However, they cause one problem. Even one person with genocide ideology is like cancer in the body. There are apparatuses that burn cancer in the body. This is what we should do. Even if one person is tracked with genocide ideology, it must be burnt lest it spreads,” he said.
The Minister of Infrastructure, Amb. Claver Gatete said that employees of the ministry received enough explanations during the commemoration week helpful to tackle genocide ideology.
He said it will enhance their contribution to building the country and empowering Rwandans.
165 former employees of Mantraps and Minitransco are reported to have been killed during the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.
He revealed this during the commemoration of 64 employees of the United Nations killed during the genocide.
The ceremony took place at the headquarters of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Kigali. It was attended by bereaved families, government officials, UN representative in Rwanda and different diplomats.
Minister Busingye said that Rwanda has walked a long journey and urged everyone to be watchful to avoid whoever is having intentions of sowing divisionism.
“People thought UN headquarters were immune places for refuge. There are people who thought that nothing would happen to them because they worked for UN which we all believed,” he said.
“We know that there are employees of UN who collaborated with Interahamwe hunting fellow workers at their homes to kill them or hand them to killers. We don’t oversee the justice of places where they fled but we shall do everything possible so that they are one day brought to justice,” added Busingye.
UN was accused of failure to stop genocide despite early warnings it had received.
On 11th April 1994, UN withdrew its troops on the peacekeeping mission in Rwanda abandoning Tutsi who had fled to ETO Kicukiro.
The Coordinator of One UN in Rwanda, Fodé Ndiaye has told IGIHE that UN is ready to provide justice wherever there is evidence pinning genocide suspects.
He also expressed solidarity with relatives of genocide victims.
“As we commemorate the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi, my gratitude goes to bereaved families of genocide victims. We associate with you. We are here to commemorate fallen victims and reflect on the journey genocide survivors have walked,” noted Ndiaye.
During the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi, some bodies of genocide victims were thrown in River Sebeya and Lake Kivu and floated to DRC where RPF Inkotanyi members living in Goma at the time retrieved 100 bodies in Kituku by Lake Kivu shore.
Talking to IGIHE; the president of IBUKA in Rubavu district, Innocent Kabanda has requested to bring back these bodies to be buried decently or build a memorial in Goma town.
“There are bodies washed away by water to DRC. We request both states to negotiate how the remains can be brought back to Rwanda for decent burial or build a memorial in Goma,” he explained.
Over 1000 people have been reported killed by disasters. The State Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe has told IGIHE that Rwanda condoles with those countries affected.
“We have donated the support to three countries affected as a gesture of brotherhood,” he said.
The Government of Rwanda has donated USD $ 200,000 (over Rwf 180 million) to Malawi, USD $ 200,000 to Zimbabwe and USD $ 300,000 (over Rwf 270 million) to Mozambique.
Rwanda’s ambassador to Zambia and Malawi, Monique Mukaruliza has handed USD $ 200,000 cheque to Malawi government.
Malawi government has expressed appreciation for the gesture through the government twitter account. “We express gratitude to the government of Rwanda for donating USD $ 200,000 for emergency support disaster-affected people,” reads the tweet.
A total of 602 people have been reported killed by the disasters in Mozambique, 344 in Zimbabwe and 59 in Malawi. The United Nations reported that the Cyclone Idai is the first ever of its kind in Southern part of the World.
At least 3 million people need emergent humanitarian assistance in affected countries while UN is raising funds of USD $ 282 million three to support needy people.
President Kagame made the appreciation as he attended the ceremony for the 25th Commemoration of the Genocide Against the Tutsi held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York where the ceremony is held for the 15th time.
He commended UN General Secretary, António Guterres and the President of UN General Assembly María Fernanda Espinosa for co-organising the event with Rwandans.
President Kagame explained that “A remembrance is an act of honor. More than a million lives were lost. We honor the victims. We honor the courage of the survivors. And we honor the manner in which Rwandans have come together to rebuild our nation.”
He said that a Remembrance is also an act of prevention.
“Denial is an ideological foundation of genocide. Countering denial is essential for breaking the cycle and preventing any recurrence,” reiterated Kagame.
The General Assembly voted overwhelmingly last year to adopt the proper terminology: Genocide against the Tutsi. President Kagame thanked member states with most sincere appreciation for this measure highlighting that there is evidence showing that foreign countries draw a lesson from the 1994 Genocide Against Tutsi pushing them to prevent re-occurrence.
President Kagame reflected how in 1994, three representatives on the United Nations Security Council consistently called for action, despite the resistance of more powerful states. They were Ibrahim Gambari of Nigeria, Colin Keating of New Zealand, and Karel Kovanda of the Czech Republic.
President Kagame said there is a milestone in the prevention of genocide with apparent evidence.
“France, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, and Switzerland have criminalized denial of the Genocide against the Tutsi, and Belgium has announced its intention to do so. Canada and France have designated April 7th as a day of commemoration. We applaud these steps, and encourage others to follow suit,” he noted.
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President Kagame emphasized that there is a significant advance related to peacekeeping where civilian protection has moved to the heart of peacekeeping doctrines with the strong support of the Secretary-General and the Member States.
“In 1994, the warnings of the United Nations Force Commander, General Roméo Dallaire of Canada, fell on deaf ears. In the absence of a protection-of-civilians mandate, there are limits to what good commanders can achieve. Nevertheless, he stayed and his forces did what they could. Captain Mbaye Diagne of Senegal saved countless lives, before giving his own,” he said.
For several years, Rwanda has been among the top five troop contributors to United Nations peacekeeping operations. President Kagame said that Rwanda intends to maintain this commitment saying: “Rwanda does not only contribute soldiers and police. We come to the task with the values instilled by our tragic history. As a nation once betrayed by the international community, we are determined to do our part to make things better, going forward.”
The commemoration event which gathered the Bank Employees from its different branches and Head Office started with a walk to remember from the Bank Headquarters to the Executive Suite building where the commemoration activities took place.
Speaking at the commemoration event, the Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Arah Sadava said that the commemoration period is an opportunity to reflect on what happened and to strive for hope, Unity, and peace in the daily lives.
“Every year, as we remember and honor the lives lost, what happened 25 years ago is never too easy to comprehend. As the effects of what happened 25 years ago still ring in our minds, hearts and our homes; commemoration is an opportune moment for us to remember to bring back hope in our lives, to pray for unity, peace, and love amongst us and also to improve our lives and the lives of those who have lost their loved ones during the Genocide,” Mrs. Sadava said.
She added that on behalf of the Board of Directors, the Management and Employees, AB Bank Rwanda joins the Rwandan Community and friends of Rwanda to honor the memory of the victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi and to stand against any Genocide ideology. The bank is going to contribute as much as possible to Remember-Unite-Renew.
The commemoration event featured a discussion titled the Unity of Rwandans in rebuilding Rwanda after Genocide, fighting against Genocide ideology and rebuilding an ideal vision moderated by Mr. Prosper Rwigemera, a Bank Employee. Among other activities were prayers for peace and healing, the light of Hope, the testimonies from Genocides Survivors and the screening of a documentary film on the 1994 Genocide.
AB Bank Rwanda is a fully-fledged microfinance bank, which offers a wide range of financial products that serve both retail and corporate clients. The bank has a network of 6 branches in Rwanda; 5 of which are located in key areas of the capital city, Kigali, while the 6th branch is in Musanze, covering the Northern part of the country. The bank also has 6 credit outlets which are located in Muhanga, Rwamagana, Kabarondo, Huye, Gicumbi and Nyagatare.
Commenting on the activity, the bank CEO, Dr. Diane Karusisi said: “As a company operating in Rwanda we thrive to create a positive impact in the community where we work. Today’s gesture and those previously done, are in line with our commitment to remember and honor the lives that were lost in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. We hold dear the genocide survivors because they fought hard and need to be accompanied in their journey to rebuild.”
The solar systems installed will meet the families power needs, they are stand-alone photovoltaic systems that offer a cost-effective mode of supplying amenity power for lighting and appliances to remote off-grid households. With the donated fund, the households will meet their energy demand to fulfill basic electric needs
This year’s commemoration, under the theme of Remember-Unite-Renew, is focusing on the legacy of strength, resilience, honor, and unity that the new generation is called upon to sustain and carry forward to adapt to today’s global challenges and future aspirations
“Since light signifies hope, intelligence and the capacity of humans to develop on a rational level, we believe that the solar system will be beneficial as a tool of advancement,” added Dr. Diane Karusisi.
