Category: Diaspora

Rwandans living in South Africa participated in community Service also known as Umuganda to mark the Nelson Mandela Day on Monday.

Other particpants included several diplomats led by Rwandan High Commissioner to South Africa, Vincent Karega.

The gesture was at the invitation of the South African Minister for International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoane Mashabane.

Celebrated on the birthday of South Africa’s anti-apartheid hero, on July 18, the International Mandela Day serves as a key platform to honour Nelson Mandela by giving a portion of 67 minutes to community service.

The diplomats carried out various activities at the Diepsloot Primary School, in South Africa which hosts 1500 pupils.

These included planting trees, building a fence, painting, among others.

{Mashabane (C) and Karega (second right) during the Umuganda in South Africa/Newtimes photo}

The Rwandan Embassy in France has organized a Commemoration ceremony with the collaboration of UNESCO.

The event was attended at the impressive Room 4 Auditorium of UNESCO HQ and more than 150 people, attended by representatives of the French Government, permanent Delegates to the UNESCO, Ambassadors accredited in France, Commemoration partners (including NGOs, Survivors associations…), Friends of Rwanda and many members of the Rwandan Community in France.

The last commemoration event at UNESCO was during the 10th commemoration in 2004.

Mrs Lalla Aïcha Ben Barka, Assistant Director-General for Africa at UNESCO had very meaningful words on the value of remembering the Genocide. She highlighted that the Commemoration is a time of sorrow but also an opportunity for hope.

Mr. Alain Ngirinshuti, Vice Chairman of Ibuka France highlighted the mature perspective of the Survivors, 19th after the tragedy.

He insisted that a memorial in memory of the Genocide against the Tutsi should be raised in Paris to be inaugurated on the 20th anniversary.

In support to this initiative, an open letter has been sent to President Hollande. The Chairman of Ibuka France also insisted that the knowledge of the Genocide should be introduced in Education.

H.E. David Hamadziripi, Ambassador of Zimbabwe in France, Permanent Delegate to the UNESCO, and representing the Group of African Ambassadors in France delivered a very strong message on memory as a collective responsibility.

He also pointed at the issue of genocide criminals being active abroad, in particular in DRC. He concluded on the significance of Never Again as a promise of Peace.

Mrs. Corinne Brunon-Meunier, Deputy Director for Eastern Africa at the French MoFA and representing the French Government, delivered a balanced speech on the significance of the Commemoration.

She mainly highlighted the effort of the French government to improve the Justice system. She developed on the new department in charge of Genocide crimes and crimes against Humanity.

She also mentioned the forthcoming first case to be prosecuted at the criminal court (Cour d’Assise).

H.E. Ambassador Jacques Kabale concluded with a 10-minute allocution developing the importance of memory. After a tribute to the victims and the expression of support to the survivors, he developed his message on two main points.

First, Justice was presented as a disappointing process in France due to shortcoming, loopholes and obstructions.

Cooperative countries were given as an example of political determination.

Second, Security was presented as an issue directly related to the presence of genocide suspects sustaining a destructive agenda, particularly in DRC.

The Ambassador also invited UNESCO to act in support to the memory of the Genocide against the Tutsi.

He insisted on the relevance to list the 3 memorials of Gisozi, Bisesero and Murambi on the World Heritage.

He also insisted on the importance of including the Genocide in future “Education to Peace” initiatives.

In conclusion, the Ambassador ended with a statement of much resonance in the assembly: the Genocide against the Tutsi is a lesson of Humanity for the Humanity.

{Ambassador Jacques Kabale addressing a gathering during the 19th commemoration of Genocide against Tutsi}

{{On 8th April 2013, the Nineteenth commemoration of genocide against Tutsis was organized at the Embassy of Rwanda in Beijing and was attended by Ambassadors, Diplomats from different Countries accredited to China, Chinese officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Defense, representatives of Universities, Chinese from private sectors, and many other friends of Rwanda.}}

The ceremony started with one minute of silence to remember all genocide victims, followed by prayers by Pastor Shawn Powers, accompanied by Rwandan community in Beijing songs.

A short documentary on Immaculee Ilibagiza testimony was screened to put the audience fully in the context.

The Acting Dean of African Ambassadors H.E Ambassador Sikonina Victor, Ambassador of Madagascar delivered a speech calling for unity and reconciliation, urging all Diplomats to carry this lesson and teach the whole world that what happened in Rwanda should never happen again anywhere else. He wished Rwanda Peace, Prosperity and Justice.

In His speech H.E Ambassador Ngarambe thanked everyone for their continued support; he underscored the importance of drawing lessons from that unspeakable crime and stressed that “everyone should understand the necessity to fight all sources of poor governance, hatred, injustice and discrimination.

He affirmed that “lessons learnt must also help to prevent genocide from happening again anywhere in future, especially by analyzing and understanding the failure of the international community’s responsibility to protect endangered people, despite abundance of information on the preparation and the execution of genocide”.

The Ambassador called upon the international community, all well wishers, all friends of Rwanda to fight all genocide deniers because “forgetting or denying genocide is denying the humanity of the victims;

It’s assuring impunity to its planners and perpetrators, and it is making it possible for genocide to be repeated again and again.”

The ceremony was concluded with a movie “Sometimes in April”.

{H.E Ambassador Ngarambe}