{IBUKA, the umbrella association for Genocide survivor organizations in Rwanda says people with genocide ideology are trivializing genocide and requests severe punishments for anyone convicted of the said crime. }
The president of IBUKA Jean Pierre Dusingizemungu said this on Tuesday as he held a talk in collaboration with the executive secretary of the National commission for the Fight Against genocide during the ceremony of commemorating 1994 genocide against Tutsi at police headquarters in Kacyiru.
“We are implementing policies of fighting against genocide ideology, but even the number of deniers remains big. This requires reforming genocide ideology punishments to defeat them,” he said.
The executive secretary of CNLD, Dr Jean Damascene Bizimana asked for police assistance to address the matter of genocide ideology realized across the country.
“If we join efforts, media and security personnel, we will implement policies to fight against such denials or set a way preventing the spread of such poisonous thoughts, ”he said.
Bizimana said that genocide ideology was spread among Rwandans for long which poses the need for much strength to resist its consequences.
“It took long spreading hate speech until it culminated into the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. That is why we are still struggling with it after 22 years. We have to continue teaching the devastating effects of genocide and build strong foundations for peace building,” he noted.
He explained policies that can be adopted by police in fighting against genocide ideology which include understanding its forms and punishment in Rwanda and beyond.
Director General of Police in charge of Administration & Personnel, DIGP, and Juvénal Marizamunda promised to provide more support.
“We are among the stakeholders addressing cases of suspects of genocide ideology. So, we have to know better ways to solve them and well prepare files to be forwarded for prosecution,” he said.
Marizamunda said that Rwanda National Police will continue to apply appropriate measures in tackling genocide ideology including trainings of police personnel capacitating them with required knowledge of identifying and investigating genocide ideology crime.
IBUKA and CNLG appreciated the cooperation Rwandan national police has accorded in tracking genocide suspects.
In the past, the law punishing a genocide ideology convict spelt a punishment extended to life sentence. It was later reformed to grant a punishment ranging from 5 to 9 years and pay a fine from Rwf 100,000 to 1,000,000.
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