{Following the mayhem of 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, the country started a long journey and a hard struggle of summoning unity and reconciliation among Rwandans whose relatives were killed and properties destroyed.}
During the drive of encouraging Rwandans on unity and reconciliation, survivors have been forgiving genocide perpetrators and relieved them of compensating for destroyed properties.
Ntaganzwa Nicodem, 80, a genocide survivor, resident of Kabumba cell of Bugeshi sector in Rubavu district, is one such man that has taken forgiveness as a healing tool.
Ntaganzwa revealed willingness to forgive yesterday during the visit of the National Commission of Unity and Reconciliation (NURC) and partners to ‘Inyenyeri’ association which aims at uniting genocide perpetrators and genocide survivors. He said that 10 relatives were killed during the genocide while 30 cows were eaten by genocide perpetrators but he later forgave them.
Ntaganzwa said that he was committed to forgive after realizing that killers of relatives were people with whom they had no conflict before. He said that lessons on unity and reconciliation he received prompted him not to pursue people who stole his cows.
“Those people who killed my relatives asked for forgiveness. I thought about asking payment of my 30 cows but they could not afford the payment. So I decided to forgive them since they would flee the country in case I ask the payment as they had no adequate financial means,” he said.
Bizimana Abdallah is one among genocide perpetrators in Bugeshi sector and accepts to have killed relatives of Ntaganzwa using big sticks and burning them inside their house.
Bizimana was jailed and released after he asked for forgiveness.
Bizimana explains that he was astonished to receive forgiveness when he asked forgiveness in front of Ntaganzwa.
Both Ntaganzwa and Bizimana argue that they currently live together peacefully in the association ‘Inyenyeri’, receiving lessons on unity and reconciliation.
“We live in harmony and we visit each other,” said Ntaganzwa.
“My heart feels free when I am with Ntaganzwa. He provides help whenever I ask and I don’t feel strange or have any suspicions when he buys for me sorghum beer,” said Bizimana Abdallah, a genocide perpetrator talking about cooperation with Ntaganzwa.
The executive secretary of NURC, Fidèle Ndayisaba said that what they did demonstrates a good step towards unity and reconciliation among Rwandans.
“These Rwandans have decided to concentrate on creating bonds of reconciliation since they have put aside suspicions to collaborate for development activities,” he said.
The research results NURC released in 2016 indicate that 92.5% of Rwandans argue that successful unity and reconciliation have been attained.
However genocide ideology, genocide wounds ethnicity are among lingering challenges faced even though there is a hope for them to be tackled.
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