Rwandans and Rwandan friends living in Senegal commemorated for the 29th time the Genocide committed against the Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994 in an event held at the “Place du Souvenir Africain” on April 7, 2023.
In this ceremony, the place dedicated to showing the history of the Genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994 (hundred nights’ exhibition) was officially opened.
The president of Ibuka in Senegal, Dr. Yves Rwogera Munana, returned to the way of the cross that the Tutsis went through where they were abandoned by the International Community and which was held to prevent the death of over a million people in a hundred days.
He pointed out that Genocide survivors are not forgotten by history but are determined to fight for survival and provide good support to those who ask to carry because they were not alone.
He especially praised the bravery of the RPF Inkotanyi forces that stopped the Genocide against the Tutsis and freed the country, and asked that Rwandans continue to work together to develop the country and strengthen their unity.
The Ambassador of Rwanda to Senegal, Jean Pierre Karabaranga, who is responsible for the countries of Mali, Gambia, Cabo Verde and Guinea Bissau, returned to the bad history that Rwanda went through, which was marked by the policy of discrimination from 1959 to 1994 where genocide was involved.
many people because of the bad teachings that were taught all those years. He pointed out that the Genocide killed all Tutsis in the country in all categories, from infants to the elderly and all the old women were killed just because of their ethnicity.
He took the opportunity to praise the RPF Inkotanyi forces who sacrificed themselves and stopped the Genocide against the Tutsis, freed the country, and established a good policy that unites Rwandans and all Rwandans, where everyone is free in Rwanda.
He called for condemning those who spread the ideology of Genocide and denying the Genocide committed against the Tutsis because that is the stage that those who planned and carried out the Genocide achieved and those who participated in the Genocide all over the world as well as those who despised it should be prosecuted and held accountable.
He asked the international community to prevent all activities that lead to Genocide, all around the world and returned to the decision of the General Assembly of the United Nations in 2018, which confirmed that the 7th of April of each year is the international day of remembrance of the Genocide committed against the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994.
He highly praised the Senegalese troops who were in Rwanda during the Genocide against the Tutsis, although there were few who did everything possible to rescue them and one of them, Cpt Mbaye DIAGNE, lost his life.
He praised the good relations between Rwanda and Senegal where the country has given the Embassy a memorial to those killed in the Genocide against the Tutsi and a section has been added that explains the detailed history of the preparation and implementation of the Genocide against the Tutsi.
Ambassador Karabaranga asked everyone to continue condemning those who use words and actions to deny and belittle the Genocide against the Tutsis as well as those who spread its ideology, including some Rwandans who left Rwanda and some foreigners who helped them. The representative of the Government of Senegal in the commemoration of the 29th Genocide against the Tutsi, Mamadou Saliou SOW, the Minister responsible for the promotion of Human Rights and Good Governance in the Ministry of Justice praised how Rwandans are looking for answers after 29 years of the Genocide against the Tutsi is suspended.
He said that although they have gone through a bad history, they are now proud of the achievements of the Rwandan unity building program and economic development programs in general. He pointed out that Senegal will continue to strengthen the good relations between the two countries.
Those who participated in the commemoration of the Genocide committed against the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994 were presented with the testimony of Monique Usanase, who survived it, who lives in Belgium and returned to the path of the cross with other Tutsis who were neighbors in the Nyakabanda sector, in the city of Kigali.
The youth in Senegal shared with them a poem written by Denyse Muhoza called ‘Ishavu’, which expresses the sadness left by the Genocide against the Tutsis, and advises those who still hold the ideology of Genocide to stop being stubborn and instead go home and work with other Rwandans to build their country
