Rwanda, on Friday, commemorated the 29th anniversary of the 1994 genocide where over 800,000 moderate Tutsis were massacred by Hutus in what the world has come to see as one of the most horrific events in history.
The event which is observed every year, began with an official ceremony organized at the Gisozi National Memorial in Kigali, the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the genocide.
While speaking during the ceremony, President Paul Kagame praised Rwandans on their determination to build a better and more prosperous country through unity, hard work, and perseverance.
“Today, we gather to honor the continued sacrifice of survivors and remember all those we lost during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, which means people were being targeted and killed for who they were,” Kagame said.
“We have incredible strength coming from this history that informs us and tells us that you should never allow anybody else to dictate to you how you live your life, and that is Rwanda today.
“I thank all of you for refusing to be defined by this tragic history.
“We cannot, however, ignore the fact that things like violence and hate speech persist. Not so far away from here,” Kagame added.
Meanwhile, France has promised to build a cenotaph in memory of the victims of the genocide.
The announcement comes after President Emmanuel Macron, in 2021, recognised his country’s responsibility in the genocide.
The Rwandan genocide occurred between April 7 and July 15, 1994, during the Rwandan Civil War and during the period which lasted for about 100 days, where members of the Tutsi minority ethnic group, as well as some moderate Hutu and Twa, were killed by armed Hutu militias.
The genocide also had lasting and profound effects and aftermath. In 1996, the RPF-led Rwandan government launched an offensive into Zaire, home to exiled leaders of the former Rwandan government and many Hutu refugees, starting the First Congo War m, and killed an estimated 200,000 people.