Int’l conference reflects on genocide in Rwanda ahead of 30th commemoration
Delegates at an international conference on genocide meeting in Kigali, Friday called for vigilance against persistent threats of genocide, saying lessons from the past should prevent such atrocities in the future.
More than 300 participants, including local and international researchers, authors, journalists, lawyers and activists met for the international conference, ahead of the 30th commemoration of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi due on Sunday.
“Raise your voice...there cannot be a true memory if the crimes that shed blood 30 years ago continue today. Lessons from the past [should] prevent such atrocities in the future and for collective action to realize the slogan “Never again,” Rwandan Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement Jean-Damascene Bizimana told the audience.
Bizimana said the forum was crucial in reflecting on past events, their consequences and the importance of memory for future generations.
The minister highlighted the root causes of the genocide, noting that a targeted extermination of the Tutsi was planned with institutional complicity.
He mentioned the role of national and international justice, journalists, human rights defenders and writers in preserving memory of the genocide.
Experts said delivering justice was one of the challenges of the post-genocide era.
Domitille Mukantaganzwa, the Chairperson of Rwanda’s Law Reform Commission, said while some people were opposed to traditional gacaca courts trying genocide cases, they succeeded due collaboration from different institutions, the courage of survivors to give their testimonies as well as some genocide perpetrators who pleaded guilty and gave testimony of what happened.
Charles Adeogun-Phillips, a former lead prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), which was set up to try Rwanda genocide cases, cited institutional, procedural and practical challenges during the trials.
Michele Hirsch, counsel of victims of genocide, said large number of women courageously testified about what happened to them before the perpetrators and judges which helped the judges to understand how rape was committed as a systematic crime.
April 7 will mark the 30th commemoration of the genocide against Tutsi, which began on April7, 1994.
More than 1 million people, mostly of the Tutsi community and moderate Hutus were killed by Hutu extremists in a span of 100 days during the genocide against Tutsi in 1994.
