It has become a routine that many voices denying the Genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994 increase especially during the periods of honoring the victims or few days before this period.
Rwanda has been commemorating the genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi since April 7th, 1995. As the country is going to commemorate at the 27th, the same voices of genocide denials are being heard, which makes many people to think on the reason that raises such terrible and unchangeable ideologies.
On May 25, 2020, in a report by the National Commission for the fight against genocide (CNLG), Dr. Jean Damescène Bizimana, Executive Secretary of CNLG sited various deniers who were brought to Rwanda for their crimes and judiciary proceedings.
These ones include Felicien Kabuga,who has been hiding for 26 years, and was arrested on May 16, 2020 in Paris, France. Many other groups that deny the Genocide against the Tutsi continue to put pressure on social media to spread lies.
One of the activities to deny the Genocide against the Tutsi that took place on the site was the so-called “Ribara Uwariraye” on 03/05/2020, which was given a space by the Voice of America Radio (VOA), where organizers led by Gatebuke Claude said they remember Rwandans killed between 1990 and 2000.
This report was published while Rwanda and the entire world were commemorating the genocide against the Tutsi at the 26th.
Gatebuke used various organizations and individuals to spread the denial of genocide. Among them are : African Great Lakes Action Networks (AGLAN) that is headquartered in the United States led by Gatebuke, Claire who works in Belgium, Global Campain for Rwandans Rights that is based in the UK, Campaign Amahoro Iwacu and the Kizito Mihigo Foundation for Peace whose work place was not revealed.
The deniers of the Genocide against the Tutsi used to say that there were two (2) genocides aimed at denying and belittling the Genocide against the Tutsi which was the only one that was officially and internationally valid.
What is the truth about the true history of Gatebuke?
It was proven that Gatebuke Claude was not a Tutsi, so that his family would be victims of the Genocide and he would be a survivor of the Genocide against the Tutsi. Gatebuke Claude is the son of Gatebuke Justin from the former Cell Mugara, Gishwati sector, Kayove commune in Gisenyi Prefecture. Gatebuke Justin was also born to Rwamwaga who invented Kinyuka, he had two wives, Nyambuga Agnes and Ntabugi who was also the mother of Gatebuke Claude.
More genocide deniers being heard as Rwanda is going to commemorate at the 27th the genocide against the Tutsi
The news report by Voice of America this week on February 2, 2021 by the Voice of America’s journalist Venuste Nshimiyimana, with Dr. Jean Damascène BIZIMANA, CNLG’s Executive Secretary embarked on genocide denial that is effectively done on social media.
Bizimana said that since November, December 2020 and fresh January and February 2021, CNLG followed and analyzed social media talk shows especially those aired on YouTube where they found a very negativism and denial of the genocide perpetrated against The Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994.
“We examined many words denying the genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi, and others that accelerate divisionism, we assessed many at Umubavu TV, Ukuri mbona, Real Talk Channel and more, many of them are on individual owned Televisions and; as CNLG, we found that some people went beyond the red line in denying the genocide following the comments on such publications, reason why during this period we are preparing for the 27th commemoration, we advise those who give their comments to do that in accordance with the laws of Rwanda, and it is the reason why we have released a notice for the public to know this.” Bizimana noted.
CNLG released this notice to the public following the words of Mrs. Idamange Iryamugwiza Yvonne who spread her opinions on Youtube channel about the genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi.
“We released this notice following the denials of many people on YouTube channels including this woman, Mrs. Idamange Iryamugwiza Yvonne, and the gravity of his words that deny the genocide is highlighted where she says that “ Covid-19 is a tool of the country to silence Rwandans the Genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi is also the tool to crackdown on Rwandans. “she also adds that the bodies of the victims of Tutsi at the genocide memorial sites are sold by the country to gain foreign devises, these words are of high gravity because, first of all, CORONAVIRUS and the Genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi are not tools, I take this time to remind everyone that such words were spoken by several deniers including Philip Regency, Faustin Twagiramungu, and André Gishawa after the genocide was stopped.” He noted.
Bizimana concluded by saying that being a genocide survivor cannot be the reason to deny it. “Whoever can deny the genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi must be judged and penalized beacsue a crime is individual and is not based on personal status; again, a genocide survivor knows its gravity better than others and he/she could not be among the deniers. One who commits this crime of denying the genocide is an enemy than perpetrators.” Bizimana said.
The Express News
