Rwandan survivors of the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsis in Urumuri Association, a UK-based organisation for the remembrance of the victims of the genocide on Saturday marked the 25 commemoration by remembering over one million innocent Tutsis who were killed in Rwanda within the period of one hundred days.
The event held in Bedfordshire, United Kingdom included sharing survivor testimony, children of survivors taking part in reading poetic testimonies as well as the lighting of the candle to remember those who were killed. They were also joined by speakers such as Yamina Karitanyi, the High Commissioner for the Republic of Rwanda to the United Kingdom, Dr James Smith, the co-founder of the National Holocaust Centre across the UK and a co-founder of Aegis Trust and Dr Andrew Wallis, author and researcher.
Marie Chantal Uwamahoro, the Deputy Chair of Urumuri said that “it is important that we continue to remember and acknowledge the genocide to give dignity to the victims and to help with the trauma of the survivors and Urumuri was created in that spirit”.
The High Commissioner for the Republic of Rwanda to the United Kingdom Yamina Karitanyi said that Rwanda’s history is important and Rwandans should not be embarrassed to recount it.
“We, Rwandans, don’t want to make people uncomfortable by sharing our experience. We should never shy away to make people uncomfortable by saying what we want to say. It’s our story, we owe it to the survivors to help you tell your stories,” she said.
She added that it shouldn’t be a duty of survivors alone or Rwandans alone to carry the pain, but rather a duty for humanity.
“We all have a role to play, we are equal human beings with equal voice and we should amplify that voice to tell our stories in order to indeed give us a ‘Never Again’,” she noted.
Dr James Smith, said that education is vital so that we don’t just remember the victims of 1994, but the victims of genocide ideology long before that. He further noted that commemorations are essential parts of education.
“If we forget and do not commemorate, how do we stand a chance to carry the lessons learned forward? There needs to be a collective memory of the genocide,” he observed.
Dr Andrew Wallis, author and researcher said “The biggest threat to justice is silent. We must therefore demand justice”
Yasin Mohammad, a Member of Parliament for Bedford and Kempston said that his country didn’t do enough to pursue perpetrators to justice and unfortunately some of the alleged perpetrators are still at large in the United Kingdom.
“As an MP, I’m doing my utmost, working with the police to ensure that these people who are face justice. With my colleagues and others in Parliament, we will continue fighting for this. We have waited long enough and can’t wait any longer,” he said.
Photos Credit by Urumuri Association
The Express News
