The scars of 1994 run deep, with survivors haunted by memories of loss and trauma that defy comprehension.
As Rwanda commemorates the 30th anniversary of the Genocide against the Tutsi that shook the world in 1994, a harrowing tale of human cruelty and suffering is once again reminisced today.
The echoes of anguish still resonate through the hills and valleys of the 26,338 square kilometre nation.
The genocide, which started on April 7, 1994, claiming more than a million people in just 100 days, was not an overnight phenomenon but rather a culmination of years of ethnic tension and political turmoil.
The seeds of hostility were sowed during the colonial era when the Belgian authorities implemented a divide-and-rule strategy, favoring the Tutsi minority over the Hutu majority.
What seemed an unconscious move was the introduction of identity cards that identified Rwandans by their ethnicity, either Hutu, Tutsi, Twa or naturalised. This created a deep-seated resentment which fueled ethnic enmity.
Fast forward to April 6, 1994, when the assassination of Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, triggered a wave of violence, within hours, extremist Hutu militia, armed with machetes and firearms, launched a systematic campaign of slaughter targeting Tutsi and moderate Hutu.
The radio airwaves became instruments of death as hate propaganda filled the airwaves, dehumanising Tutsi and urging Hutu to "exterminate the cockroaches."
Roadblocks manned by militia became death traps for those unfortunate enough to be identified as Tutsi, with no mercy shown to women, children, or the elderly.
The international community stood by as Rwanda descended into hell on earth, with political calculations and bureaucratic inertia preventing swift intervention.
The United Nations peacekeeping mission, UNAMIR, was woefully ill-equipped and outnumbered to stem the tide of violence.
Amidst the chaos, acts of extraordinary bravery and compassion emerged, as ordinary Rwandans risked their lives to shelter and protect their neighbors regardless of ethnicity.
These unsung heroes, often referred to as "rescuers," demonstrated the enduring power of humanity in the face of unspeakable evil.
Ultimately, it was the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), led by current President Paul Kagame, that halted the genocide and restored a semblance of order to the ravaged nation.
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But the scars of 1994 run deep, with survivors haunted by memories of loss and trauma that defy comprehension.
Three decades later, Rwanda has made remarkable strides towards reconciliation and reconstruction, yet the wounds of the past remain raw.
As the world pauses to remember the victims of the 1994 genocide, its important to reaffirm collective commitment to the principles of peace, justice, and human dignity.
The lessons of Rwanda only serve as a reminder of the consequences of indifference and the imperative of standing up against hatred in all its forms.
