The Rwandan community in Botswana on Thursday commemorated the 30th anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi (Kwibuka30) amid calls to fight and prevent the resurgence of hatred and divisive politics.
Diplomats accredited to Botswana, religious leaders and Friends of Rwanda attended the commemoration event under the theme, "Remember-Unite-Renew" in Gaborone, Botswana's capital.
While addressing the attendees, Mr. Vianney Karangwa, the First Secretary who represented James Musoni, the High Commissioner to Botswana resident in Zimbabwe, said that as they commemorate the 30th Kwibuka, they also remember the braveness, sacrifice and patriotism of young men and women formed under the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) led by President Paul Kagame that gallantly fought to stop the genocide against the Tutsi.
Karangwa added that Rwandans also celebrate 30 years of resilience, restoration, unity and reconciliation and a whole new generation of Rwandans aspiring for a future free of hatred and built on the principles of a shared identity Ndi Umuyarwanda/I am a Rwandan.
He expressed concern at the escalation of hate speech and ethnic ideology targeting Kinyarwanda speaking Congolese being fueled by political leaders in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
"It is unfortunate therefore, that only 30 years later the world has not learned lessons from the turmoil our country faced. Just next to our borderlines, Politicians are busy fueling ethnic ideology of hatred and divisionism on unbearable rate, especially in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) whereby authorities and public figures openly in daylight call for extermination and massacres of Kinyarwanda speaking Congolese and more specific of Tutsi affiliation at the silence of the International community," Karangwa said.
He said the memory of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi remains very present in reference to the increasing manifestations of genocide denial and distortion of it through a structured network composed of Genocide perpetrators and their sympathizers across the global.
Karangwa underlined the significant renewal that has been recorded under the visionary leadership of President Kagame.
"I am confident to bring to your attention that; we are gifted with a visionary leader who has miraculously transformed our country in less than three decades after the turmoil. I wish I could be speaking to people who knew our country before and after 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, against the current Rwanda," he said.
"Truth be said, they are totally two opposite images. The country which was left a wreckage and almost considered a failed state, is now ranked among the top most performing on the continent almost in all disciplines of human life, if I would mention a few; good governance, peace and security, international cooperation and diplomacy, easy of doing business, health systems, infrastructure development, regulated corruption, efficiency in management of public funds, cleanliness and technological development."
Karangwa called upon the rest of the world to enact the UN legislations related to the arresting and bringing to justice genocide fugitives residing or hiding in countries across the world.
Karangwa said as a result of good leadership, Rwanda continues to strengthen foreign policy and Diplomacy, adding that the country enjoys the level of bilateral cooperation with the Republic of Botswana that is evidenced by the visits of the two Heads of State and a number of Memorandum of Understanding and agreements signed by the two sister countries in different fields of cooperation.
Karangwa paid gratitude to Botswana for its growing friendly relations with Rwanda.
The chairperson of the Rwanda community in Botswana, Hassan Hategekimana said Kwibuka is a strong bond that connects them with their loved ones that perished 30 years ago.
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Hategekimana added that it reminds them of the failures and imparts in them the courage to draw lessons from the past and carry a collective responsibility to unite as Rwandans and build together, a more peaceful and prosperous future generation.
"Above all, we want to understand the importance of our togetherness and how we can stand together, as brothers and sisters and ensure that the Genocide against Tutsi in 1994 is never repeated there, or anywhere else in the world," Hassan said.
Darlington Kemoabe, a Motswana citizen, speaking on behalf of the Friends of Rwanda, said the people of Rwanda have succeeded in reconciliation and reconstruction in a way that no one would ever predicted or even dared to hope.
"Three decades have gone past and the journey of reconstructing Rwanda is continuing and will continue with clear look back," Kemoabe said.
