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Feature: 21 years after genocide, Rwandans remember victims

Xinhua, April 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

It was another April 7, exactly 21 years ago. Within just 100 days in 1994, about 1 million people were slaughtered in Rwanda by ethnic Hutu extremists.

The militias were targeting members of the minority Tutsi community, and moderate Hutus.

On Tuesday, as they have for 20 years already, Rwandans, in particular friends and families of the victims, returned to various memorial sites to mourn and most of all to remember for the 21st year.

THE CEREMONY

President Paul Kagame, who has visited Gisozi memorial on every anniversary, marked the genocide with moments of silence at the clock of mid-day.

Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame lay a wreath in honor of the 250,000 victims buried at the Gisozi memorial center.

They then lit the flame of remembrance marking the 21st Commemoration of the genocide against the Tutsi.

The flame will burn for the 100 days into which the genocide was committed.

The Rwandan leader noted that remembering is to restore dignity to those who were killed but also to the living. "This country has changed. It has changed for good and forever. We are a people who give ourselves dignity," he said.

TO REMEMBER AND FORGIVE

Visitors touring the Kigali Memorial said even after 21 years, the genocide still resonate with Rwandans.

One visitor who gave his name only as Jonathan from Uganda said he was deeply moved by the memorial but impressed by the resilience of Rwandans.

"It's amazing to see how people have moved on," Jonathan said as he emerged from the memorial site.

Most people can clearly recall the moment they first saw their neighbors killed with machetes. They can still picture the bodies lying in pools of blood then.

Felix Habimana, whose entire family was killed in the genocide, said he was living in Bugesera district in eastern Rwanda during the genocide.

"I remember everything like it happened yesterday," he said. "And of course, the killers."But Habimana, 50, said he has forgiven and moved on, not mourning.

OBAMA AND UN CHIEF

U.S. President Barack Obama in a statement on the 21st anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda commended the country for the determination to continue to make important progress toward healing wounds and lifting people out of poverty.

"While we remain haunted by the genocide we also draw hope and inspiration from the people of Rwanda who are building a brighter future," Obama said.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in a statement called on the international community to prevent similar situations and to protect vulnerable human beings in distress.

"I appeal to the international community to do more than just speak about atrocity crimes and then fail to take timely action to prevent them," said Ban.

"I call on all to summon the courage to act before situations deteriorate based on our collective moral responsibility. This is critical for the maintenance of international peace and security," the UN chief said.

This year's commemoration events are being held to remember, unite, renew, with a special focus on countering genocide ideology and denial, according to a release by Rwanda's National Commission for the Fight against the Genocide. Endi