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Rwanda genocide survivors get 3800 social workers for trauma victims

Xinhua, April 4, 2016 Adjust font size:

Survivors of the 1994 Rwanda genocide under their umbrella association of Rwanda genocide survivors (Ibuka) have identified 3,800 social workers that will deal with the cases of trauma during the 22nd commemoration of 1994 Rwanda genocide.

Previously there were no social workers trained to help trauma victims during the commemoration days which had been an uphill task for survivors to cope with the situation.

Rwanda will this week on Thursday start a three month long mourning of the victims of the 1994 genocide that claimed the lives of 800,000 to 1,000,000 Rwandans in 100 days period.

The memorial observance that falls on April 7 begins with a commemoration week that involves several activities among others, visiting and laying wreaths at memorial sites, giving testimonies, public lectures, and candle lighting vigils.

The activities officially last a week, but the commemoration continues up to July 4, marking 100 days of Genocide.

"We have prepared social works that will handle trauma cases during the commemoration. They have been trained enough to help trauma victims cope with the forthcoming difficult situation," Jean Pierre Dusingizemungu, the president of Ibuka told reporters Sunday.

He noted that social workers will be spread out in all parts of the country to support victims of trauma since the whole country will be mourning.

According to Ibuka, trauma cases during commemoration are reducing as 1,515 cases were reported in 2015 compared to 3,094 in 2014.

Dusingizemungu calls for support, console and comfort of the genocide survivors and orphans during the period of mourning.

This year's memorial event will be held under the theme"Kwibuka22: Fighting Genocide Ideology."

Key issues will include matters pertaining to justice and particularly; Gacaca courts' asset cases that were never concluded; Genocide orphans' properties taken by other people, and Genocide fugitives that continue to roam free in known locations worldwide.

In the last three years, 180 Genocide ideology cases were reported in 2013, 138 in 2014 while 168 cases had been reported to police by July 2015.

According to Dr. Jean-Damascène Bizimana, the executive secretary of the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG), Genocide ideology in the country has dropped by 84 percent since 1994. Endit