President Paul Kagame has said that Rwanda today is a country transformed for the better. The President made the remarks while officiating the launch of the 21st commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi – Kwibuka21. The event was held at the Kigali Genocide Memorial at Gisozi and was attended by Rwandans and friends of Rwanda.
At Gisozi, President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame together with genocide survivors representatives as well as diplomats laid wreaths on the mass graves to honour and remember the more than a million lives lost in the Genocide. The President also lit the Flame of Remembrance ‘Urumuli Rutazima’ which will burn for a 100 days.
In his speech, President Kagame stressed that the challenges that Rwandans have had to deal with over the last two decades have helped strengthen their resolve to stand up for their rights.
“To those who teach us freedom, democracy and human rights while protecting those who killed one million of our people, we say to you: Rwanda has changed for good and forever. We are a people who stand up for our right and give ourselves dignity. No one else will fight for our right to live.”
The President described commemoration as an opportunity to look back on a past that has strengthened Rwandans:
“Our past has given us the unprecedented strength to face our challenges. We cannot give up or let anything stand in our way. To do so would be to dishonour the lives we honour here today.”
He further condemned those who continue to turn a blind eye on genocide suspects both regionally and globally. The President recounted how the whole world rose to fight against M23, but continues to ignore genocidaires who have been in DRC for 21 years.
“Some even continue to accord VIP status to genocide suspects, supporting them in their plans against Rwanda and seeking political legitimacy for them. This means that the innocent lives we are honouring today, the hundreds of thousand buried here, the cause of their death could be having legitimate political reasons.”
President Kagame stated that Rwandans will keep remembering to restore dignity to the lives lost and to the living. He reiterated that, though Rwandans were beaten, but they are still standing and are not going anywhere. “Rwanda is ready for peace and for war for our rights.”
Source: www.kwibuka.rw
