World leaders have joined Rwanda in marking 30 years since the 1994 genocide in Rwanda that saw close to a million people killed and its effects felt up to date.
The East African country organised an event as Rwandan president Paul Kagame led his nation in wreaths on the graves , while in the presence of African leaders as they observe a week of mourning with activities coming to a standstill and flags flying half-mast.
The Rwandan Genocide occurred between the the 7th April and 15th July the year 1994 spanning a period of 100 days that saw members of the Tutsi ethnic group as well as the Hutu and Twa killed by armed militia.
In 1990 a group known as the Rwandan Patriotic front (RPF) , formed of majorly Tutsis initiating the Rwandan Civil War in period of three years that pushed then president Juvenal Habyarimana to sign the Arusha Accord with the RPF ON 4TH August 1993.
However, on the night of 6th April 1994 a plane carrying then President Juvenal Habyarimana alongside his Burundian Counterpart Cyprien Ntaryamira was shot down killing everyone on board. This ended the peace accords and beginning the genocidal killings.
The extremists further fueled the crisis by setting up radio and TV stations which they used to spread propaganda.
An estimate of about 800,000 people lost their lives in the genocide and moreover an estimated 250,000 to 500,000 women underwent sexual violence and rape.
No countries or international organizations intervened to quell the crisis and stop the killings , with a few world leaders including then US president Bill Clinton expressing regret when he visited Rwanda in 1998 saying they did not act quickly enough when it began.
One of the major suspects to starting the genocide Felicien Kabuga fled Rwanda in 1994 however , On 16 May 2020, Kabuga was arrested near Paris by French authorities as the result of a joint investigation. Last year, Judges at the United Nations war crimes court ruled that Kabuga was unfit to undergo trial due to health reasons.
However the country has made significant progress in enhancing peace efforts and working together with regional partners.
African leaders led by Kenyan President William Ruto has congratulated his counterpart on the strides made to regain the land of thousand hill characterized with good leadership and top notch infrastructure.
”I commend my brother, President @PaulKagame, for his resolute leadership, tremendous courage and abundant foresight. The people and government of Kenya wish him and the people of Rwanda godspeed as they continue to build their country to even greater heights.” Ruto tweeted.
South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa also weighed in the deadly attack urging Rwandans not to turn their back against the genocide that writes the country’s history.
”We owe it to the victims of all the world’s genocides to not betray their memories by looking away, by failing to act, or worst of all, by claiming we didn’t know.” Ramaphosa stated.