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1994-2004 SpecialReport
Rwanda Genocide
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RWANDA - COMMEMORATION
NEWS OF APRIL 01, 2004
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RWANDA/GENOCIDE/COMMEMORATION
KAGAME OPENS GENOCIDE CONFERENCE
Kigali, April 5, 2004 (FH) - President Paul Kagame opened on Sunday the conference to Prevent and Banish Genocide Through Active Universal solidarity held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Kigali.
On this occasion, Rwanda’s president delivered a speech which he began by challenging critics who said that Rwanda was capitalizing on the genocide. "If any political capital was being made out of the genocide they (those who think so) can go and have it," Kagame said.
Talking about the genocide the Rwandan people went through, the president acknowledged that his people have been tortured, raped and infected with AIDS and are living in abject poverty. "The last 10 years have been a nightmare for them," he stated, adding, with a note of praise and referring to national reconciliation, "We overburdened them to live with their former tormentors and they have agreed."
He went on to say that the genocide had destroyed everything that supported human life in Rwanda. "The genocide changed every aspect of our lives, including our outlook," he said, also acknowledging that the forces responsible for the genocide in Rwanda had been defeated but not destroyed.
He challenged the international community present by asking how they would confront a similar atrocity if it were to re-occur. He told them not only to be guilty of sins of omission but also requested them to cooperate in banishing genocide through international solidarity.
He urged the forum not to be just another debate but an impetus for the international community to have the will to act appropriately in time to guard against human rights abuses which precede the genocide.
" When a genocide takes place, the international community should not shy away from military intervention when necessary," he said.
Going back to the genocide, and regarding the role of the United Nations Mission of Assistance to Rwanda (UNAMIR), Kagame mentioned the numerous discussions he had with former UNAMIR general, Romeo Dallaire. He said at the time of the genocide he asked general Dallaire what he was doing in Rwanda if he had no mandate to protect Rwandans.
He said the general replied to him that "he did not have any mandate". Kagame then said he had at the time contemplated to take by force the UN arms. "Why don't you give me those arms and stay back while I use them?," he asked Dallaire.
The Rwandan head of state ended his speech by stating the progress his government has made ten years on. He said his government has ensured that there is a rule of law, reconciliation, and a power-sharing mechanism.
He concluded by reminding about the significance of the genocide. "Surely how could the million lives of Rwandan people be regarded as insignificant by anyone?"
The conference is expected to last until the 7th of April, 10 years after former president Habyarimana was killed when his plane was shot down on the evening of April 6, 1994. The death of the former president triggered the genocide.
More than 930,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus are estimated by Kigali to have been killed during the genocide in Rwanda.
Memorial sites have been constructed around Rwanda to remind Rwandans and the world of the massacres, but also of genocides that took place in other parts of the world such as the Armenian and Cambodian genocides. They are also meant to show the way forward to reconciliation.
SV/CE/FH (RW10’0405e)
APRIL 5, 2004
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RWANDA/GENOCIDE/COMMEMORATION
OFFICIAL CENSUS SAYS 937,000 WERE KILLED IN RWANDAN GENOCIDE
Kigali, April 5, 2004 (FH) - A census carried out by Rwanda's Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sports found that 937,000 Tutsi and politically moderate Hutus were killed during the 1994 genocide, an official announced on Thursday.
"These are the people who died during the 100 days [April-June 1994] of mayhem and for whom we were able to find out their name, age and place of birth," Robert Bayigamba, the minister for youth, culture and sports, said at a news conference in Kigali.
He said the death toll could increase when the Gacaca justice system becomes fully operational as many perpetrators of the genocide were expected to testify about the people they killed. The Gacaca trials, based on traditional communal justice, are expected to begin later this year.
The genocide death toll has often been conflicting, with various organizations quoting figures between 500,000 and one million. "We shall come up with the exact figure after the Gacaca courts complete their work," Bayigamba added.
Regarding plans for the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the genocide, Bayigamba said Rwandans would begin a week of mourning on Monday, during which remains of some genocide victims would be buried in dignity and flags will fly at half-mast.
"We commemorate the genocide to give honour and dignity to the victims of genocide, reflect on the past and strive to move to a better future," he said.
SV/CE/FH (RW10’0405e)
APRIL 5, 2004
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RWANDA/GENOCIDE/COMMEMORATION
GENERAL DALLAIRE ENCOURAGES RWANDANS TO RECONCILE
Kigali, April 5th 2004 (FH) - The former commander of the United Nations Assistance Mission to Rwanda (UNAMIR) General Romeo Dallaire, told journalists shortly after his arrival in Kigali on Sunday that Rwandans should "go beyond the damage and reconcile."
General Dallaire who is in Rwanda to commemorate ten years after the 1994 genocide said that he was happy to be back and to join Rwandans in the commemoration.
"The damage left to Rwandans by the genocide shouldn't be an instrument to hold the country and its people back but instead a reference for the youth to go beyond the damage and reconcile as they are doing, and build a very strong nation in the heart of central Africa" he said.
Asked about the responsibility of the international community during the genocide, Dallaire said: "Fundamentally, I feel that if another genocide was
to happen, I think the international community would not be much more responsive."
General Dallaire added that Rwanda should be treated as an orphan country by those who have the capability of doing something.
The General testified against four senior military officials of the former Rwandan Government being tried at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in January this year.
SV/CE/FH (RW10’0405e)
APRIL 2nd 2004
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RWANDA/GENOCIDE/COMMEMORATION
SEVEN HEADS OF STATE TO ATTEND GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION
Kigali, April 2nd, 2004 (FH) - Seven heads of state and government have confirmed their presence at the ceremony to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the genocide, on April 7th, the Hirondelle News Agency has learnt.
The leaders include Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, Umar al-Bashir of Sudan, Idriss Deby of Tchad, Mwai Kibabi of Kenya, Yoersi Museveni of Uganda. Tanzania will be represented by its Prime Minister Frederick Sumaye and Burundi, by the Vice-President Alphonse Marie Kadege.
Of the Western countries Belgium will send the most important delegation, led by the Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt. France will be represented at the ministerial level.
The Minister for Youth Sports and culture, Robert Bayigamba also announced that the UN Secretary General, Kofi Anan, will not come to Kigali. However, Kofi Anan has called on the whole world to observe a minute of silence at 12.00 noon on 7th April in memory of the genocide victims.
The commemoration programme indicates that an international conference on the genocide will be held from 4 to 6 April and the memorial in Kigali will be inaugurated on April 7. A ceremony to pay tribute to the victims will also take place on April 7th at the Kigali Amahoro National Stadium in the presence of a big crowd. There will also be the inauguration in Kigali of a memorial for the 10 Belgian peacekeepers killed when the genocide began.
On the evening of the 7th, 10 steles will be erected at the "Kigali Camp" where the Belgian troops were killed in a more private ceremony to which Belgian officials and families of the dead will attend.
The Rwandan Minister for Youth Sport and Culture also said onRadio Rwanda that a total of 7 million US dollars from donor countries will be spent in
the genocide commemoration ceremonies. Most of the money will be directed towards genocide memorial sites.
The Belgian ambassador to Rwanda, Marck Vedapt has, on its part, donated 1.5 million euros for the genocide ceremonies.
SV/CE/FH (RW10’0402)
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