Rwandans in Dallas to Commemorate 22 Years after Genocide against Tutsis
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By EADM Correspondent
In Summary: The 22nd commemoration of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda will include prayers, testimonials by survivors, speeches, and video clips depicting the genocide, the aftermath, and reconciliation processes to heal the wounds, comfort survivors, and inspire all to debunk the genocide ideology once and for all. Nearly a million people were massacred in approximately 100 days. Most of the genocide victims were buried in mass graves that have since been turned into genocide memorial sites across the country.
Hurst, Texas--The Rwandan American Community living in the Dallas-Fort Worth area (DFW), will this Saturday April 30, 2016 hold events to commemorate 22 years after the genocide Against Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994. The event will take place at Disciples of Christ church at 745 Brown Trail, Hurst, Texas from 2:00pm to 5:00pm. The secretary of the Rwandan American Community living in the Dallas-Fort Worth area (RAC-DFW), Emmanuel Sebagabo told the EADM that during the commemoration event, there will be prayers, testimonials by survivors, speeches, and video clips depicting the genocide, the aftermath, and reconciliation processes to heal the wounds, comfort survivors, and inspire all to debunk the genocide ideology once and for all.
Nearly a million people were massacred in approximately 100 days. Most of the genocide victims were buried in mass graves scattered around the country. The genocide was brought to an end on July 4, 1994 when the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) stormed the capital Kigali and took over power. Since then, July 4 was designated as a liberation Day and celebrated annually as it marks the anniversary of the end of the Genocide; a time to reflect on Rwanda’s story of reconciliation and nation building and look to the future with hope, optimism and a renewed commitment to agaciro (dignity), self-reliance, and shared human values.
This year’s 22nd Commemoration (Kwibuka22) of the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda will focus on uniting to fight the genocide ideology to ensure that what happened never happens again – in Rwanda or anywhere else. “Kwibuka” is the Kinyarwanda world for ‘remember’ and describes the global commemoration framework.
“All Africans living in the DFW area, especially those from the East African region; Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, DR Congo, South Sudan, and Burundi are particularly invited to join us and bring friends of Rwanda and those opposed to the genocide ideology,” a statement from the Rwandan American Community in DFW said.
The commemoration of the Rwanda genocide against Tutsis is an annual event observed in Rwanda and by Rwandan communities around the globe to purposely stand together in remembrance of their loved ones whose lives were cut short during the 1994 Genocide. It is also an event where Rwandan communities and their friends “join efforts to comfort and support survivors and to fight the genocide ideology,” a statement jointly signed by Sam Mbanda, and Emmanuel Sebagabo, President and Secretary General of Rwanda American Community (RAC-DFW) respectively partly read.
In Rwanda, the annual commemoration of the genocide against the Tutsi is marked by national events including the lighting of the Flame of Remembrance and laying of wreaths at the Kigali Genocide Memorial on the morning of 7 April.
This somber event is officiated by a designated guest of honor who joins families from across Rwanda and special guests to pray and observe a minute of silence to honor the memory of those who perished in the Genocide. The guest of honor lights the Flame of Remembrance that burns for 100 days.