Commentary published in New Times - Rwanda 29 April 2013
http://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/index.php?a=66380&i=15342
http://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/index.php?a=66380&i=15342
On 25 April,
hundreds of health professionals and partners in the health sector came
together to commemorate our colleagues who were victims of the 1994 Genocide
against the Tutsi.
We undertook
a remembrance walk in the spirit and communion with what Rwanda has put in
place for the remembrance month, during which the Nation, the sectors,
communities, families come together, to reflect on what has happened and what
can happen again any place in the world when bad leadership takes over a
country. This was the case in Rwanda with leadership during the post
independence up to June 1994, that was sectarian and imposed tribalism in a
country that ironically never had tribes.
This year
our driver; Abdu Ndayisaba gave a moving testimony, as a survivor, he wisely
started with the story at the time of our great grand fathers and gave a very
vivid portrait of the genesis of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis, followed
by Rwanda’s liberation as well as the stopping of the genocide by RPF Inkotanyi, without forgetting the
country’s recovery that His Excellency President Paul Kagame lead in the
aftermath.
Now we are
19 years later and it is true that many of our brothers and sisters are still
traumatized by what happened during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
However, with time, slowly, wounds are mitigated by the better lives Rwandans
have today due to the economic growth our peace and stability that promote
health and wealth of Rwandan people.
Another
highlight of the commemorations was the testimony of two children whose father
Abdallah was killed in the horrific events of April 1994. Their dignity and
pride as they stood testifying in front of us, describing what they did with
their lives since then, symbolized the expression of a unified Rwanda’s
renaissance. They demonstrated that those who planned to finish the Tutsis have
failed
My advice to
my colleagues, the health professionals, is that we work tirelessly for the
health of our brothers and sisters and carry out our work with a smile and good
customer care as we contribute to take our country forward. The joy we will
have as we work that way will be for 365 days the celebration of the new Rwanda
where all Rwandan are equal.
Abdu’s voice
broke with emotion and shock as he engaged us with his testimony and I admire
him because he still remained a sensitive human being when he was talking about
his fallen sisters and brothers. Every year I pay tribute to the millions of
Rwandans killed during the Genocide against the Tutsi by visiting a memorial. I
wish that for the next forty years, if God gives me the chance, I will have the
same tears and emotions when in memorials, I will be passing through the rooms
dedicated to the children fallen in the Genocide, because I feel that this is
the pillar of my humanity.
But I have a
message for all perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi both
outside, or hidden inside our beloved country, I warn them not to misinterpret
our tears and sadness dedicated to the good people they killed. We are using
them as energy to spur us to work harder for a brighter and sustained future
for our people and our country.
