Published in the
NewTimes Rwanda on 7th July 2014
http://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/index.php?i=15776&a=78193
Twenty
years after the end of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, this July fourth
makes me reflect on what the events we remember today have brought to me as a
Rwandan, as an African, and as a woman, a mother, and a daughter. First and
foremost, I have come to understand that, to truly honor the sacrifices of our RPF’s
brave soldiers—who laid down their lives so that Rwandans might live in a
country free of discrimination, free of the fear of violence based on one’s
background, and free to pursue lives they value—we must work to own our
liberation.
Thanks
to our heroes, I now live in a country where all have an equal chance, whether
you are the nation’s newest baby girl in the most rural district, or whether
you are the head of Parliament. Thanks to this foundation, we have the
opportunity to build the future we want through dialogue and transparency.
In
this reborn Rwanda, our society is far from homogenous; this is such a
blessing, because it is our diversity that fuels the engine of innovation
behind recent progress. Certainly, many serious challenges lie ahead, and we
have so much more to achieve in order to give all of our brothers and sisters
the opportunities that they deserve. But we are continuously progressing each
day to achieve that vision, and on this July fourth, I hope we do not take
these efforts for granted.
In
today’s Rwanda, every citizen inside our borders or living all around the
world—whether they support the government’s efforts or hold different
views—identify themselves as Rwandans with pride. Today, we celebrate the
blessing of our shared identity as Rwandans, and pursue with renewed purpose our
mission to accelerate the journey to shared development by transforming our
Vision 2020 into our daily reality.
Many
of our international friends see Rwanda’s recent achievements as a miracle of
humanity, compassion, forgiveness, inclusivity, and progressive thinking that
some claim could never be replicated elsewhere. But on this July fourth, as we
reflect on a journey spanning twenty years, it is clear that this is no
miracle. Anything that we have achieved has been through the determination and
shared efforts of millions of Rwandans to liberate our country from the spirit
of division, from fear, from ignorance, from the consequences of bad
leadership, and from the oppression of poverty.
If
we still have a long way to go, we are proud of what has been built to date. In
this spirit of reflection, I feel a strong sense of gratitude to the Rwandan
Patriotic Front for having halted the Genocide, and for protecting our people
and our nation these past two decades. By helping more than two million
refugees and displaced citizens to return home to peace and security, by making
our communities free from discrimination of any kind, and by building the
foundations of a democracy based on human rights, the sacrifices of our
countrymen and countrywomen and the leadership of our President Paul Kagame
have brought us here today. The liberation of 1994 recovered our dignity; the
daily work to liberate our minds is making us proud Rwandans and proud
Africans.
With
this legacy, the Rwandan people can address the greatest challenges we have face
by owning them, working to take full responsibility in the face of complexity,
and harnessing the creativity of our people to find the solutions our nation
needs. If we carry this spirit forward, we will truly own our future for the
next 20 years and beyond.
