Commemorating as well as remembering is very important, it makes the country recall of its past history and this gives it the courage to hold the strategies to prevent the same things to happen again says the Mayor of Gakenke District.
Deo Nzamwita, Gakenke District Mayor
The mayor Deo Nzamwita said this during the official day for the opening of 100 days commemoration period for the 1994 genocide that annihilated more than 1 million Tutsis in the period of only 100 days. This was on Sunday the 7th.April.2013 in Ruli sector in Gakenke district.
“People who do not remember they past might forget and fall in the same destruction again and again. It is very good for Rwanda to commemorate for genocide never to happen again for a family that never recalls disappears” said the mayor.
“Commemorating the 1994 genocide is a time to renounce bad leadership that made Rwandans kill their fellow Rwandans so mercilessly with machetes and pangas. It is also time to think about genocide survivors that still need courage to rebuild themselves and to support them in either way” the mayor said.
A journey to put the wreaths of flowers to the grave
Supt. Dieudonné Rwangombwa the commander of the police in Gakenke district told people to avoid hurtful and insensitive words especially to genocide survivors especially in this commemoration period and to maintain their own security as well as take care of the memorial sites in their vicinity.
Genocide survivors in Gakenke district appreciate the government of Rwanda as well as their leaders and local people in their support to gain hope and rebuild their lives and embrace the future after the atrocities they witnessed 19 years ago during the genocide.
Genocide survivors were supported in getting education, in getting accommodation, getting cows to rear in Girinka program and from other organizations and for this, they are grateful. In a little more than 300 families of genocide survivors in this district, only 87 families do not own cows yet.
The 19th genocide commemoration period was started with a mass offering and ended with a walk to remember and putting wreaths on the general tomb where 288 bodies were laid to rest in Ruli Memorial Site.