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The sunny day on a beautiful hilly campus of Georgetown University, was in contrast with the somber but dignified testimonies and presentations inside Gaston Hall.

Over 700 hundred Rwandans and friends of Rwanda from Canada and United States of America gathered today to remember and honor over a million Tutsi victims of the Genocide in Rwanda.

This was a two day event that began at 2pm of April 7th and ended at 3pm of April 8th -2012.

Participants paid tribute to the victims and recognized the courage of survivors who continue their resilience in overcoming all odds against them.

The audience included USG officials; among them was Amb Barrie Walkely, Special envoy to the GLR and the DRC, who was the guest of honor. Amb. Robert Gribbin former US Ambassador to Rwanda.

Carl Wilkens the key note speaker of the day noted; “The journey that we have come on over the last 18 years is something that none of us could have ever imagined or predicted both in terms of progress, development but even more profoundly in terms of walking closer and closer.

We are closer to people us once felt distant from both within and outside Rwanda and have become part of this once nebulous group called the international community. That sense of being close to one another gives us hope.”

Amb. James Kimonyo, reminded the audience that the genocide against Tutsi is a historical fact that no one can change. The state premeditated, planned and executed the extermination of Tutsi people. Calling it Rwandan Genocide was and still is a Mistake.

It cannot be genocide when there is no group that is targeted. This has to be corrected. He underlined that calling it just Rwandan Genocide is denying the deliberate state sponsored killings of the Tutsi population.

Most of deniers engage in very dangerous hate-filled propaganda campaign while claiming to be advocating for human rights, truth and reconciliation, democracy and peace.

But these democratic values are not goals they are truly striving to achieve because such ideals cannot be achieved on a bed of lies and falsehoods.

Amb. Kimonyo further underlined that as this year, we are reminded that we should learn from our History so that we may Shape our Bright Future. We must move forward, but in such a way that guarantees we do not repeat past mistakes.

So while we move forward, we must simultaneously look back and deeply reflect on what went wrong and why it happened?

The guest of honor Amb. R. Barrie Walkley the Special envoy to the GLR and the DRC of Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, applauded the achievements and resilience of the people and government of Rwanda and committed that the USG will continue to partner and support the government of Rwanda to consolidate these achievements.

Other Speakers included Scholars like; Dr.Zachary D. Kaufman and Dr. Tim Gallimore who reminded the audience about the role of media before the genocide and during the genocide.

Quoting the “RTM Hate Radio which was used to dehumanize and demonize Tutsi” They emphasized the limitation of freedom of speech by citing the Atlanta Jewish Times Case where the President of the United States was threatened and the fact that this is a felony under US Code Title 18, Section 871.”

Immaculee Iribagiza, a genocide survivor and author noted that ““The love of a single heart can make a world of difference. We need to continue fighting the denial of genocide. She reminded us that even Jesus was rejected but through his resurrection, he is telling us that they cannot keep you hostile forever”.”

Dr. Bea Gallimore presented a research paper entitled Rwanda: From systematic rape to Gender Based Violence Law, while Dr. James Smith discussed Genocide denial in relation to the Holocaust and the genocide against Tutsi.

In addition, Dr. James Waller another scholar presented a paper “We No Longer Saw a Human being:” Truth-Telling in the Face of Genocide Denial” and Dr. Margee Ensign Spoke about Rwanda: History and Hope.

Last but not the least; Dr.Egide Karuranga, a survivor who lives in Canada elaborated – “Genocide Denial, Roots, Consequences, and Future Research Avenues to ensure Never Again.

The commemoration vigil was marked by songs and testimonies of different survivors present at the Dahlgren Chapel- at Georgetown University from 11pm- 2am in the morning.

The 18th Commemoration of the genocide against Tutsi in Washington Dc was two day event and was concluded a walk to remember conducted from the Washinton Dc National Mall and concluded at the Martin Luther King Memorial on the afternoon of April 8th -2012.

Rulindo District held the 18th Commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi. The event was held at the memorial site in Rusiga sector at which over 60000 victims were buried.

Executive secretary of Northern Province Kabagamba Déogratias condemned those who deny and negate the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Rubayita Eric representing IBUKA in Rulindo District noted that genocide survivors have moved a long way but there is a lot that has to be done to improve their welfare and hope for a better future.

Protais Mitali, the Minister of Sports and Culture said 26 Rwandan embassies worldwide are honouring the 18th Commemoration of the Rwandan Genocide.

“They are supposed to commemorate where we are represented…where our Rwandan embassies are established a we encourage them to hold commemoration activities during the commemoration week and even after ” Mitali said.

The commemoration programmes, he said, will be developed by the embassies in collaboration with the Rwandan Diaspora.

Uganda

In Uganda, the event will be at Goolo Memorial Site in Mpigi District, where remains of about 6, 000 victims are buried.

There are over 20, 000 remains buried in Uganda in three memorial sites; the other two being Lamu in Masaka District and Kasensero Memorial Site in Rakai District.

The victims were killed and thrown into different tributaries of Lake Victoria.
Maj. Gen Frank Mugambage, Rwanda’s Ambassador to Uganda, said that a special commemoration is scheduled on April 10, when a requiem mass will be held at Christ the Kings Church in Kampala.

“We are making this year’s major commemoration event, a prayer service to be held at Christ the King Church on Tuesday. We will be joined by diplomats, government institutions and friends of Rwanda, for a special prayer service,” said Mugambage, in a telephone interview.

At the High Commission, Mugambage added, there will be an exhibition “and people will be coming to watch genocide related movies.”

“On April 13, we will hold a vigil at Kampala International University. We have invited the youth and friends of Rwanda. On [April] 14th, we will have a ‘Walk to Remember.’ We have invited various people to join us in this procession. The walk will start from KIU to Kabalagala and end at KIU,” he explained.

Tanzania

In Tanzania, the event will be held in Mlimani City Hall in the capital, Dar es Salaam.

The Rwandan High Commission’s First Counsellor, Sano Lambert, told reporters in Tanzania that the commemoration is aimed at enlightening the world on what happened in Rwanda and what should be done to avoid other crimes against humanity.

Sano said the commemoration would involve testimonies from students who were survivors of the 1994 Genocide.

Tanzania’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mahadhi Juma Maalim, will grace the event, which will also be attended by officials from the Arusha-based International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).

There will also be presentations on progress attained after the genocide which claimed over one million people in just 100 days.

“We shall have several testimonies during the day…from Rwandan students who are pursuing their studies in Dar es Salaam as well as professors who have researched the genocide in detail,” Sano said.

On April 14, Professor Chris Peter Maina, is scheduled to lead a public lecture on Rwanda genocide at the university.

The Dar es Salaam office also covers Malawi, Madagascar, Zambia and Seychelles.

The High Commission’s first secretary, Ernest Bugingo, also said the day would be very special for journalists since they will come to know their role in society in the fight against violence.

Bugingo encouraged journalists to report on positive issues in their countries.

USA

The commemoration in the US is scheduled to be held at Gaston Hall Georgetown University in Washington.

The event, organised by the Rwandan embassy in the US and the Diaspora in North America, will also be attended by friends of Rwanda such as Dr. Tim Gallimore, who will give a lecture on the role of the media and literature before, during, and after the genocide.

A Rwandan, Dr. Chrysologue Gakuba, is also scheduled to give a lecture on “The history of the Genocide since 1959.”

Carl Wilkens, an American who was in Rwanda during the Genocide, will also speak.

Carl headed the Adventist Development and Relief Agency International (ADRA) in Rwanda at the time. He was the only American who chose to stay in Rwanda during the Genocide, delivering aid to children.

Together with other Rwandans, he is said to have provided safe haven for Tutsi.

A “Walk to Remember” is also scheduled for tomorrow, starting and ending at the National Mall, Washington DC.

Darfur

Rwandan troops serving under the AU/UN Peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID), west Sudan will once again join the world in commemorating the 1994 Genocide.

The UNAMID Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Patrick Nyamvumba, said RDF personnel, police officers and civilians in all parts of Darfur will hold commemoration events today.

The biggest event will be held in provincial capital, El Fasher, at the headquarters of UNAMID, in the compound of Rwanbatt 29, where the commemoration event will include laying of wreaths around the Rwandan, AU and UN flags.

Top Sudanese regional officials including Osman Yousif Kibir, the Governor (Wali) of North Darfur State and other senior UNAMID officials will attend.

In a message to the world community and friends of Rwanda, Lt. Gen. Nyamvumba said: “What happened in Rwanda in 1994 should never happen again. The UN peacekeepers, if committed and well led, can make a difference between life and death. Rwandan troops have learnt their lessons and are committed to protect the people of Darfur.”

There will be testimonies, an exhibition of photos, video clips of the Genocide, and a night vigil.

Rwanda has over 3,200 peacekeepers in Darfur.

South Africa

In South Africa, the Rwandan High Commission has organised two events.
The first one – exclusively for the Rwandan community, will be held this evening.

Another event involving South African officials, the diplomatic corps and friends of Rwanda, is planned for Wednesday, because of the Easter public holiday, which started yesterday.

UK

In the UK, the Rwandan community and friends of Rwanda in West midlands, in collaboration with the High Commission, have organised commemoration events to be held in Coventry. Guests will include Ambassadors and High Commissioners based in London, UK Government officials, and human rights organisations.

Rwandan High Commissioner, Ernest Rwamucyo, is expected to call upon the international community to play a leading role in the fight against Genocide revisionists.

In the morning hours of April 7, a body of a lady aged about 25 years was found at Kimisagra, a Kigali suburb in Nyarugenge district.

According to Eric Kaneza, the local security official, the victim identity couldn’t be established because she had no identity card on her.

“She was not known in the neighborhood and what is sure is that she was raped before being murdered and then her knickers were torn apart,” he advised.

Kwizerimana Vianney, a local resident, said that this is not the first time someone is murdered in the area forest.

In less than a year another girl was found also murdered in the same place .

According to residents of Nyamabuye, Byimana and Sango (the three areas which are all located near the forest) told IGIHE, this place is popular with thugs who come to smoke marijuana. Several used condoms were littered allover the place.

a closer observation of the victims body showed that she was hit on the head.

The body was removed from the scene of crime by the Police medical Examiners.

The High Commission of Rwanda in South Africa organized an event on 7th April for the 18th commemoration of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis.

The event was attended by about 200 people mainly from the Gauteng Province (Pretoria, Centurion, Midrand and Johannesburg).

The event was marked by lighting candles, testimony from genocide survivor, songs of hope and the projection of a documentary entitled Iseta: the story behind the road block.

In his remarks, Bonaventure Kageruka, representing genocide survivors, highlighted the improvement of the life of survivors and the focus on the future 18 years after the loss of parents and brothers and subsequent trauma.

Iseta: the story behind the road block is a true-story documentary of Nick Hugues which recounts horror scene filmed on a quiet road in Kigali when the genocide had begun.

The documentary re-visits the scene following the cameraman, victims, survivors, killers and witnesses. From the original footage the story follows a thread of revelation, so many souls lost in the mist of ethnic hatred.

In his remarks to the public, the High Commissioner of the Republic of Rwanda, Vincent Karega, highlighted the importance of learning from the past to shape a better future.

He stressed the importance of seeing survivors and forgiven perpetrators or their relatives working for the development of their country.

The High Commissioner emphasized the need to undermine activities of those who tend to trivialize the 1994 genocide of Tutsis or change the History of Rwanda.

During this period of commemoration, the High Commission of Rwanda in South Africa intends to organize other events in Durban, Capetown, Pretoria and Johannesburg.

A Cambodian group -The Amrita Performing Arts’ Actors and survivors of the Cambodian genocide in the 1970s, are in Rwanda to showcase the play ”Breaking the Silence”.

The play depicts the effects of genocides and how one can live the post genocide life.

The Phnom Penh-based Amrita Performing Arts’ play ”Breaking the Silence,” was written by a Dutch director, Annemarie Prins.

Cambodian genocide was committed by followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot.

During the Khmer Rouge or Red Khmer rule, almost 2 million people were murdered, attempting to weed out insolence and members of the population.

”Breaking the Silence” is based on oral testimony from Khmer Rouge members and victims who had taken part in interviews at the Documentation Center of Cambodia.

The play tells the stories of seven perpetrators and victims.

Even though the genocides in Rwanda and Cambodia happened in different periods, but the residual affects are similar, such as loneliness, isolation and shame for the survivors.

The actors of the play say, remembering The Khmer Rouge period referred to the rule of Pol Pot Era, reveals unhealed wounds of Cambodians, in total contrast of Rwandans who are healing from the wounds left behind by the 1994 genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi. Madame Annemarie Prins, is a Dutch director & writer of the play BREAKING THE SILENCE.

“In Cambodia, no body has talked about it…they didn’t have any Gacaca courts like here in Rwanda it is completely silenced. People wanted to break the silence…the main idea to play the play and have Rwandan actors in it, is in fact very simple message; the message is you (Cambodians) are not alone, that there has been (other genocides) on the other side of the world”.

Twahirwa Aimable, the ‘La Benevolencia’ Rwanda Head of mission, who received the screening team of the play, said that the play will be screened in 3 towns in Rwanda from 8th April 2012.

“It will be screened 6 times. On 8th & 9th April, it will be staged at Kigali Ishyo Arts hall in kacyiru. It will be starting at 6pm (local time). On the 10th it will be shown at maison de jeune hall in kimisagara from 6pm (local time).”

“On the 11th & 12th it will be taken to Butare in Huye district in Butare conference hall from 2pm (local time) while in Gicumbi district it will be on, on the 14th in Gicumbi conference hall from 2pm (local time).”

The play is staged in Khmer rouge language and Kinyarwanda with English subtitles.

The organizers say that it is planning to launch a discussion session between actors and spectators after the play.

The first ever East African Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (EAPCCO) regional Police Command Post training code named EAPCCO PCPX 2012 will be conducted in Rwanda.

The joint training exercise will commence in August and will take 10 days
The training aims at harmonising Police practices and procedures in order to improve EAPCCO members’ collective capability to combat cross boarder crimes.

This will be possible through sharing of information and intelligence on cross boarder crimes and criminals and to promote the increased Police role in peace support operations.

Chief Superintendent Elisa Kabera, the director of international cooperation at Rwanda National Police says, “This training will strengthen the cooperation of EAPCCO member in combating trans- national and cross-border crimes”.

Training will be based on cross boarder scenarios such as human trafficking and terrorism. It will also focus on peace support operations and will cover theory and practical elements.

Preparations for the exercise were conducted during a steering committee two-day meeting held in Kigali earlier in the week.

The organising committee is made up of EAPCCO, Interpol and Rwanda National Police.

Joyce Banda has been sworn in as new President of the Republic of Malawi.

The New President of Malawi Joyce Banda said, “The constitution would be followed. I don’t think there is any way we can discuss who is a caretaker and who is not,” she said. The constitution is prevailing right now”.

The Malawi top Army chiefs, Police Chief, the attorney General and several cabinet ministers and MPs were standing near Her Excellency Joyce Banda as she spoke.

The Malawi transport Minister Sidik Mia who vehemently opposed Moves by other ministers to subvert the constitution on Saturday rallied ministers to the resident of Vice president Joyce Banda to give her authority to take charge of Malawi under the terms of the constitution following the death of president Bingu wa Mutharika.

Mutharika died of cardiac arrest after collapsing from statehouse Thursday.

After Milpark Hospital in South Africa confirmed the death of Bingu Wa Mutharika, the Secretary to the President and cabinet Bright Msaka announced ,there will be 10days of national mourning and the constitution will be adhered to in managing the transition” .

Doctors who treated President Bingu wa Mutharika revealed that although Mutharika was already dead by the time he arrived at the hospital, his chances to be resuscitated were narrowed by lack of an essential drug-Adrenaline-which is used to resuscitate people stricken by cardiac Arrest.

“When he arrived we realised that the central hospital had run out of adrenaline or epinephrine, the main drug used during resuscitation from cardiac arrest,” Said one of the doctors at Kamuzu Central Hospital where Mutharika was rushed to on Thursday morning.

The Doctor Explained that 1mg is supposed to be given to a cardiac arrest patient at least every three minutes during the period.

“It took us an Hour before we could get some adrenaline from a nearby clinic managed by the University of North Carolina (UNC) project,” He added.

The doctor said purchase of Adrenaline for stocking was not possible because of inadequate funding following the Zero deficit budget which has led to a cut in the amount of most essential but rarely used drugs.

“Cardiac Arrest leads to heart failure and when the heart stops working, the next thing is that oxygen stops going to the brain and within three minutes, the brain shuts down and a person is pronounced dead because chances of resuscitation are almost zero depending on the age,” said one of the doctors at the hospital.

President Paul Kagame has said that Genocide will never happen again in the country.

“Our country is on the right path. There is no chance-not in a million, that anyone will take us back to the past. It can’t happen,” He said.

The President was speaking at Amahoro National stadium officially opening the 18th commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi which claimed a million lives in 1994.

“We shall always commemorate the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi so that everyone can know the bad history of genocide our country went through…And what caused the genocide so that they can also continue remembering even in the period we shall no longer be around,” He said.

“Children born in Genocide are now with legal adult age allowing them to make decisions. They have grown up in the country with unity and where citizens have equal value, children have equal rights and opportunities and citizens are equal before the law.”

He noted, “Today we(Rwanda) are more powerful and have huge capacity than before. Rwandans have built their own security, improved their welfare and are happy with their role in nation building. This gives them hope for the better future.”

The Rwanda Embassy in Washington USA are today April 7th and 8th holding the 18th Commemoration in remembrance of all that was lost during the Rwanda 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

All are invited in supporting friends and families who were affected by this horrible crime.

During this period people will learn the history of what took place. Listen to the special guest speakers who are also firsthand witnesses of the nightmare that became part of our world history.

Share the pain of a time in our history that forever changed a whole culture and made a huge mark in how we view the world as a whole.

The program will begin at 2 pm until 9:30 pm at the Gaston Hall, at Georgetown University and resume at 10:30 pm until 2 am at the Dahlgren Chapel, at Georgetown University on 37th Street & O Street, N.W. Washington D.C. Then on Sunday, April 8th from 1 pm till 3 pm at the National Mall, Washington DC.

According to an embassy official, “Easter Weekend marks the beginning of Spring. It’s a time to give thanks for the many blessings we have.

This weekend shows your support and join this very special commemoration to honor those lives lost during a horrific time in our world history and learn how it forever changed lives across the globe.”