Twenty-seven years after The 1994 genocide against the
Tutsi, Rwanda has made a remarkable development strides. For the survivors, it
feels like only yesterday that machete-wielding Hutu militias embarked on a
mission to annihilate Tutsis.
For a 100 apocalyptic days, a bloody campaign unfolded
while the rest of the world silently looked on. Former UN Secretary General
Kofi Annan said in 2004: “The genocide in Rwanda should never, ever have
happened, but it did. The international community failed Rwanda, and that must
leave us always with a sense of bitter regret and abiding sorrow.”
Many consider Rwanda as one of Africa’s leading light
on information and technology. Nicknamed “the Singapore of Africa” for its
technological advances, the World Bank lists the country “among the most
improved economies.” Rwanda’s goal is to be the technological hub of Africa.
Access to affordable health services, inclusive
education, development policies and many other policies; The country is on
track to become the middle income state. Kigali, the Rwanda capital city, is a
shining city. “Life is orderly, pavements are clean and roads are smooth with
tall building at roadsides. Kigali is nurturing a reputation as the safest city
on the continent.
A lot of the
changes for Rwanda’s transformation were initiated by President Paul Kagame,
who led the Rwanda Patriotic Army (Now RDF) that ended the 1994 genocide against
the Tutsi and establishing political stability.
In 2000, Government, led by President Kagame, crafted
a development program dubbed “Vision 2020” which is hailed to transform the
country’s economy to the sustained growth.
President Kagame’s leadership with its impact on the
lives of 12 million Rwandans has made him a worldwide-exemplary President. Former
British Prime Minister Tony Blair once called him “a visionary leader.”
Former US President Bill Clinton refers him as “one of
the greatest leaders of our time.” Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka said of
Mr. Kagame: “Given the scale of trauma caused by the genocide, Rwanda has
indicated that however thin the hope of a community can be, a hero always
emerges.”
Despite such huge achievements; once on this land,
there were leaderships that broke the country in million pieces. In 1957, a
group of nine Hutu intellectuals published the so-called Hutu Manifesto in
which they characterized Tutsi as foreign invaders.
The argument that Tutsi were ‘invaders’, had been used
by the political movement of ‘Parmehutu’ since the fifties to legitimize their
claim for a change of government to favor the Hutu population.
The Hutu-led so-called revolution was accompanied by
mass killings in which tens of thousands of Tutsi died, and survivors fled to neighboring
countries.
Both Gregoire Kayibanda and General Juvenal
Habyarimana built their political lines on tyranny and divisive politics which
culminated in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
Habyarimana regime which was claiming to re-arrange
the nation after a coup d’état did nothing other than promoting Kayibanda’s politics
of hate.
Under Habayarimana and his MRND; economy, social and
political devastation of the country was much deeper and culminated in the
state starting to unravel effectively in 1984 before the total collapse of
1994. Adults, men and women started dying in big numbers in 1984 because of
diseases, hunger and violence.
After a long period of increase, in 1984 life
expectancy dropped sharply to reach 33 years in 1990. This was the lowest rate
ever recorded in Africa since 1960, lower than any country at war or even a
failed state.
After 30 years in exile, men and women in Rwanda
Patriotic Army took a noble task to liberate the country which had been
breeding for years. The cost was high but for the future of the generations of
this land, no price was too high.
The advanced in age and those unequal to the rough and
tumble of the thick of the struggle gave their possessions and whatever else
they could. In addition, they acted as the fallback team, for any eventuality. As
to the young and able-bodied, they plunged headlong into the struggle, ready to
sweat and sacrifice.
In the wee hours of October 1, 1990, the Rwandese Patriotic
Army (RPA), the military wing of the RPF-Inkotanyi, attacked the country
through Kagitumba border, the first military assault towards ending years of
horror and the start of new era.
After four years of fighting, RPA toppled the
genocidaire regime and halt the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi that took over
1,000,000 lives of Tutsis.
‘’We cannot turn the clock back nor can we undo the
harm caused, but we have the power to determine the future and to ensure that
what happened never happens again.’’ Said The President Paul Kagame.
Through his visionary leadership, President Kagame started
a journey to reconstruct the country that was in shambles to the shining
country that we are proud of today.
Rwanda has managed to overcome traumatic experiences
of the 1994 genocide, and has become a country easily accessible to foreigners
with a conducive business environment for investors.
Over the last two decades, Rwanda has changed for the
better with the progressive and transformational nature of RPF-Inkotanyi.
Twenty-seven years now, about 97 percent of Rwandans have reconciled, Rwanda is listed among the fastest growing economies, Rwanda is ranked among the safest countries, inclusive politics, inclusive education and many more tremendous achievements.
The miraculous recovery is mainly due to
remarkable efforts of self-discipline, transforming collective behavior and
enablers such as institutions.
We celebrate heroes because there is something important
they shared, they all paid the ultimate sacrifice for the unity and integrity
of the nation.
And for this we should always be grateful. They should
be to the young people role models and inspiration. This will happen if the
concepts of Ndumunyarwanda and heroism become part of their daily education at
home, school, church and community.
About
the Author
KARANGWA
Janvier is a communication specialist. He holds a bachelor of Arts in Journalism
and Communications.
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us on Twitter: @Karangwa55
Reviewed by Karangwa Janvier
on
January 29, 2021
Rating:
