“A vital step and a sign for change”: that is the primary response of the Rwandan President to the publication of the Duclert report on France’s function within the Tutsi genocide.
Paul Kagame spoke on Wednesday, April 7, on the event of the start of the twenty seventh anniversary of the Kigali genocide. Anniversary that takes place like final 12 months in the course of the Covid-19 pandemic. In Kigali, subsequently, the ceremonies are held in small teams and broadcast on tv.
President Paul Kagame spoke first in Kinyarwanda, then in English. “That is the twenty seventh memorial, nevertheless it just isn’t routine for us,” the Rwandan president launched, recalling the historic reality, the struggle towards negativism and thanking the survivors for his or her braveness.
Rwanda has by no means been as united because it is at the moment, he added. The president spoke to Rwandans from Kigali Area, Kigali’s basketball stadium, in entrance of representatives of the survivors, the federal government and the diplomatic corps.
The memorial stroll and the vigil have been interrupted
Paul Kagame referred to the Ducler Fee report: “Rwandan life was simply peasants on the geopolitical chessboard,” he mentioned, referring to the indisputable fact that the federal government of François Mitterrand was conscious of the intent of his crowd for its Rwandan allies, however continued to assist them. in spite of everything, for geopolitical causes.
Paul Kagame, nonetheless, welcomes the work of French historians. “It marks one other step in the direction of a typical understanding of what occurred, but in addition a change and a want on the a part of French leaders to maneuver ahead in the direction of a very good understanding of the information.”
He additionally recollects the forthcoming version of one other report, this time commissioned by the Rwandan authorities, and whose conclusions, he says, are in the identical course because the Duclert report.
President Kagame on the Duclert report: We welcome this report because it marks a vital step in the direction of a typical understanding of what came about. It additionally exhibits a want from the leaders of France to maneuver ahead with a very good understanding of what occurred. We welcome this.
Presidency | Rwanda (@UrugwiroVillage) April 7, 2021
Earlier this Wednesday, April 7, Paul Kagame was on the Gisozi Genocide Memorial in Kigali, the place he lit the memorial flame together with his spouse Jeannette Kagame, which marks the start of memorials and can stay lit for 100 days, that’s, the period of the genocide. Like final 12 months, the memorials are restricted resulting from Covid-19.
The regular memorial stroll and vigil on the nationwide area was interrupted, a blow to the survivors and subsequently to instances of post-traumatic stress, that are all the time extra throughout this era.
The authorities have arrange hotlines and groups of native medical experts who’re specifically educated for this kind of case.
