New Delhi: The Embassy of Rwanda in New Delhi held a ceremony Wednesday to mark the 30th commemoration of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
Held under the theme of “Remember, Unite and Renew,” Kwibuka 30 was joined by over 500 guests, including diplomats, ambassadors and members of the Rwandan diaspora in India at India International Centre in the capital.
In Rwanda, April 7 is observed as Genocide Memorial Day under the name “Kwibuka,” which means “to remember” in the Rwandan language of Kinyarwanda.
“Rwanda has emerged from devastation, and its evident progress is testament to the difficult decision it has made,” Kevin Kelly, the ambassador of Ireland to India, said during the ceremony, underscoring the country’s journey for unity.
Echoing the sentiment, Ambassador of Ireland to Delhi, Kevin Kelly, condemned the inaction of the international community.
"Those soldiers did not fail Rwanda. It was the international community which failed all of us. Whether from contempt or cowardice," says former envoy of Ireland in #Rwanda . @RwandaMFA @irelandinmumbai @NorthernIreland #iban #Africa #Bitcoin pic.twitter.com/tDOi5zDMXb
— Dr. Shahid Siddiqui (@shahidsiddiqui) April 10, 2024
“The tragedy experienced by Rwanda serves as a cautionary tale. The process of division and extremism that paves the way for genocide can occur in any place if allowed to persist without intervention,” the ambassador said, expressing gratitude to the attendees for solidarity.
The 100-day massacre in Rwanda was triggered by ethnic tensions between the Hutu majority and Tutsi minority between April and July of 1994. Around 1 million Tutsis and thousands of moderate Hutus are estimated to have been killed under the country’s Hutu-led government during one of the deadliest rampages of the 20th century.
Throughout the event, Diplomat and Ambassador lit the candles to honor and remember victims and celebrate survivors’ resilience and determination.
Commemorating the 1994 Genocide at IIC, India: Rwanda Remembers 1994 Genocide, "Never Again", Pledges Diplomats and Thinkers Lit 🔥 The Candles 🕯️. #RwandaGenocide #iban #Africa #genocide #RwandaGenocide #عيد_الفطر #ASEA2024 #HateCrime @UNGeneva @Kigali_Memorial @RwandaMFA pic.twitter.com/uFGSGWEXSk
— Dr. Shahid Siddiqui (@shahidsiddiqui) April 10, 2024
UN Resident Coordinator in India, Shombi Sharp highlighted the atrocities and conveyed UN’s commitment to working with the central African nation.
“Rwanda has been able to establish itself as a leader at the very forefront in African integration and innovation today because its people, overcoming the tragedy of the past, have moved forward looking to the future seeking harmony and the path of development,” Shombi Sharp said.
“Rwanda, bound by painful histories, share a remarkable aspiration for peace. Drawing upon our similar pasts, UN stands in heartfelt remembrance of Rwanda’s past and is determined to support Rwanda’s inspiring step toward a brighter future.”
UN Resident Coordinator in India, Shombi Sharp also read the message of the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.
The event served as a stark reminder of the atrocities that unfolded, claiming over a million Tutsi lives.
While remembering the horrific Rwanda Genocide, High Commissioner of Rwanda to India, Jacqueline Mukangira recounted the tragic loss of her own family members with tearful eyes.
“After the world had said, never again, should the genocide happen after the holocaust. World has watched a bloody unfolding, the genocide against the Tutsis. From April to July 1994, one million Tutsi were brutally slaughtered including my family members. Indeed, I lost my dad, I lost my four siblings, including my bigger sister, my three brothers, I lost all my uncles, my aunties …but I am here today to tell you the story, of Rwanda,” she shared.
“The world should come together to heal the wounds left by the world's negligence,” High Commissioner of Rwanda to India @MUKANGIRA1 said, highlighting the progress Rwanda has made in the decades since. “We cannot turn back the clock or undo the harm but we can save the future”. pic.twitter.com/2MtlnZj6j6
— United Nations in India (@UNinIndia) April 10, 2024
Reflecting on the global response, Mukangira emphasised, “The world should come together to heal the wounds left by the world’s negligence. We cannot turn back the clock or undo the harm but we can save the future.”
Earlier to this, the Qutub Minar in Delhi was also lit up with the colours of the Rwandan national flag as a gesture to show solidarity with the people of Rwanda, marking the UN International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, that took the lives of 8,00,000 individuals.
However on the same occasion, Secretary (Economic Relations) Dammu Ravi of the Ministry of External Affairs represented India at the 30th commemoration of the genocide in Kigali in Rwanda.
India, among the select nations, raised alarms as early as 1992 regarding the potential for genocide in Rwanda.
–Dr. M Shahid Siddiqui (PhD), Follow via X (Twitter) @shahidsiddiqui
