Rwanda, a genocide to avoid

Radio France International Life on the planet

April 4, 2019

On April 7, Rwanda will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 1994 genocide, a trauma still present despite all the progress made in a quarter of a century by this small country in the Great Lakes region of Africa. A trauma that reflects Charles Habonimana in his book "Me, the Last Tutsi", published by the publisher PLON.

"I'm calling Charles, I'm 12 years old and I'm going to die". Thus begins the book "Me, the last Tutsi", of Charles Habonimana, the only survivor with his sister Ivonne, of a large family of Tutsis.

In this book, Charles describes the horror of his experience graphically … without hate. As the pages flip through terrible images that only a child could see with their own eyes.

A genocide that the international community has also seen.

What is the international community? The United Nations, the Security Council, great powers like France that was in Rwanda. France collaborated with this regime that perpetrated the genocide. Before and during the genocide, and even later, because he was providing them with weapons, he trained the army and the militia. Is the community at the United Nations headquarters in New York going to make a decision? Does the one who trains to kill the same who will stop the murderers? This is a problem. That is why the Rwandan Patriotic Front decided to fight, arrest these people and overthrow them. "

One of the deepest thorns of Charles's heart was the abandonment by

"Genocide in Africa is not like other genocides Africans do not speak, they just finish the job There were reports before and during the genocide The Lieutenant General of the United Nations, the Canadian Roméo Dallaire , wrote a book in which he said that he had informed of what was being prepared and had asked for instructions.The decision was to reduce the number of soldiers of the UN mission. They went from 2,700 to 270. The world sees that genocide is being perpetrated, with reports of 10,000 deaths a day, nothing more than in Kigali. April 24, Belgium has withdrawn, France has sent a contingent of soldiers to repatriate foreigners and Europeans present in Rwanda … the whole world has abandoned us, die with a machete.It hurts me. "

And in the 21st century, genocide continues, comments Charles …

"This genocide and this system still exist, in Sudan, in Mali, in Burundi near us … And no one intervenes … when there are several thousand dead, it is when they will intervene and take action. "

"A devil does not speak He always has a plan, a goal, to exterminate all those who are not with him.It's a definition of genocide.Can you talk to this devil? It's impossible ".

Is it possible to forgive so much horror?

"If we do not forgive, what are we doing?" I chose to forgive. Unfortunately, I do not know who I should forgive, pushing back some people who come to me and ask for my forgiveness. Forgiveness is a decision that is made to continue to live with a human heart. Moreover, if we do not forgive, we will kill ourselves. Our community has decided not to kill, not to steal, not to take revenge. Even today, I do not feel hated, but I can not forget. Yes, I forgave, but forgiving was a sacrifice I had to make for Rwanda to be what it is today. ".

Charles Habonimana was born in Rwanda in 1982. Today, he advocates for human rights. Participate in international conferences on the prevention of genocide, reconciliation and justice.

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