Rwanda remembers, a quarter of a century after the genocide

Dark Dark: Skulls of victims at the Genocide Memorial in Kigali. More than 800,000 people, mostly Tutsis, were mbadacred. By Jacques NKINZINGABO (AFP)

Rwanda commemorates Sunday the 25th anniversary of the genocide, during which at least 800,000 people, mainly Tutsis, were beaten, hacked and killed during 100 days of mbadacres.

A quarter of a century later, the East African nation has recovered economically, but the trauma casts a long dark shadow over the country.

On Sunday, April 7, the day of the genocide, President Paul Kagame will light a commemorative flame in the capital at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where more than 250,000 victims are buried.

Chronology with maps of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. By Paz PIZARRO, Alain BOMMENEL (AFP)

This marks the beginning of a week of commemoration activities and a hundred days of national mourning.

In the afternoon Sunday, Kagame, who led the rebels who chased genocidaires out of Rwanda and has been in power since then, is leading commemorative commemorations at a ceremony at Kigali's main football stadium.

The Amahoro National Stadium – the "peace" in Kinyarwanda language in Rwanda – was used during the genocide by the UN to protect thousands of Tutsis from mbadacres on the streets.

Josepha Mukaruzima, 70, a Tutsi woman whose entire family was killed. By Jacques NKINZINGABO (AFP)

Hutu forces, members of the former army and militia known as "Interahamwe", were hailed by the bloody anti-Tutsi propaganda that began on April 7, 1994, in the aftermath of the badbadination of the Hutu president. , Juvenal Habyarimana.

Kagame, then 36, was a rebel general when he led the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), mainly composed of Tutsis, to Kigali on July 4, and chased Hutu extremists out of the country.

Change "extraordinary"

Rwanda has changed almost beyond recognition ever since.

Growth: Rwanda is now one of the best performing economies in Africa. By MARCO LONGARI (AFP)

But the authoritarian regime of Kagame has always been at the helm of his country, guiding the small landlocked country of East Africa towards economic recovery.

Growth in 2018 was 7.2 percent, according to the African Development Bank (AfDB).

This boom has been greatly enhanced by the badistance received from an international community saddened by its inability to put an end to the genocide.

"In 25 years, what we have been able to accomplish is truly extraordinary," said Bruce Muringira, 24, who worked for an advertising agency and who, as nearly two-thirds of the 12 million residents of the Rwanda, was born after the genocide.

"I think we have evolved a lot in such a short time."

There are still huge challenges ahead, but the people are hopeful.

"We still see today that it is not perfect," said Muringira. "But we are doing everything we can to find a way to live in harmony."

For a people that remains divided by the bloodiest legacy, reconciliation has been essential.

Rwanda has banned any reference to ethnicity in public life. It has given priority to justice for genocidaires, especially through the mbadive actions of community courts, called "gacaca", with the aim of restoring relations between communities.

Wanted: A poster showing suspects at the headquarters of the fugitive genocide tracking unit, which, 25 years later, continues to hunt down the perpetrators of the mbadacre. By Jacques NKINZINGABO (AFP)

But the wounds of tragedy are not all healed. Reconciliation is far from perfect.

For families of victims, forgiveness remains difficult when the bodies of their relatives have not been found and many murderers still escape justice.

Success and criticism

Kagame is supposed to oversee the rapid economic development in Rwanda after the genocide.

His success has earned him the status of leader.

However, over time, his iron-fist rule – considered necessary to impose an order of chaos – has attracted many critics.

The authoritarianism of Kagame was perceived by Westerners as flouting freedom of expression and muzzling the opposition.

The opposition to Kagame was silenced or pushed into exile.

He was re-elected for a new seven-year term in August 2017 with nearly 99% of the vote.

The constitutional reforms adopted by referendum in 2015 would potentially allow him to stay in power until 2034.

Kagame, then 36 years old, was a rebellious general when he led the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), mainly composed of Tutsis, in Kigali and drove Hutu extremists out of the country. By ALEXANDER JOE (AFP / File)

But times could change, a little.

Kagame, now 61, seems to have eased his control somewhat, perhaps aware of the questions about what will happen when he leaves his power one day.

Some imprisoned opposition leaders were released.

"Kagame considers that it is prudent to get rid of his old story of autocracy and excessive intolerance towards the opposition," said a Rwandan political commentator who asked not to be named. "Do not forget that over time, he is becoming more aware of the legacy he wants to leave."

Frank Habineza's Green Democratic Party became the first opposition party to enter parliament last year, winning two seats in the elections.

"I think the ruling party is no longer too intolerant of opposing points of view, and after a while they began to listen to our views. account in government projects, and no longer as before. "

Several African leaders are expected at the ceremony, while the former Belgian colonial leader sent Prime Minister Charles Michel.

But French President Emmanuel Macron is not present, cited scheduling problems. France, accused by Rwanda of being an accomplice to the genocide, sent Paris-born Hervé Berville, a 29-year-old member of parliament, to Paris.

Perhaps most notable for his absence will be former Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. Kigali now accuses Uganda of sheltering Rwandan rebels on its soil.