Addressing a diverse audience of Rwandan compatriots, young people, friends of Rwanda, and diplomatic representatives, she reflected on the nation’s painful history and its remarkable recovery while sounding a warning about ongoing threats to peace.
The 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi remains one of the most harrowing chapters in modern history. In just 100 days, over one million Tutsi—men, women, children, and newborns—were systematically exterminated in a meticulously planned campaign.
Amb. Munyangaju emphasized that this was no spontaneous act but the culmination of decades of ethnic division, hateful ideologies, and discriminatory policies sown during colonial times and perpetuated by post-independence regimes. “It was one of the fastest and most brutal genocides,” she stated, carried out under the world’s gaze.
The theme of the commemoration, “Remember – Unite – Renew”—encapsulated Rwanda’s approach to healing and progress.
Remembering, Amb. Munyangaju stressed, is an act of truth and justice. It involves honoring the victims, acknowledging the devastation of entire families, and recognizing the courage of survivors whose resilience continues to inspire.
It also demands confronting the complicity of international actors whose inaction or support enabled the atrocities. “Remembering is rejecting forgetfulness, trivialization, and denial,” she declared.
Yet, the ambassador warned, the fight is far from over. Thirty-one years later, genocidal ideology persists, fueled by denialist networks and revisionist narratives often backed by international funding.
Groups like the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) remain active, tolerated, and even supported in some regions, notably by elements within the Congolese government.
“We cannot ignore the continued spread of genocidal ideology, nurtured by groups like the FDLR,” Amb. Munyangaju asserted, calling for unwavering vigilance and action to counter these threats.
Rwanda’s response to its tragic past has been nothing short of remarkable. Refusing to be defined by horror, the nation chose reconciliation over vengeance. Amb. Munyangaju saluted the survivors’ extraordinary strength, noting their ability to forgive and contribute to rebuilding a united Rwanda as a testament to shared humanity.
Under visionary leadership and with a forward-looking youth, Rwanda has transformed into a beacon of stability, social progress, and restored dignity. “We refused to be prisoners of the past,” she said, highlighting the collective commitment to coexistence and healing without erasing the scars.
The ambassador also underscored the role of the Rwandan diaspora, particularly young people, as guardians of memory and defenders of truth.
“You are the ambassadors of our history,” she told them, urging them to combat misinformation, support survivors, and uphold Rwanda’s values in their host countries.
To the friends of Rwanda present, she expressed profound gratitude for their solidarity, emphasizing that their fight against denial reinforces the global call of “Never Again.”
Looking forward, Munyangaju reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to preventing genocide worldwide and fostering peace within the international community.
The commemoration, she noted, is not only a moment of reflection but a call to action—a shared responsibility to build a future where justice, unity, and dignity prevail.
“This is our moral duty, our shared promise, and our common legacy,” she concluded.
Lawyer Richard Gisagara, who made a presentation on the journey to justice, emphasized that “justice was—and remains—the first condition for hope in peace” in rebuilding Rwanda after the tragedy.
He described the genocide as “a failure of Rwandan society, but also a failure of the international community,” where ordinary citizens massacred “men and women, the elderly and newborns alike” over 100 days.
Gisagara stressed that a society that does not punish such crimes risks perpetual violence, making justice essential to break the cycle of impunity and restore hope.
He urged Europe to treat the Genocide against the Tutsi with the same seriousness as the Holocaust, advocating for robust action to combat denial and protect societies from hatred, ensuring justice for victims and survivors.
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