Genocide Pictures Shock Diplomats
SEVERAL foreign envoys to Uganda on Monday broke down and sobbed hysterically as they watched a horrifying documentary of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide at the National Theatre in Kampala,
SEVERAL foreign envoys to Uganda on Monday broke down and sobbed hysterically as they watched a horrifying documentary of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide at the National Theatre in Kampala, reports Geoffrey Kamali.
The 45-minute documentary, called The General Metamorphosis, showed graphic pictures of the mass killings in which over 700,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus perished.
It was part of the activities to mark the genocide’s ninth anniversary.
“When your people see this kind of horror, doesn’t it change their minds so they can avoid fighting between Rwanda and Uganda?†a visibly stunned official of the Chinese Embassy was heard saying.
He was referring to the growing tension and threats of war between Rwanda and Uganda.
Over 3,000 bodies of genocide victims were recovered in Uganda in 1994 by volunteers on the shores of Lake Victoria in Rakai and Kalangala. They were buried in mass graves.
A monument was built at the site and a memorial service will be held at the Kansesero landing site in Rakai this week, where most of the bodies were retrieved.
The Monday events started with a procession from the Constitutional Square. Torch-bearing marchers, wearing purple scurves and caps branded with, “Rwanda Genocide, Never Againâ€.
The host Rwandan ambassador, Christine Umutoni, led the procession, jointly organised with the former Kakuuto MP, Manuel Pinto.
The envoys included the French ambassador, Jean Bernard Thiant and representatives of the US, Egypt, Netherlands and Djibouti embassies.
Ends
The 45-minute documentary, called The General Metamorphosis, showed graphic pictures of the mass killings in which over 700,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus perished.
It was part of the activities to mark the genocide’s ninth anniversary.
“When your people see this kind of horror, doesn’t it change their minds so they can avoid fighting between Rwanda and Uganda?†a visibly stunned official of the Chinese Embassy was heard saying.
He was referring to the growing tension and threats of war between Rwanda and Uganda.
Over 3,000 bodies of genocide victims were recovered in Uganda in 1994 by volunteers on the shores of Lake Victoria in Rakai and Kalangala. They were buried in mass graves.
A monument was built at the site and a memorial service will be held at the Kansesero landing site in Rakai this week, where most of the bodies were retrieved.
The Monday events started with a procession from the Constitutional Square. Torch-bearing marchers, wearing purple scurves and caps branded with, “Rwanda Genocide, Never Againâ€.
The host Rwandan ambassador, Christine Umutoni, led the procession, jointly organised with the former Kakuuto MP, Manuel Pinto.
The envoys included the French ambassador, Jean Bernard Thiant and representatives of the US, Egypt, Netherlands and Djibouti embassies.
Ends