‘We must learn from our mistakes’
Apr 06, 2003
Today, the world joins Rwanda in the ninth commemoration of the massacre of thousands of Tutsi and moderate Hutu in April 1994. Patrick Luganda interviewed the Rwandan Ambassador to Uganda H.E. Christine Umutonyi and reports:
Today, the world joins Rwanda in the ninth commemoration of the massacre of thousands of Tutsi and moderate Hutu in April 1994. Patrick Luganda interviewed the Rwandan Ambassador to Uganda H.E. Christine Umutonyi and reports:
QUESTION: What is the way forward as we commemorate the genocide for the ninth time?
ANSWER: We should learn from the past mistakes we made as a lesson to humanity that we can avoid genocide. This is an example to the whole world. In the years since the genocide a lot has been achieved in recovery programmes and support to the victims.
The government has set aside a survivors fund which is 5% of the national budget. We are working on issues of justice. President Kagame recently released 40 prisoners as part of reconciliation and justice. This was after most of them confessed.
How many genocide prisoners are there?
Earlier they were about 100,000. Some have been tried and sentenced while others have been released. There are now about 60,000 still in prison.
We did not find a law on genocide in place. Genocide laws have been put in place and judicial structures built. The trials are ongoing. We have introduced Gacaca courts. These are courts set up at the local levels to deal with speed trials of those accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and other crimes.
Do these courts not pose a danger of encouraging mob justice?
No. They are structured in such a way as to involve elders in the community and all stakeholders. They are bringing out the truth and reconciliation in the population.
Would you say these courts are part of the healing process?
Yes they are. The healing process is a long journey. Solidarity camps have been set up by the National Commission of Unity and Reconciliation to bring people to work together communally. Youth, women and everybody is involved in civic education programmes to make Rwandese rethink and rebuild their country. To work more as brothers and say ‘Genocide never again.’ Counsellors are being trained at counselling centres in different parts of the country to help victims of genocide.
Are there cases that appear too big to heal?
There are situations where people have gone completely mad. Victims like mothers who saw there children butchered. Children who saw mothers raped and killed. There are traumatised children in orphanages. Even those who participated in the killing are affected. You find some shouting that ‘no I only killed 10 not 10.’ The healing is a long term process and people heal at different speed.
How real and big is the threat of Interahamwe?
That is very difficult to measure but the fact is that there are groups who think that there is yet a job to be finished. They are in Brussels, in the Congo and elsewhere. The International tribunal has traced them in places as far as Switzerland and Canada. They still think they did not kill enough and the whole world should come out and condemn them.
We hear reports of Rwanda troops in Ituri in the DRC, is that part of the hunt for the Interahamwe?
I do not want to go into that. I want to focus my attention on the commemoration of the genocide and thank all the people in Uganda who gave a decent burial to the victims. This is a lesson to the world and the African Union has declared the 7th April as the Day of Genocide.
On that note how far have you gone as ambassador to improve relations of Rwanda and Uganda?
There is a lot that has been done. The communication between the people of Rwanda and Uganda is excellent. People are doing business and parliamentary delegation visits have been exchanged between the two countries. Thousands of people have just returned from Kigali for the football match. Efforts continue and involve the communities. This occasion is organised by the people of Rakai, business people in the area and the area politicians. The Lutheran World Federation, Foreign Affairs and USAID are also involved.
Does this mean that there are no hostilities between Uganda and Rwanda?
These hostilities are promoted by a few people. The more we work together as neighbours the more benefit for our people.
QUESTION: What is the way forward as we commemorate the genocide for the ninth time?
ANSWER: We should learn from the past mistakes we made as a lesson to humanity that we can avoid genocide. This is an example to the whole world. In the years since the genocide a lot has been achieved in recovery programmes and support to the victims.
The government has set aside a survivors fund which is 5% of the national budget. We are working on issues of justice. President Kagame recently released 40 prisoners as part of reconciliation and justice. This was after most of them confessed.
How many genocide prisoners are there?
Earlier they were about 100,000. Some have been tried and sentenced while others have been released. There are now about 60,000 still in prison.
We did not find a law on genocide in place. Genocide laws have been put in place and judicial structures built. The trials are ongoing. We have introduced Gacaca courts. These are courts set up at the local levels to deal with speed trials of those accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and other crimes.
Do these courts not pose a danger of encouraging mob justice?
No. They are structured in such a way as to involve elders in the community and all stakeholders. They are bringing out the truth and reconciliation in the population.
Would you say these courts are part of the healing process?
Yes they are. The healing process is a long journey. Solidarity camps have been set up by the National Commission of Unity and Reconciliation to bring people to work together communally. Youth, women and everybody is involved in civic education programmes to make Rwandese rethink and rebuild their country. To work more as brothers and say ‘Genocide never again.’ Counsellors are being trained at counselling centres in different parts of the country to help victims of genocide.
Are there cases that appear too big to heal?
There are situations where people have gone completely mad. Victims like mothers who saw there children butchered. Children who saw mothers raped and killed. There are traumatised children in orphanages. Even those who participated in the killing are affected. You find some shouting that ‘no I only killed 10 not 10.’ The healing is a long term process and people heal at different speed.
How real and big is the threat of Interahamwe?
That is very difficult to measure but the fact is that there are groups who think that there is yet a job to be finished. They are in Brussels, in the Congo and elsewhere. The International tribunal has traced them in places as far as Switzerland and Canada. They still think they did not kill enough and the whole world should come out and condemn them.
We hear reports of Rwanda troops in Ituri in the DRC, is that part of the hunt for the Interahamwe?
I do not want to go into that. I want to focus my attention on the commemoration of the genocide and thank all the people in Uganda who gave a decent burial to the victims. This is a lesson to the world and the African Union has declared the 7th April as the Day of Genocide.
On that note how far have you gone as ambassador to improve relations of Rwanda and Uganda?
There is a lot that has been done. The communication between the people of Rwanda and Uganda is excellent. People are doing business and parliamentary delegation visits have been exchanged between the two countries. Thousands of people have just returned from Kigali for the football match. Efforts continue and involve the communities. This occasion is organised by the people of Rakai, business people in the area and the area politicians. The Lutheran World Federation, Foreign Affairs and USAID are also involved.
Does this mean that there are no hostilities between Uganda and Rwanda?
These hostilities are promoted by a few people. The more we work together as neighbours the more benefit for our people.