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Rwanda has rekindled demands for the arrest and legal action against individuals associated with the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi who are residing overseas.

As Rwandans began the yearly Kwibuka remembrance on Tuesday, President Paul Kagame stated that justice for the victims is still unfinished while those accused avoid responsibility in foreign nations.

At the 32nd Kwibuka memorial event, President Kagame emphasized justice, strength, and a caution against denying genocide and remaining indifferent.

The head of State emphasized that justice cannot be fully achieved as long as those responsible remain at liberty, underlining Rwanda’s demand for global collaboration.”Justice is incomplete when those accountable for the genocide are still free, hiding in different countries. We will ensure that what occurred in 1994 never happens again. Rwandans will always take a stand to protect themselves,” he stated at the Kigali Genocide Memorial.”Genocide does not start with killing – it begins with denial, division, and apathy. What truly defines us is not the suffering we endured, but the way we decided to rise and rebuild.”Over the past three decades, Rwanda has sought accountability through local trials, community-focused Gacaca courts, and international bodies like the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Although many offenders have been prosecuted and found guilty, others have escaped and continue to evade capture, especially in various regions across Africa, Europe, and North America.

Rwandan officials have consistently claimed that certain nations have not taken firm action on extradition demands and have permitted accused individuals to remain at large despite proof connecting them to violent acts. In recent years, attempts to locate those who have fled have increased, with global collaboration resulting in multiple notable arrests.

During this year’s ceremony, President Kagame emphasized that healing cannot be achieved without fairness.

He cautioned that the ongoing presence of suspected offenders overseas weakens global pledges to hold individuals responsible and threatens to diminish the recollection of 1994.

Memory TestKwibuka, translating to “to remember” in Kinyarwanda, is held every year starting in April, acting as a time for grief and a lesson on the effects of hatred and lack of accountability.

In Nairobi, Ernest Rwamucyo, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Kenya, emphasized the need for responsibility. “The individuals involved in the genocide and those who deny it are still free to move about. There are over 1,000 confirmed perpetrators globally,” the official stated at the UN complex in Gigiri, Nairobi, where Rwandans assembled for the remembrance event.

He mentioned that the global community’s inaction during the genocide is now being mirrored in other areas worldwide, especially in the Great Lakes region.

Mr. Rwamucyo pointed out the ongoing operations of the genocidal group, FDLR, in eastern Congo, cautioning that remaining silent in the face of these threats equates to being complicit. “Rwanda should be a lesson, one that needs to be taken seriously,” he stated. “The Rwanda you see today is a nation where every Rwandan can enjoy dignity and peace.” He also recognized Kenya’s contribution to Rwanda’s recovery after the genocide, especially in areas of governance and economic growth.

Global shortcomingThe United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, in a speech delivered by UN Under-Secretary-General and Director-General of the UN Office at Nairobi Zainab Hawa Bangura, reflected “with humility and shame” on the global community’s inability to respond to early warnings and implement urgent, life-saving actions.

He called on all nations to approve and completely enforce the Genocide Convention as soon as possible.”It’s not sufficient to honor the deceased. We need to draw lessons from past mistakes and safeguard the present by opposing hatred, provocative speech, and calls for violence; by supporting the social structure to enhance community strength; and by reinforcing organizations that aid in preventing large-scale atrocities,” he stated.

The commemoration events began on April 7 at the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Gisozi. President Kagame ignited the Flame of Hope, a symbolic torch that will remain alight for 100 days, representing the length of the genocide.

The leader also placed a wreath to commemorate those buried at the monument and others who lost their lives.

Regional call: African countries are being encouraged to increase their investment in communities based on justice, kindness, and human respect to ensure a peaceful future without violence.

The call was placed in Arusha by Mayor Maximilian Iranghe on the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Mr. Iranghe, the special guest, stated that the genocide serves as a powerful reminder of the outcomes of hatred, division, and the deliberate dehumanization of individuals when not addressed. “It is our responsibility as countries, organizations, and individuals to oppose every type of discrimination, intolerance, and encouragement of violence. We need to voice our opposition to unfairness, even if it is uncomfortable, in order to stop the roots of conflict from developing into violence,” he mentioned.

The gathering started with a parade departing from the EAC Secretariat. Hundreds of participants walked along Makongoro Road, passing through Mwenge Junction to Pangani Street, then continuing onto Uhuru (Sokoine) Road, eventually reaching the Clock Tower roundabout, which is commonly seen as the symbolic center of Africa.

The parade made its way back to the EAC headquarters, where officials and delegates from global organizations placed wreaths to pay tribute to the victims.

The head of the Rwandan community in Arusha and Kilimanjaro, Flavia Busingye, stated that the annual remembrance has evolved into a regional forum for reflection and solidarity. “We have come together not just to recall, but to restate our joint dedication to truth and to make sure such horrors never occur again,” she mentioned. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).