26 March 2014

“The catechist used only his faith and trust in the power of God to navigate through difficult situations of the day, to help 120 Tutsi in danger escape the killers by crossing into Zaire (now DR Congo) because he did not want to see innocent blood being shed,” the story reads in part.

I can add that Aloys Uwemeyimana is the living example of Ndi Umunyarwanda that we are preaching today. What he did could have easily cost him his own life but he decided to go on and help rescue those innocent women (and their fetuses) who were going to be killed simply because they were born Tutsi.

We, as individuals, should uphold the values of Ndi Umunyarwanda by remembering that we are the same, that we have the same blood, and that no one has right to take the lives of others. It’s in the same spirit that we should also accept our history but vow that it won’t ever repeat again in this country. We should also stand firm to renounce the politics of divisionism (as did Uwemeyimana) and embrace constructive politics (of national unity) that seek to rebuild the country. No one, in his sane mind, wants to go back where we were in the last 20 years.

Yet, there are some politicians who are still playing the ethnic card for their own benefits without putting into account the interest of the people. If we emulate Uwemeyimana, no one will be able to take Rwanda backwards.

But to be able to walk in the path of reconciliation, we should recognise our respective roles during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Those who know that they were capable of rescuing innocent people (…) but didn’t take even a single step to do so should ask for forgiveness, and they will be forgiven.

This is the time to tell the truth and heal all the remaining wounds. We want to be an ambitious society that runs together to have the kind of country that we dream of.

I congratulate Aloys Uwemeyimana for his courage.

Alex Muhire, United Kingdom