Anti-genocide commission efforts to let young Rwandans know history of genocide

National Commission for the Fight against Genocide, which is highly involved in studying 1994 Rwanda genocide, is planning to go deeper in the documental testimonies to let the young generation know the history of previous century’s genocide.

The exercise to be performed by National Commission for the Fight against Genocide will cover all the 12 former prefectures – Byumba, Gisenyi, Kibuye, Butare, Gikongoro, Ruhengeri, Cyangugu, Umutara, Gikongoro, Kibungo, Kigali Ngali, and Kigali City. According to The New Times, the Executive Secretary of the commission, Jean Damascène Bizimana has revealed the plan during the unveiling of findings based on history and testimonies about the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in the former Ruhengeri prefecture.

The 316-page book which was co-authored by two researchers at the commission, Faustin Mafeza and Donatien Nikuze – along with Bizimana – documents the torture and killings of the Tutsi in the area since 1959 up to 1994.

“We want to show uniqueness of the 1994 Genocide in each of the former prefectures. Last year, we presented findings from the former Gisenyi Prefecture, today we have presented those from Ruhengeri which was home to many politicians and high ranking military officers. We will soon present findings from Kibungo and by the end of the year, we will have presented research findings from Butare, Gikongoro and Cyangugu,” Bizimana said.

“68 per cent of Rwandans are under 30 years old, young people are the ones to build this country but they first have to understand its history of the Genocide,” he added.