Kigali, 7 April 2015
Delivering his speech at the 21st Commemoration of the Genocide Against the Tutsi, President Kagame described Rwanda today as a nation transformed for the better:
“To those who teach us freedom, democracy and human rights while protecting those who killed one million of our people, we say to you: Rwanda has changed for good and forever.”
“We are a people who stand up for our right and give ourselves dignity. No one else will fight for our right to live,” President Kagame added.
President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame lit the flame of remembrance laid a wreath in honor of over one million lives lost in the Genocide against the Tutsi. President Kagame described commemoration as an opportunity to look back on a past that has strengthened Rwandans:
“Our past has given us the unprecedented strength to face our challenges. We cannot give up or let anything stand in our way. To do so would be to dishonor the lives we honor here today.”
President Kagame condemned those who continue to turn a blind eye on genocide suspects both in the region and internationally:
“The whole world rose to fight against M23 but continues to ignore génocidaires who have been in DRC for 21 years. Some even continue to accord VIP status to genocide suspects, supporting them in their plans against Rwanda and seeking political legitimacy for them. This means that people we are remembering today, the hundred of thousand buried here, the cause of their death could be having legitimate political reasons.”
President Kagame concluded by emphasizing Rwanda’s determination to remember through dignity:
“We remember to restore dignity to the lives we lost but also to the living. We were beaten but we are still standing and we not going anywhere.”
“Rwanda is ready for peace and for war for our rights,” President Kagame concluded.
For the full speech:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jLJHBOE7Wohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jLJHBOE7Wo and for pictures visit: www.flickr.com/paulkagame