The fate of an elderly Rwandan widow, who has spent decades trying to avoid a trial for genocide while living in France, is one of the key sticking points in the delicate process of reconciliation undertaken by Paris and Kigali in recent months.
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KIGALI, RWANDA - APRIL 07: People hold candles during a commemoration ceremony of the 1994 genocide on April 07, 2019 at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda. Former Rwandan University Lecturer Arrested For Alleged Genocide Denial
Rwandan YouTuber Aimable Karasira is facing ten years in jail following his recent conspiracy theories that question the legitimacy of the Rwandan genocide.
Rwandan authorities have reportedly arrested 44-year-old
Aimable Karasira on charges of denying one of the greatest and most horrifying genocides in the world. Karasira allegedly broadcasted conspiracy theories prompting over 62 000 of his subscribers and the public into a controversial debate about the truthfulness of the 1994 genocide. The Rwandan Investigative Bureau (RIB) stated that Karasira had been sharing divisive remarks about the genocide for a few days before his arrest.
Created in 2003, the National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide is responsible for Rwanda’s genocide remembrance policy. It is a programme that has, over time, influenced all aspects of politics across all sectors.
Each year, on 7 April, themed memorial events are organised by the commission, in close collaboration with the president.
This article addresses the period following the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan Civil War and its 1994 genocide.
What follows is a review of the commemorations from 2014 to the present – and a view on the challenges ahead.
2014 - 2019: internationalising the remembrance
In 2014 Rwanda entered the final phase of its genocide remembrance public policy, the “second internationalisation” phase. The aim was to urge recognition and commemoration of the Rwandan genocide as an ethical obligation across the world.
An archive is good; study centre will answer genocide questions
Tuesday April 13 2021
Victims pictures are displayed at the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Kigali, Rwanda, on April 7, 2021. PHOTO | SIMON WOHLFAHRT | AFP
Summary
April 7, 2021, says a post on the United Nations website, “marks the 27th anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, one of the darkest chapters in human history.
“More than one million people overwhelmingly Tutsi, but also moderate Hutu, Twa, and others who opposed the genocide were systematically killed in less than three months. On this day, we honour those who were murdered and reflect on the suffering of those who survived”, it says.