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Rwandans in Dallas to mark 24 years after genocide

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By EADM Correspondent

In Summary: The Rwandan American community (RAC) living in the Dallas-Fort Worth area (DFW) will this Saturday April 21, 2016 commemorate 24 years after the genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994. In approximately 100 days, nearly a million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were massacred by marauding government troops and the Intarahamwe, their partners in crime. The tiny and mountainous Central African state had sunk deep into a sea of its own blood from April 7 before guerillas of the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) led by Paul Kagame overwhelmed the moribund government army, stormed the capital Kigali, and shot their way to power on July 4, 1994 to stop the killings. Twenty-four years later, Rwanda is on the mend. The country has set its sights on the Future with unity of purpose and unwavering confidence. “Commemoration, ‘kwibuka’, the Kinyarwanda word for ‘remember’, is a commemoration framework of global consciousness whose flames are stalked annually to highlight the protracted war to defeat the genocide ideology. Clearly, while Rwandans may have forgiven, they have not forgotten the past. In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, events to commemorate 24 years after the 1994 genocide will take place at the Hurst Christian Church located at 745, Brown Trail, Hurst, TX  76053 starting at 1:00 PM. The leadership of the Rwandan community in the DFW area has extended an open invitation to all residents in the area to join them during this historic event.

Dallas, Texas—Commemoration events in Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) area marking 24 years after the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 will take place this Saturday, April 21, 2018, at the Hurst Christian Church, leaders of the Rwanda American Community (RAC) in the area have announced. The Hurst Christian Church is located at 745, Brown Trail, Hurst, TX  76053. The events will start at 1:00 PM. The leadership of the Rwandan community in the DFW area has extended an open invitation to all residents in the area to join the Rwandan community during this historic event.

Mr. Sam Mbanda

Mr. Sam Mbanda, the President of the Rwandan American Community in Dallas-Fort Worth (RAC-DFW) extended an open invitation to all leaders and members of African communities living within the DFW area, especially those from the East African Community; Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, South Sudan, DR Congo, Ethiopia, leaders of the East African Chamber of Commerce (EACC), and all friends and partners against the genocide ideology.

Mrs. Immaculate Busingye

Mrs. Immaculate Busingye, the Vice President for the US-Rwandan Community Abroad (USRCA) now resident in Dallas told the EADM that the commemoration events will also highlight Rwanda’s processes of reconciliation and healing, comforting and rehabilitation of genocide survivors, honoring the dead, and inspiring humanity to relentlessly condemn and debunk the genocide ideology once and for all. “We will also be showcasing the giant strides the government has taken in uniting the country and reconstructing the economy for the benefit of all Rwandans,” Mrs. Busingye, an insurance consultant said.

President Paul Kagame led the RPA to victory

In approximately 100 days, nearly a million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were massacred by marauding government troops and the Intarahamwe, their partners in crime. The tiny and mountainous Central African state had sunk deep into a sea of its own blood before guerillas of the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) led by Paul Kagame overwhelmed the moribund government army, stormed the capital Kigali, and shot their way to power on July 4, 1994, to stop the killings. Twenty-four years later, Rwanda is on the mend. The country has set its sights on the Future with the unity of purpose and unwavering confidence. “Commemoration, ‘kwibuka’, the Kinyarwanda word for ‘remember’, is a commemoration framework of global consciousness whose flames are stalked annually to highlight the protracted war to defeat the genocide ideology. Clearly, while Rwandans may have forgiven, they have not forgotten the past. 

A cross-section of Rwandans living in the DFW at a previous event commemorating the Rwandan genocide.

Previously, the genocide commemoration events in the DFW area featured a remembrance walk, prayers, a sermon, testimonies by genocide survivors, video clips depicting how some individuals defied the genocide perpetrators to save lives of Tutsis, and speeches denouncing and committing to defeating the genocide ideology. The climax of the event is usually a candle-lighting ceremony symbolizing an enduring flame to create awareness, denounce, and defeat the genocide ideology.