11/29/2022
From April 7, 1994 to July 15th, 1994, up to a million Rwanda people were brutally slaughtered by their own countrymen. Those who were massacred were identified as being of a different, minority ethnicity.
The ideology to exterminate this group of people had been fomenting since 1990, with armed militia being trained and propaganda being disseminated - so the ex*****on, once started, was swift and efficient. Hundreds of thousands of innocent Rwandans were murdered simply because of the identity card they carried.
Women and children were specifically targeted to prevent future generations of their race.
The horror of this incredibly recent historic event is captured in a somber and captivating way at the Genocide Memorial.
My photos show some of the mass graves where remains of victims were buried. Also pictured is the memorial flame which is lit and burns for 100 days every April 7, most recently on the 28th anniversary of the slaughter.
Most importantly, Rwandans, under a powerful and cherished government which has been in power since the end of the Genocide, have established new laws which abolish class or race distinction (everyone is simply a Rwandan). The population has worked towards forgiveness and eliminating the concept of revenge to allow life to move forward.
We all hope that future generations will never witness an atrocity like this, in any country between any people.
