Policies in Rwanda should be set in consideration of Genocide history – Kabarebe

Defence Minister James Kabarebe

The Minister of Defence Gen. James Kabarebe has said that any policy in Rwanda must take into consideration the history of Genocide against Tutsi.

He made the statement at the National University of Rwanda (NUR) where he was addressing the community in the framework of the 19th commemoration of the Genocide against Tutsi.

Kabarebe introduced his presentation by hailing NUR for its initiative of organizing the commemorative activities which he described as a contribution to build a bright future of Rwanda.

Kabarebe delivered a presentation titled “Remember the Genocide to strive for self -Reliance in internal and external security”.

He gave brief account of the liberation war which started in 1990 by the former Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) and stopped the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.

The General explained that the war was waged to overthrow the government which was violating rights of the population living in Rwanda at that time and obstructing those who fled the country to return home.

He said that RPA won the liberation war thanks to its ideology of non division. “The secret of Rwanda Defense army success is unity. An army which pretends to be the National army and develop division system to exclude a part of the population, that army can’t succeed”, argued Kabarebe.

The Minister of Defense challenged the NUR community to alter the sad history shaped by NUR elites because they were a major player in the planning of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.

“The majority of people who planned the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi were trained here at NUR. You as today’s NUR community have to make a difference because knowledge without humanity is useless.”

On the issue of self- Reliance, referring from the period of Genocide against Tutsi whereby UN peace keepers who were in Rwanda didn’t protect victims, Kabarebe recommended Rwandans not to believe in anyone; but instead they have to strive for self -Reliance.

“The failure of UN peace keeping mission to protect victims in 1994 Genocide against Tutsi is a good example of why you should be self reliant. You should be able to protect yourselves and not rely on external support.”