Never ever again: The 25th anniversary of the Rwanda Genocide

Editor's note: Shen Shiwei is a research fellow of the Charhar Institute and former government relations and business consultant for Chinese enterprises in Africa. The article reflects the author's opinion, and not necessarily the views of APD.

"Kwibuka 25", means "to remember the 25 years" in Rwanda's Kinyarwanda language. April 7, 2019 is , in which almost 800,000 people – mainly Tutsis and some moderate Hutus – were massacred over the course of 100 days by the majority Hutu population.

As concerns over racism, extremism, hate speech and xenophobia are rising, what Rwanda has learned from its tragedy will matter to the international community. To remember the notorious history and never ever let the tragedy happen again.

Remember, unite and renew.

Rwanda's President Paul Kagame (C) walks with his wife Jeanette (L) from the Parliament building to the Amahoro stadium during the "Walk to Remember" as part of the 25th Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide in Kigali, Rwanda, April 7, 2019. /VCG Photo

Each year in Rwanda, memorial ceremonies will be held to pay tribute to the victims of the 1994 Genocide and a "flame of remembrance" will burn for 100 days to commemorate the bitter history.

To alert the international community from potential risks and remember the international community's failure to intervene, a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly in January 2018 has changed the designation of April 7 to "the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda" from the name of "the International Day of Reflection on the Genocide in Rwanda" as was used in a December 2003 resolution.

"Rwanda becomes a family again," Rwanda's President Paul Kagame speaks at this year's genocide memorial ceremony at the Kigali Convention Center.

"We are Rwandan people." This is the only national identity that shows on every Rwandan people's national ID card. It helps the nation to be reunified and anti-secession and anti-tribalism enshrined into the constitution. During the colonial period and early days after independence, the ideas of separation, divide, and rule imposed by western colonizers had undermined Rwanda's social foundation and hide the dangers of the genocide.

Today, some countries in the world are still suffering from problems of reconstructing national identity and unity, especially for those of complex relations among ethnic groups and tribes. Due to the lack of national identity, they prefer more loyalty to their tribes instead of the nation. It caused separation of national, endless civil wars and refugee crisis.

People hold candles as they attend a night vigil and prayer at the Amahoro Stadium as part of the 25th Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide, in Kigali, Rwanda, April 7, 2019. /VCG Photo

As a small country with over 13 million people, limited natural resources and much high density of population, Rwanda cannot afford from separation anymore. Instead of dividing each other, Rwandan people choose to be stronger via unity and reconciliation.

Hate speech was abandoned, while unity and reconciliation got encouraged in Rwanda. Moreover, Rwanda's experience of reconciliation via its traditional "Gacaca courts system" has been proved that traditional methods could have better adaptability and efficiency for many other countries after a devastating disaster happens. The "Gacaca courts system" has sped up the process of identifying genocide suspects, national unity and reconciliation, and demonstrating the capacity of the Rwandan people to resolve their own problems.

With a strong commitment, today in Rwanda, this East African nation and a land of thousands of hills has recovered economically and socially. It has achieved an eight percent GDP growth annually between 2002 and 2012. In 2018, Rwanda got a 6.9 percent GDP growth, one of the fastest in Africa.

Learning lessons from failed international intervention during the 1994 genocide, Rwanda has been actively participating in the peace missions in sub-regions under the UN and the African Union framework. In 2016, Rwanda has dispatched 6,000 peacekeepers and police to seven countries including Central Africa Republic, Sudan, South Sudan, Mali, Haiti, and others, and has become the main contributor of peacekeepers in the UN.

On economic and social term, Rwanda has re-established its national flag-carrier flight Rwanda Air and enhances integration with the East African Community (EAC). It also became one of a few countries that passed a law banning importation and use of polythene bags, which also stipulates heavy penalties for their use or smuggling them into the country in 2008.

"Umuganda", meaning "community services and achieve common goals via working together" in Rwanda's Kinyarwanda language, a tradition inherited from its self-help and cooperation tradition, is making the country more beautiful and clean. Today, when visitors walked out of the airport of Kigali, the first impression usually was how come the streets are so clean. Education, industrialization like "Made in Rwanda" campaign and environmental protection are prioritized, aiming at transforming its demographic bonus into economic advantage.

The history shall not be forgotten and the future is to be expected. A quarter of the century past, the land of thousands is on the road of rejuvenation. The lessons, the experience and the development path of Rwanda still matter to us all. Remember, unite, and renew.

（CGTN）