The Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib (Francophone liberal) and the Belgian Defence Minister Ludivine Dedonder (Francophone Socialist) were in Rwanda on Sunday to attend the commemoration to mark the 30th anniversary of the genocide that took place there in 1994. The commemoration of the genocide was held in the Rwandan capital Kigali. In spring 1994 around 800,000 people lost their lives in just 3 months.
Incited by fanatical politicians and tribal chiefs, members of Rwanda’s Hutu community embarked on the ethnic cleansing and slaughter of members of the Tutsi community and moderate Hutus. 10 Belgian soldiers that had been sent to Rwandan as part as the UN’s UNAMIR (United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda) force also lost their lives in the violence.
In their speeches at the commemorations, the Belgian Hadja Lahbib Lahbib and the Belgian Defence Minister Ludivine Dedonder called on young people in Rwanda in particular to stand up for human rights and tolerance.
President Kagame thanked Belgium
The memorial service in the Rwandan capital was also attended by 30 students from Belgium, the European Council President Charles Michel, the former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and the former US President Bill Clinton.
The Rwandan President Paul Kagame thanked Belgium and other countries for handing over soldiers and politicians that took part in the genocide to face justice in Rwanda. Nevertheless, President Kagame also criticised the international community. "The international community let us down at the time, out of contempt or out of cowardice."