Visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre

Visiting the genocide memorial in Kigali will definitely be one of those memories that will stand out the most for me. I am still astonished with the fact that the so called “ethnic cleansing” was still taking place which was so not long ago. Around a million people were killed  for the “final solution” of the Tutsi “problem” while around 2 million were huddled in refugee camps across the border. What made me sad and angry was the fact that the international community was letting all this happen even in 1994 when internet, telephone, television are the main sources of communication and when we know all this has happened before. It made me remember a quote from one of the novels I had to read when I was back in high school: Evil prospers when good men do nothing. What did the international community think was happening when people were getting hacked with machetes, young girls were being raped and killed and poor children were being killed and displaced from their families?

" The graphic display of the exhibition is broken by two'Windows of Hope' which depict the scene during  genocide and steps leading into the future"

The Genocide Memorial consisted of many different sections: memorial gardens, burial chambers, memorial sculpture, wall of names, windows of Hope, a walk through the events that led to the genocide, the genocide, reconciliation, children's memorial (to name a few). Seeing the mass graves and knowing that thousands had been buried there after such brutal and painful times was very difficult. I held back tears when I went to the mass graves and inside of the memorial where the body remains and articles of the genocide victims were shown. It really was painful seeing the “three rooms” which had pictures of all the genocide victims, some body remains and pieces of clothing along with stories of survivors of the genocide playing on the screen. The most powerful part of the memorial was listening to the survivors talk about forgiveness.

"There will be no humanity without forgiveness. There will be no forgiveness without justice. But justice will be impossible without humanity." 

Even after such inhumane acts towards their families, loved ones and their own people, Rwandese have really moved forward and learned to be so forgiving with each other. I am simply amazed at the progress in Rwanda –from the clean and organized streets to the sense of responsibility as citizens of Rwanda. Meeting people who lost their families in the genocide has really made me rethink many things about my life. Even after seeing and going through just heart-breaking and devastating times where they have no family members left, it is inspiring to see these young Rwandese smiling, wanting to move forward and really wanting to excel in their career. I know the situation of Rwanda and Nepal are completely different but it frustrates me about the situation of Nepal and how it has not moved anywhere in the past 10 years –actually I think it has gotten worse. From 16 hours power cuts a day to unnecessary violent protests that shuts the city down to a man named Prachanda who once promised people that everyone will have equal opportunity owning a mansion, expensive cars and holding a bank account with millions of dollars in his account.  Where is this sense of responsibility among the citizens of Nepal? We really do have a long ways to go as Nepalese citizens.

It is definitely sad walking around the organized streets surrounded by beautiful hills that was once a chaos. I would highly recommend everyone to visit this powerful memorial and feel and hear the stories of the genocide in Rwanda which only ended in 1994. It really made me look at my life and the events in my life in a whole different light.