Ottawa, July 3rd, 2020 – April 7th 2020 marks the 26th commemoration of 1994 Genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda. As we approach the end of commemoration period, we: Humura Association (Ottawa-Gatineau); PAGE-RWANDA (Montreal) and Memory Keepers Association (Edmonton) representing genocide survivors take this opportunity to thank all media whose staff covered numerous commemorative events and educated Canadians about the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

Consciously or not, some media and journalists refer to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda using terms such as: “Rwandan genocide”; “Rwanda genocide”; “tribal conflict”, “civil war”, etc. Among those media, some believe there is a way of commenting on the Genocide in a so-called “neutral” way.

As representatives of genocide survivors, we strongly believe that the media plays a big role to educate people about history. We are asking the media to protect the records and avoid any misrepresentation or ambiguity respecting the reality about the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

We remind you that:

On January, 26th 2018, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted its resolution GA-120001 designating 7 April International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda. This new resolution amended the previous one adopted in 2003 as its wording was ambiguous. It clearly stressed that the Genocide to reflect on every April 7, is called 1994 Genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda. On April, 8th 2019, the Parliament of Canada adopted a motion designating the April, 7th as the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The Parliament stated, inter alia: “(…) Whereas this genocide was made possible by the indifference and inaction of the international community; That the House of Commons solemnly commemorates the 1994 genocide in Rwanda on the occasion of its 25th anniversary; reaffirms its commitment to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; and designates April 7th as the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.” 2 (Our underling).

We hope that you will take this into consideration.

For more information please contact: Pascal Kanyemera, President of Humura Association, association.humura@gmail.com, 819-431-7875, Jacques Rwirangira, Vice President of Page-Rwanda, jrwirangira@hotmail.com, 514-867-2193, Siegfried Murego, Vice President of Memory Keepers Association, siegm3@yahoo.fr, 780-399-4447.

Ottawa, July 3rd, 2020 – April 7th 2020 marks the 26th commemoration of 1994 Genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda. As we approach the end of commemoration period, we: Humura Association (Ottawa-Gatineau); PAGE-RWANDA (Montreal) and Memory Keepers Association (Edmonton) representing genocide survivors take this opportunity to thank all media whose staff covered numerous commemorative events and educated Canadians about the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

Consciously or not, some media and journalists refer to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda using terms such as: “Rwandan genocide”; “Rwanda genocide”; “tribal conflict”, “civil war”, etc. Among those media, some believe there is a way of commenting on the Genocide in a so-called “neutral” way.

As representatives of genocide survivors, we strongly believe that the media plays a big role to educate people about history. We are asking the media to protect the records and avoid any misrepresentation or ambiguity respecting the reality about the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

We remind you that:

• On January, 26th 2018, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted its resolution GA-120001 designating 7 April International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda. This new resolution amended the previous one adopted in 2003 as its wording was ambiguous. It clearly stressed that the Genocide to reflect on every April 7, is called 1994 Genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda.
• On April, 8th 2019, the Parliament of Canada adopted a motion designating the April, 7th as the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The Parliament stated, inter alia: “(…) Whereas this genocide was made possible by the indifference and inaction of the international community; That the House of Commons solemnly commemorates the 1994 genocide in Rwanda on the occasion of its 25th anniversary; reaffirms its commitment to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; and designates April 7th as the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.” 2 (Our underling).

We hope that you will take this into consideration.

For more information please contact: Pascal Kanyemera, President of Humura Association, association.humura@gmail.com, 819-431-7875, Jacques Rwirangira, Vice President of Page-Rwanda, jrwirangira@hotmail.com, 514-867-2193, Siegfried Murego, Vice President of Memory Keepers Association, siegm3@yahoo.fr, 780-399-4447.

News provided by: Humura Association (Ottawa-Gatineau); PAGE-RWANDA (Montreal) and Memory Keepers Association (Edmonton) 

1 United Nations, General Assembly Plenary, Seventy-Second Session, 77th Meeting (PM), GA/12000 (26 January 2018)

2 https://openparliament.ca/debates/2019/4/8/rob-oliphant-1/