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| Yasmin Amri Sued, ambassador of Rwanda to Korea, takes part in an online event to commemorate the 27th anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Courtesy of Embassy of Rwanda to Korea |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
On the occasion of the 27th anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, the African country's embassy in Korea held an online event on April 7 to honor the memories of the victims and spread awareness about the incident.
April 7 is designated by the United Nations as the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda to remember the last genocide of the 20th century against the Tutsi minority by the Hutu extremist-led government. Within some 100 days, more than 1 million Tutsis were murdered.
Over 40 ambassadors here took part in the lighting of candles and observed a moment of silence in honor of the victims, led by Ambassador Carlos Victor Boungou of Gabon, the dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Korea, during the opening of the online event.
A documentary film about the history of the Rwanda genocide was streamed online, followed by testimony by genocide survivor, Serge Rwigamba.
Colin Keating, the former permanent representative of New Zealand to the United Nations and the Security Council from 1993 to 1996, shared his experience at the U.N. during the 1994 Genocide and the failure of the international community to prevent and stop it.
Kim Gunn, deputy minister for political affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized on behalf of the Korean government during the event that Korea stands in solidarity with the people of Rwanda and the world in such a noble endeavor of commemorating the genocide.
"This occasion bears a special meaning to Korea, a country that suffered a three-year-long war some seven decades ago which took millions of lives, a country that rose from the ruins of war to prosperity, but is still striving for lasting peace," Kim said.
"Our reflection and remembrance of the genocide in Rwanda must go beyond one particular country and moment. However, amid the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world, it is troubling to see rising hatred and violence. We hear nowadays Black Lives Matter, we see hate crimes against Asians. What we commemorate today presents us with an opportunity to stand together, raise our voices against hatred, racism, xenophobia and all kinds of discrimination."
Yasmin Amri Sued, ambassador of Rwanda to Korea, urged the Rwandan community to support each other during the commemoration period and in these challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Our journey for the past 27 years has been one dedicated to fostering unity, regaining our core cultural values, learning forgiveness and cementing our resilience as a nation," Amri Sued said.
"Today more than 60 percent of our population was born after the genocide. Our country has fundamentally transformed. The past has shaped us, but we turn to the future with hopeful eyes. Scars may still be visible, but today Rwandans understand the work that lies ahead and are committed more than ever to see it come to fruition."
