Rwanda’s Top Judge Hails Justice Efforts 31 Years After Genocide

The President of Rwanda’s Supreme Court, Domitilla Mukantaganzwa, has commended the way Rwandans sought homegrown solutions to address the aftermath of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, particularly in the pursuit of justice both domestically and internationally.

She made the remarks during the 31st commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi, held at Nyanza in Kicukiro District. The event was attended by various government officials, youth, and friends of Rwanda from across the world.

Mukantaganzwa emphasized that remembering the Genocide remains essential in the fight against genocide ideology and divisionism, which once devastated the nation.

"Commemoration reminds us of our vow to never allow genocide to happen again," she said. She also revisited the failure of the international community to protect Tutsi refugees at ETO Kicukiro, where Belgian peacekeepers abandoned them to Interahamwe militias and former government soldiers (EX-FAR), leading to the massacre of over 3,000 people at Nyanza hill in Kicukiro.

She pointed out that, in the aftermath of the Genocide, Rwandans came together to find justice, including through the establishment of Gacaca courts, and by offering testimony before international tribunals such as the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Arusha.

“Even as we continue to remember these painful times, we must also remember how we found strength and rebuilt a country we are proud of today, thanks to the good leadership of His Excellency President Paul Kagame,” she said.

She added that Rwandans have also contributed to global justice efforts by traveling to testify against genocide suspects living abroad, ensuring they are held accountable.

Mukantaganzwa warned, however, that genocide ideology still exists in the Great Lakes Region, particularly in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where it is propagated by perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide who fled Rwanda.

"That ideology is accompanied by violence and killings targeting Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese, especially Tutsi, while the international community watches silently—just like it did in 1994,” she said.

Instead of acting, she criticized, the international community continues to unfairly accuse Rwanda and impose unjustified sanctions, rather than addressing the real threats in the region.

During the ceremony, 73-year-old Genocide survivor Venuste Karasira gave a moving testimony about his ordeal in 1990 when he and his family were frequently attacked at night with grenades.

“My wife would sleep early and wake up around midnight to switch places with me, so I could sleep too. Sometimes I stayed awake the whole night while she rested,” he recalled.

He described how Belgian soldiers abandoned him and other Tutsi at ETO, leading to their forced march to Nyanza where most were killed—only a few, including him, were rescued by the then-RPA Inkotanyi forces.

The event included the lighting of the Flame of Remembrance and a memorial walk retracing the path taken by victims from ETO Kicukiro to the Nyanza killing site.

Over 105,000 victims are laid to rest at the Nyanza Genocide Memorial, including more than 3,000 who were massacred at the Nyanza hill.