Amb. Igor delivered this message on April 12 in Berlin, as the Rwandan community in Germany commemorated the 31st anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
The commemoration event included a Walk to Remember and the lighting of the Flame of Hope. Participants also observed a moment of silence to honor the victims of the genocide.
Addressing the gathered participants, Amb. Igor emphasized the historical context of the genocide, stating, "The genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda from April to July 1994 was the culmination of decades long ethnic based hate and ideology of division instigated, taught and spread since the colonial period in Rwanda by the colonial administrations, the Catholic White Fathers, the missionaries that led Rwanda and built their policies on ethnic division and hatred against Tutsi."
He further detailed Belgium's direct involvement, explaining, "This led to recurring cycles of genocidal violence, waves of unpunished killings and massacres of Tutsi between 1959-1963 under the supervision of Belgian military officers mandated by the Belgian Administration."
According to the ambassador, this "colonial administration installed a culture of impunity, enabling the deep-rooted hatred that led to the planning and execution of the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994."
The Ambassador also criticized Belgium's contemporary stance, asserting, "Genocide ideology and genocide denial prevails and it is still being spread in neighbouring countries and abroad, under the cover and support of some western countries among which Belgium, a country that has deep rooted responsibilities in Rwanda's tragic past."
Amb. Igor also expressed his disapproval of recent political decisions in Europe, pointedly referencing the cancellation of a genocide commemoration event in Belgium.
He argued that "suspending a commemoration because of a tense political climate sends a clear message: that remembrance and commemoration is optional...That it can wait," directly challenging the idea that remembrance is secondary to political considerations.
He concluded by stressing the fundamental importance of memory and its role in confronting difficult truths, stating, "But memory, by definition, disturbs. It questions. It confronts. It forces us to face what others prefer to forget."
Judence Kayitesi, President of Ibuka Deutschland, underscored the vital role of youth in preserving history, rejecting all forms of discrimination, and ensuring that genocide never occurs again.
'You must be the voice of truth, challenging harmful ideologies wherever they emerge. You must be agents of change, guardians of memory, and defenders against denial and distortion,' she noted.
Kayitesi, President of Ibuka-Germany, reminded participants that remembrance is not merely ceremonial but a shared responsibility.
'Kwibuka is everyone's responsibility,' she stated, calling on the international community to stand firmly against genocide denial and distortion.
Karirima Aimable Ngarambe
