Speaking on April 7, 2025, as Rwandans living in China gathered to commemorate the 31st anniversary of the Genocide against the Tutsi, Kimonyo noted striking parallels, warning that history appears to be repeating itself.
The event, held at the Rwandan Embassy in Beijing, brought together members of the Rwandan community, friends of Rwanda, diplomats, and other invited guests.
Kimonyo expressed concern that the international community has not drawn enough lessons from past atrocities. 'I feel like with a lot of confidence, I can state without fear of contradiction, that we seem not to have learnt enough lessons,' he noted.
'What is happening in our neighborhood in the eastern DRC, is the mirror image of what happened in Rwanda during the times that led up to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi,' he added.
Ambassador Kimonyo noted that after the Genocide against the Tutsi was stopped, the perpetrators fled to various neighboring countries, including Uganda and Tanzania, where strict measures were enforced to prevent the entry of individuals with weapons.
In contrast, he pointed out, the DRC (then Zaire) willingly welcomed the genocidaires, allowing them to settle with their arms, which later contributed to the ongoing instability in the region.
'DRC allowed the soldiers, the militias, intact in their command formation, and crossed over with the same ideology and enough logistics to carry out similar killings in Rwanda and whoever they thought was a Tutsi,' he explained.
From then, he said, they regrouped and started causing havoc in eastern Congo as well as mobilized the populations to begin the ethnic killings in DRC beginning with the Tutsi found in Congo.
Last year, Alice Nderitu, who was the United Nations Secretary General Special Representative of Genocide, described the situation in Eastern DRC as a warning sign of a threat of fragility and proof of the enduring presence of the conditions that allow large-scale hunting and violence.
She reminded the United Nations, that the presence of these militias is a recipe for another genocide.
Kimonyo criticized the international community for failing to uphold its responsibilities in the region. He pointed out that despite the presence of over 17,000 peacekeeping troops representing various international actors in the region, little action has been taken to address the ongoing crisis.
'And if indeed we have learnt any lessons, why would we allow, 31 years later, people being condemned to death because they are Tutsi or Tutsi affiliated? And unfortunately, the genocide against the Tutsi being distorted to fit into biased narratives?' he wondered.
He noted that the continued dismissal of the situation in eastern DRC and making it look like a conventional scramble for resources, is distorted, and only serves those who benefit from chaos.
The commemoration featured a testimony from Dimitri Sissi, a survivor of the Genocide against the Tutsi, who shared her personal story of survival. The event also included performances of remembrance songs and a poem reflecting on Rwanda's history, the resilience of its people, and the path forward.
Christian Mugisha
