KIGALI – Rwanda will begin somber commemorations on Sunday to mark the 30th anniversary of the 1994 genocide, a mass massacre committed by Hutu extremists against the Tutsi minority over 100 days.
More than 800,000 men, women, and children, mostly ethnic Tutsis but also moderate Hutus, were slain in a ruthless onslaught that turned family and friends against one other in one of the deadliest moments of the late twentieth century.
Three decades later, the small landlocked nation has recovered under President Paul Kagame‘s iron fist control, but the tragic legacy of the genocide keeps on echoing throughout the region.
In keeping with tradition, Kagame will light a commemoration flame at the Kigali Genocide Memorial on April 7, the day Hutu extremists and militias started their horrendous killing spree in 1994.
Sunday’s events mark the beginning of a week of national mourning, with Rwanda virtually coming to a halt and national flags flying at half-mast.
During those days, music will not be permitted in public areas or on the radio, and sporting activities and movies will be barred from TV broadcasts unless they are related to the commemorations.
The United Nations and the African Union, among others, will hold commemoration events.
