Independence Day back in the States, Liberation Day here. Today marks the 25th year since the end of the Genocide against the Tutsi and the beginning of decades of rebuilding both infrastructure and relationships. Thanks to Carl, we’ve got VIP tickets to the premier commemoration event at Amahoro National Stadium.
The day began early--6:30 departure--for the Ministry of the Treasury. Always-smiling Peter Minani drops us off and we go through a security process that’s far more thorough than what we went through at O’Hare: metal detector, pat downs, a bomb-sniffing dog examining the FSM camera gear, and no cell phones. It feels like there are a thousand eyes on us at all times, but that’s maybe because we’re looking good in our blue Peace Exchange tee shirts.
We board buses for the short drive to the stadium. We arrive a bit past 8 am and take our seats. While Amahoro is primarily a soccer stadium, at Soldier Field we’d say we’re sitting on the 50-yard line. We’re directly behind--and ten rows up--from the chairs reserved for heads of state and other visiting dignitaries. American ambassador Peter Vrooman is two rows in front of us.
The stadium’s very buttoned up: lots of men and women clad in well-tailored black suits sporting wire coils leading to earbuds. It’s consistent what what we’ve seen elsewhere in Kigali--lots of heavily-armed national police and similarly-equipped private security.
The event begins with the arrival of units of the Rwanda Defense Force and Rwanda National Police, led into the packed stadium by two spectacular military bands. The troops look terrific and are arrayed from end zone to end zone facing us.
Among the first to arrive at 9:15 is Kassim Majaliwa, the prime minister of Tanzania. He’s followed by presidents from Togo, Namibia, Central African Republic, Somalia, Botswana, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe. The arrivals of each in three-car cavalcades extends to nearly 11 am. Finally, Rwanda president Paul Kagame arrives to the thumping of drums and thunderous applause.
Before Mr. Kagame takes the stand, he reviews the assembled troops, then heads to the his seat in front of us. A spoken word piece on the Genocide and the path of healing is performed with the National Ballet of Rwanda providing an interpretative dance as a backdrop.
President Kagame’s short address, given in English, began:
For three long months in 1994, our country’s survival was in doubt. One of the worst tragedies unfolded. A segment of the population was being hunted and killed. More than a million people were murdered.By July 4th, the forces of the Rwandan Patriotic Army had brought the killings to an end.Twenty-five seasons of mourning have passed since then. And with time, it is important to recall that the Campaign against Genocide became more than a military operation in the conventional sense. It became a rescue mission.
Mr. Kagame thanked the Army and those who sacrificed their lives. He asked,
Where did the humanity and heroism come from?The answer is simple. We believed in our right to dignity as Rwandans. This conviction was the starting point of the liberation struggle. The aim was to build a Rwanda with equal rights for all. In other words, a republic in the real sense.
We left the past behind us and embraced the future by coming together as a family. We must remain solid in defence of these values through each and every generation. We will not lose our way again.
I wish you all a very happy Liberation Day.
We boarded buses for the commute back to the Treasury Ministry and from there to Mr. Chips--site of last night’s dinner--for another round of burgers, pizzas, and falafel sandwiches.
Arriving back at the Iris Guest House, we split up into two groups for more shopping. We’ve got a later start tomorrow which is good news to all of us!
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