International
The fight against genocide denial is at a crossroads
Rwandans
living here, or from the diaspora, like us, have long been accustomed to
reading reports, articles, and other 'analyses' combining harsh criticism of
the Rwandan government, an obsession for ethnic identities and a disturbing
rewriting of the country's history.
In
the past, we have both taken a stand in the public debate of our respective
countries – France and Belgium – to confront and expose this discourse. Today,
we are writing to sound the alarm over disturbing reality: even though Rwanda
has gained credibility and currency on the international scene, we are on the
verge of losing the media war.
Don't
get us wrong. Rwanda itself is doing great. What the country has accomplished
is nothing short of miraculous, and it is very easy to be proud to be Rwandan.
But as a people, as a community, we are failing. In this new reality where
facts matter less and less, we are losing control of the narrative. The threat
is getting bigger, and we are not responding appropriately.
A
new narrative
There
is nothing new about these attacks. For almost three decades, unfounded
allegations have regularly held back our progress and damaged our international
credibility. But though the ideas themselves are not new, the space in which
they are disseminated has been transformed.
Crazy
“controversies” thrive, without meeting resistance in mainstream media, in part
due to the ignorance of the international public.
Words
that would appear so obviously dishonest to anyone with a basic understanding
of our history are eaten up by groups easily moved by sentimentalism. People
crave drama more than truth, a fact that has been recognised by deniers and
their supporters, who push their agenda widely: from lecture halls to
newspapers and politicians' offices.
This
often puts us in situations where people will only believe what they want to believe
and won't listen to your argument even if you slap the evidence in their face.
Rewriting
history has a goal. Rwanda’s enemies and detractors have dedicated themselves
to planting seeds that question the legitimacy of everything that has happened
over the last 30 years. The historical foundations of well-documented events –
most significantly the genocide against the Tutsis – can thus be questioned,
while deniers and survivors are presented to be two equally legitimate sides of
an argument.
Lack
of awareness and engagement
Another
problem that we must acknowledge is that groups having an interest in rewriting
history are better organised and use more sophisticated tactics.
This
is, in part, due to an awareness issue. Unless you are engaged in this fight on
a daily basis, it is hard to realise the extent of the problem and its
ramifications. Because we are facing permanent attacks, it is easy to see them
as an unwelcome daily fixture and dismiss the seriousness of this threat. We
fall into a resigned state, in which we brush off such attacks as inevitable or
mostly harmless.
We
also clearly face a generation gap. This is especially true for our generation
and the one behind us. The devastation of the genocide compelled many Rwandans
to fight for justice after 1994. Today, only a small minority of us seem to
view it as a priority, and even fewer are prepared to fight for it.
Organisations have seen a decrease in engagement.
In
stark contrast to this attitude, in many countries, disparate, yet vocal groups
are now uniting in a renewal of hostility towards Rwanda. On our side, it
sometimes seems like younger generations are sleepwalking while enjoying
the fruits of the work of their elders. In this context, it is becoming
increasingly hard for the few people still engaged against deniers and
revisionists to keep up the struggle.
But
there can be no action without awareness. Current leaders – especially in the
diaspora – must do more to raise awareness, maintain the energy of the
movement, and equip the younger generations with the tools to address the
hurdles they will face.
Finally,
too often – and we are also guilty of this – we focus on day-to-day
emergencies. Our brain space gets engulfed by the pressures of everyday life,
as a result, we lose track of our long-term objectives. Martin Luther King Jr
once said, "Those who love peace must learn to organise as effectively as
those who love war".
We
have a big challenge in front of us. Are our elders doing enough to transmit
this history and maintain the flame they once lit? Is our generation doing
enough to learn and reflect?
Where
do we go from here?
From
the very start, recognition of genocide was met with pressure from génocidaires
and their supporters – who actively angled to subvert history. The seeds they
planted 30 years ago are now blooming. History moves at great speed, and so
does public perception. Deniers understand this perfectly well.
We
have arrived at a critical juncture. We stand now where two roads diverge. We
cannot be complacent or underestimate the magnitude of our challenge. Merely
standing back would not just be dangerous but irresponsible. We need urgent
action with the requisite speed to outpace our opponents. This must take place
with a deliberate plan: we need an ambitious, all-encompassing strategy for the
next 20 years.
In his speech on 7 April last year, President Kagame said: "The Rwandans of today have something precious to defend. This requires constant vigilance, along with commitment." In the years since 1994, a generation of brave men and women have transformed the country. Where do we go from here?
Source: www.newtimes.co.rw