{"id":77353,"date":"2021-05-17T10:45:07","date_gmt":"2021-05-17T08:45:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/77353-rwanda-commemorations-genocide-rythmees-agendas-politique-diplomatique.html"},"modified":"2026-01-02T10:30:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T09:30:01","slug":"rwanda-genocide-commemorations-political-diplomatic-agendas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/en\/77353-rwanda-genocide-commemorations-political-diplomatic-agendas.html","title":{"rendered":"In Rwanda, genocide commemorations are infused with political and diplomatic agendas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Rwandan President Paul Kagame is visiting Paris this Monday and Tuesday, amidst a warming of diplomatic relations between the two countries. French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to visit Kigali the following week. In this context, the publication of reports and commemorations of the 1994 genocide of the Tutsis must be read in light of diplomatic agendas, writes French researcher Andr\u00e9 Guichaoua.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Ever since its creation, in 2003, the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide<\/a> (CNLG) has been responsible for Rwanda\u2019s genocide remembrance policy, based on a program that has, over time, influenced all aspects of politics, across all sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each year, themed memorial events are organised, in close collaboration with the president in office. This article will address the period following the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan civil war<\/a> and the 1994 genocide<\/a>. It is a detailed review of the annual commemorations held by Rwandan authorities to mark the 1994 genocide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2014-2019: Internationalising genocide remembrance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During this period, Rwanda entered the final phase of their genocide remembrance public policy, the \u201csecond internationalisation\u201d phase, as defined by the CNGL. The aim was to urge recognition and commemoration of the genocide as an ethical obligation across the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2014, this policy gave rise to commemorations organised in Kigali that were considered particularly offensive, especially by the French government<\/a>. The very morning of the event, the French ambassador\u2019s accreditation<\/a> to attend was withdrawn. This culminated in an accusatory speech<\/a> by President Paul Kagame at the official ceremonies, at which the UN Secretary General<\/a> and many foreign heads of state were present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In December 2017, in light of the widespread international genocide commemorations on 7 April, Rwanda submitted a draft resolution<\/a> to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to change the name of the \u201cInternational Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda\u201d. On 26 January 2018, the UNGA adopted a decision without vote to use the official Rwandan wording, changing the designation to the \u201cInternational Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda<\/a>\u201d. This decision was highly criticised, given that the new name reintroduces a specific ethnic group and excludes other victims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200b In 2019, the 25th anniversary commemorations consecrated the international community\u2019s unanimous recognition of its responsibility towards the genocide and unwillingness to try to stop it. The official ceremonies were characterised by expressions of remorse from many countries and took place on an exceptional scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n