A Discussion with Serge Rwigamba, Head Guide, Kigali Genocide Memorial, Kigali, Rwanda

With: Serge Rwigamba Berkley Center Profile

June 27, 2016

Background: As part of the Education and Social Justice Fellowship Project, undergraduate student Mariam Diefallah interviewed Serge Rwigamba, the head of guides at Kigali Genocide Memorial in June 2016. Rwigamba discusses his work at the memorial site and the importance of remembrance in building a better future for Rwanda.
Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

I am Serge Rwigamba, the head of guides at Kigali Genocide Memorial. I studied international relations at one of the universities here in Kigali. I was a volunteer at the memorial since 2006, and I started working as the head guide in 2012 and until now. As a part of my job, I help teaching others about ways to prevent future genocides and achieving reconciliation in other countries in turmoil.

How did you get involved in this field?

I mainly got engaged and interested in this field because some members of my family are buried here at the memorial. Working here has also been a result of my own interests in history and politics. As a student, I was very active and engaged in various student associations such as AERG [Genocide Survivors Students Association], and after I graduated majoring in international relations from one of the universities here in Kigali, I became more interested in the work the memorial does. I think as a survivor of the genocide myself, working at the memorial helps me share some of the country’s history and experiences as a part of it myself.

How would you define reconciliation?

I would say reconciliation is a way of connecting, or rather reconnecting, with your past. In the context of Rwanda, reconciliation has been a process of rebuilding peaceful cohabitation among different people. In our country, we realized that remorse is different from understanding. This is why there is a focus on the importance of both apologizing, as well as understanding. In other words, the perpetrators have to apologize, but most importantly, they have to understand what they are apologizing for in order to be forgiven by survivors. In that sense, education was, and still is, a key in the Rwandan reconciliation process.

Since you mentioned education, can you tell me more about the importance of the education programs at the memorial?

The main aim of the education programs organized by the memorial is to teach people, especially younger generations, about ways that lead to violence and how to avoid them. From our history, we learnt that Hutus were victims themselves, as they were brainwashed by inciteful speech and hate media. That is why we have to teach ourselves and others why perpetrators did what they did. What I mean is genocide is something that people learn, as violence does not have a color or an ethnicity. Violence is not about societal traits but about learning how to hate.

A theme that seemed to repeat itself at the memorial was remembrance. How can remembering the past be used as a way to build the future?

It is essential to remember where we come from, but this does not mean we live in the past. On the contrary, remembrance can help in building the future for both the survivors, as well as the perpetrators. For the genocide survivors, remembrance is essential to teach them not to feel guilty for staying alive, but rather to learn from the past and understand how to use their experiences to build the future of the country. For the genocide perpetrators, remembrance humanizes them as it teaches them the root causes of the violent acts committed during the genocide. In that sense, remembrance becomes a way of recognizing the issues of trust among Rwandans and realizing it will take time and patience to rebuild relations, and thus build our future.

Can we say remembrance brings about justice?

Of course! This is why the memorial has a burial place for more than 250,000 genocide victims. At the memorial, mass graves became a symbol of justice. People deserve life and respect, and those who lost their lives deserve dignity. The mass graves bring justice to those who lost their lives, as they remind those who did not protect the victims or stop the killings that they failed to do their jobs.

Are you referring to the international community?

Yes.

Going back to the point on the importance of remembrance, do you think remembrance can be traumatizing rather than healing?

Trauma is not necessarily negative, as it is another way of expressing yourself and understanding your experiences. In other words, even if remembrance can be traumatizing at times, it still is a way of facing what happened, and as a result, a way of healing from what happened. In that sense, the memorial can be used as a method of healing. Many people freeze, lose their ability to speak or react when they visit the memorial, but it is an understandable reaction, and from my experiences, it improves with time as you come to terms with your past.


When it comes to dealing with the past, would you say different genders experience trauma in different ways?

Yes. As you know, rape has been a systematic weapon used by perpetrators during the genocide. What made the issue even harder was for victims to speak up after the genocide, and to start sharing their stories in a conservative society like ours. This is where places like the memorial work really hard, as we try to change how people view those crimes. As Rwandans, we are now creating an atmosphere for people to talk about these issues openly, as a way of changing people’s perspective and teaching them that gender-based violence is absolutely unforgivable.

What challenges do you face as part of your job at the memorial?

I think the most difficult challenge is facing genocide ideology. As a part of my job, I meet people who try to minimize the violence that occurred during the genocide, or trivialize its consequences on the Rwandan society. I listen to their opinions, but I clarify what happened and emphasize the importance of verification of what they claim or deny have happened. I personally think denying the genocide could be a result of the guilt the international community is feeling towards what happened in Rwanda. But at the end of the day, one has to always listen to different sides and judge accordingly, seeking balance as much as possible.

How do you see Rwanda’s future?

I think new generations will be very fortunate as they will have a very good and proud identity. We are now promoting a newly created Rwandan identity that teaches people about their history under colonialism and under the international community’s negligence during the genocide. Focusing on those external factors of division will protect future generations from internal divisions and teach them how to be active citizens whom can prevent future conflicts. Identity formation is what you acquire as first knowledge. This is why I think the future is all about identity.
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