ACTIVITIES OF SECRETARY-GENERAL IN RWANDA [INCLUDING BRIEF STOPOVER IN KENYA], 3-4 SEPTEMBER
On Monday, 3 September, the Secretary-General travelled from Kisangani in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to Kigali, Rwanda. That evening, he met at the State House with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, with delegations and then one-on-one. They later met with the press.
On arrival, he was greeted by the Rwandan Prime Minister, Bernard Makuza. He and the Prime Minister then addressed the press. The Secretary-General said that he sensed “a new spirit” in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and he urged all the parties to the conflict to cooperate with one another in the search for peace.
In the evening, he attended a banquet in his honour hosted by the President.
On Tuesday, 4 September, the Secretary-General flew by helicopter from Kigali to Ruhengeri to visit the Nkumba camp, where he was greeted by over 1,200 ex-Interahamwe, who welcomed him singing and dancing.
The fighters, formerly of the Rwandan Army and militias who were driven into the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1994 following the genocide in Rwanda, are being prepared for reintegration into Rwandan society.
The light security compound is run by the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission. The ex-combatants’ education includes courses in reconciliation, traditional justice and civic culture. The Government hopes that the success of this programme will encourage other Rwandan fighters in the DRC to return home peacefully.
A Lieutenant in the former Rwandan Army addressed the Secretary-General on behalf of the ex-fighters. He acknowledged their military defeat and said they were surprised by how well they had been treated by the new Government and by the local community, which no longer supports the conflict and is urging the soldiers to surrender and demobilize. He asked for international support as they reintegrate into Rwandan society and encouraged his fellow combatants still in the DRC to return home.
Prime Minister Bernard Makuza, who accompanied the Secretary-General, thanked him for his support for the integration process, which is an essential step in the rebuilding of the nation.
The Secretary-General then stood before the assembled ex-combatants. Many of you know war, he said, and the pain it inflicts on innocent civilians, especially women and children. “In war, all are losers”, he asserted. As you now reintegrate yourself in society, you must work together with your fellow citizens to see that the genocide is never repeated. We must ask ourselves, “what would I do if tomorrow I see my neighbour being attacked, being victimized”. You are not alone, he added, the United Nations and the international community are here to help you complete the integration process and rebuild the economy.
Returning to Kigali, the Secretary-General visited the Gisozi genocide memorial. The wreath he and his wife Nane laid there bore the simple inscription, Souvenons-Nous –- Never Forget. Following this visit, the Secretary-General held a meeting with civil society organizations, who presented him with a review of their activities.
The Secretary-General’s visit to Rwanda ended at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, where, together with his wife, he met national and international UN staff in Rwanda.
At the airport, he conferred with the new Registrar for the ICTR, Adama Dieng, and was seen off by the Prime Minister.
He stopped off at Nairobi, Kenya, en route to Stockholm. In Nairobi, he met with President Daniel arap Moi.