On Friday, May 27, the staff of Airtel Rwanda visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial to pay their respects and honor the lives lost during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Mr. Emmanuel Hamez, Airtel Rwanda’s Managing Director, placed a wreath while his colleagues laid individual flowers on the mass graves containing remains of 250,000 victims who were killed in different parts of Kigali and given a decent burial there.
The Airtel team was guided through a tour of the memorial museum. Finally, they all convened in the Amphitheater area and listened to a lecture on the history of the terrible ideology that served as a catalyst for the genocide, the historical events of 1994, and how the RPF/A soldiers ended the carnage in July. This 30-minute ceremony concluded with remarks from Airtel Rwanda executives.
The Managing Director of Airtel Rwanda, Mr. Emmanuel Hamez, made a call that “we all need to recognize the bond of humanity over anything else divisive.”
He added that Airtel as a company will always be a partner in the journey of remembrance of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, pledging that the company will ensure such educative visits to the memorial will continue to take place for staff and management.
During the memorial visit, Mr. Jean Claude Gaga, Managing Director of Airtel Mobile Commerce, gave remarks to his colleagues expressing sadness about people who use the internet today to promote genocide denial.
He encouraged them to stay mindful of government policies on this important issue and urged them to avoid language or sharing information that is hurtful or provocative, especially towards genocide survivors.
He said, “It’s sad to see that after 29 years, we are still fighting with people who say that the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi never happened. Today we all have a responsibility to ensure it never happens again.”
Gaga continued to say that “There are some young people who were born after 1994 who believe that the fight against genocide denial is only the work of politicians, the survivors, or people who were here during that horrific time. This is not the right way of thinking. Our history, including the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, concerns all of us – those born before, during, and after the tragedy. Let’s do our part to help the government by supporting and empowering genocide survivors.”
This visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial was arranged to give Airtel staff the opportunity to remember and honor the victims and survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi while learning more about the history of events that took place 29 years ago.
Mr. Hamez reiterated that “as a company operating in Rwanda, we stand with the government and the survivors to continue the work of remembering, rebuilding, and reconciliation. We salute the Government of Rwanda for providing an inclusive environment that encourages business development and empowers the youth.”
