Three decades on from the genocide in Rwanda, many victims still feel their suffering has not been acknowledged. Non-profit organisation Jambo, which works primarily with Belgians of Rwandan origin, strives for official acknowledgement of all victims of the devastating violence in the country.
"The intention is to allow people to share their history without negating others," Gustave Mbonyumutwa of Jambo told Belga News Agency.
"For three decades, victims of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and even genocide have gone unrecognised," Mbonyumutwa stated. He elaborated that every victim has endured unique suffering, pointing out the different experiences faced by Hutu and Tutsi survivors.
Mbonyumutwa stressed that while the struggle of Hutu victims is not acknowledged, Tutsi survivors suffer because the current regime instrumentalises the genocide.
'Society can never peacefully coexist without justice'
Helping these victims runs deep for Jambo, which began a support initiative called Mpore ('compassion' in Kinyarwanda). Through this project, Jambo is creating memories by organising remembrance activities, producing videos to increase awareness, and gathering testimonials.
The organisation also persists in its campaign for justice – a more challenging endeavour. "Our ambition mirrors Nobel Laureate Denis Mukwege's belief that a society can never peacefully coexist without experiencing justice," said Jambo chair Norman Sinamenye.
However, the Rwandan government led by President Paul Kagame has taken exception to Jambo's mission. By acknowledging victims of the genocide apart from the Tutsi, the government accuses Jambo of endorsing a genocidal ideology.
"As soon as you speak of 'other' victims, accusations of negationism or genocidal tendencies are thrown at you, creating a mix-up of perpetrators and victims and disrespecting authorities in Kigali," stated Mbonyumutwa.
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Facing opposition, the government has been accused of employing "psychological warfare" to silence dissent from the non-profit, Jambo's members stressed. The pressure tactics reportedly include intimidating employers, spreading false narratives on social media, thwarting political careers, and even physical assaults. "Lacking evidence against us, they resort to such measures," claimed the entity.
Reversing that perception is difficult because they are a "small non-profit up against a country." They believe the focus should be on recognising them as Belgians of Rwandan origin rather than being divided into Hutus and Tutsis.
"Even if we were only addressing Hutu victims, why would it be problematic? There are organisations today that only give space to Tutsis," Sinamenye added.
