NURC commends the role of Catholic Church in National Unity and Reconciliation Process

The National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC) has commended the contribution of the Catholic Church of Rwanda in restoring unity and reconciliation among Rwandans after the Genocide against the Tutsi.

 

From Friday 29 October-December 1, 2019, the Catholic Church of Rwanda is going to evaluate its work in the past 25 years focusing on justice and peace.

During the three days they will be sharing and discussing the commendable mechanisms and programs to reconcile and unite Rwandans while at the same time having a look on the challenges that still hinder the process and how to overcome them.

“As the country was left with the most vulnerable population that include the traumatized survivors, orphans, widows, handicapped people, in the post Genocide period, the interventions of the Catholic Church of Rwanda were directed to the provision of the houses to the vulnerable survivors, health services, healing initiatives, peace building and combatting the Genocide ideology among youths,” the Archbishop Antoine Kambanda of Kigali and President of the Bishop’s Justice and Peace Commission said in a press conference that was held in Kigali on October 22, 2019.

Archbishop Antoine Kambanda said the Church through the Bishop’s Justice and Peace Commission (CEPR) will continue its role in reconciling Rwandans after the Genocide against the Tutsi.

He said that in 2016 the church and its members took time to reflect on and receive the Divine Mercy, and later on (2017) it reflected on the gift of the priesthood and to show its role in the reconciliation process. In the special year of reconciliation (2018), it prayed and did other charitable activities in deepening this unity.

The Executive Secretary of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission, Fidele Ndayisaba salutes the efforts and the role of the Catholic Church of Rwanda in reconciling and uniting Rwandans after the Genocide against the Tutsi.

He said: “There were many scars, broken hearts, and much fear. The question was how people will come together again. Many survivors were needy but the church played a crucial role and intervened through its healing and charitable activities.”

“We are happy of this initiative of auto-evaluation after 25 years and it’s a platform to adopt long term strategies because building unity and reconciliation is a process that never stops.” He added.

Among the activities of the aforementioned event there will be a conference to discuss the Church activities related to peace building, unity and reconciliation after the Genocide against the Tutsi; exhibition and testimony about the achievements, discussion with the church partners on the role of joining hands in building unity and reconciliation, the current situation and future plans.