Green Party Urges Young Rwandans to Learn from Politicians Who Resisted Divisionism
Members of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR) on Friday visited the Rebero Genocide Memorial in Kigali to pay tribute to politicians who were killed for opposing ethnic division and standing for peace during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
The visit, held on June 5, 2026, formed part of activities marking the 32nd commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi. The Rebero Genocide Memorial, located in Kicukiro District, is the final resting place of more than 14,000 victims and holds special historical significance as the burial site of several politicians who lost their lives because of the principles they defended.
Many of the politicians commemorated at Rebero were members of the Liberal Party (PL) and the Social Democratic Party (PSD). They were among the reformists who advocated for peace, promoted dialogue through the Arusha Peace Accord process, and rejected the hate ideology and ethnic divisions propagated by the regime of former President Juvénal Habyarimana.
Speaking during the commemoration, DGPR President Dr. Frank Habineza said remembrance serves both to honor victims and to educate younger generations about the consequences of hatred and discrimination.
“We remember so that young people can learn the history of what happened, while older generations continue to honor those who were killed simply because of how they were born. Here at Rebero, we also remember politicians who refused to participate in evil and understood that it was wrong to kill people because of their identity. This is an important lesson for all politicians today to reject all forms of discrimination and continue working for the unity of all Rwandans,” Habineza said.
He emphasized that young people have a responsibility to understand the country’s history and ensure that such atrocities never happen again.
Habineza praised political leaders who distanced themselves from what he described as a bad government and rejected politics based on hatred, division, and discrimination.
“We honor politicians who opposed the politics of hatred, division, and discrimination. They wanted Rwandans to live together in unity. That is one of the key lessons we should pass on to others. We condemn anything that discriminates against people, whether based on religion, ethnicity, or any other factor. Whenever we see attempts to divide Rwandans through discriminatory politics, we must stand against them,” he said.
He warned that genocide ideology remains a concern in the region and called for continued vigilance.
“Genocide ideology still exists in this region. That is why we must continue investing efforts to combat it. We still see individuals who hold such beliefs, particularly in some neighboring countries. We must condemn it early and encourage anyone who holds such views to abandon them,” he said.
Habineza also commended Rwanda’s Government of National Unity for eliminating policies and structures that promoted discrimination and division.
“We appreciate our Government of National Unity for removing practices that fueled division, including political groupings and parties founded on discriminatory ideologies. In the past, there were political parties based on religious affiliations, but those practices have disappeared,” he said.
He stressed that the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda firmly rejects any form of discriminatory politics.
“As the Green Party, we tell everyone that any attempt to engage in politics based on discrimination is misguided. We have witnessed where such politics led our country, ultimately to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi,” Habineza said.
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