Ottawa survivors mark 30 years since start of the Rwandan genocide
A silent march through downtown Ottawa on Sunday marked thirty years since the beginning of the Rwandan genocide that saw hundreds of thousands of people killed.
- Sign up now for our daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
Sunday marked the commemoration of the 1994 genocide that saw roughly 800,000 Tutsis killed by Hutu extremists in a massacre that lasted 100 days.
For many in attendance, the genocide still feels like yesterday.
"You have wounds that never really close. You kind of move on because you have to live, but it’s still fresh," said Pascal Kanyemera, president of the Humura Association, an organization of survivors who reside in Ottawa-Gatineau.
“I lost both my parents, my sisters and brothers, my uncles, my grandparents. An entire village wiped out,” said survivor, Denyse Umutoni.
While the country has come a long way, the scars of the past still haunt survivors like Umutoni, as many gathered on Parliament Hill before marching to the Shaw Centre in solidarity.
Umoti recalls the events that ignited the genocide, when a plane carrying President Juvénal Habyarimana, a member of the majority Hutu, was shot down in the capital Kigali.
"I remember my mom crying at the time, she was crying saying they are going to kill my children," said Umutoni.
The younger generations are now carrying the torch of remembrance as they led the march and reflected on the past.
"You cannot even imagine, like, how can this happen? But then you remember that we have to keep the stories alive or history can repeat itself," said Kelly Mwiza.
Marchers say it's a painful reminder of yesterday’s tragedies that can be turned into the lessons of tomorrow.
"Nowadays we have a lot of hate online and people don’t know what to do about it. But it’s something that Canada has to learn from and see the consequences of hate against minorities," said Kanyemera.
Sunday is just the start of commemoration with several more events to follow throughout the week.
With files from The Associated Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada's most wanted fugitive arrested in P.E.I. in connection with Toronto homicide
A suspect in a fatal shooting in Toronto’s east end last summer has been arrested in Charlottetown, just one week after he topped a list of Canada’s most wanted fugitives.
Concerns about plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall plexiglass barriers.
Wisconsin school district says active shooter 'neutralized' outside middle school
A Wisconsin school district said an active shooter was 'neutralized' outside a middle school in Mount Horeb on Wednesday, and no one inside the building was injured.
Poilievre unrepentant over calling Trudeau 'wacko' as his MPs say Speaker should resign
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he does not regret calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko,' and now his MPs are renewing calls for the House of Commons Speaker to resign, this time over ordering the Official Opposition leader to leave the chamber.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh confirms his party will support the Liberals' federal budget
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party will support the federal budget, ending any speculation that the party could pull out of its deal with the minority Liberal government.
Toddler of Phoenix first responder dies after bounce house goes airborne
A two-year-old child died after a strong gust of wind sent the bounce house he was in airborne and into a neighbouring lot in central Arizona, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said.
Dental care program accepting claims for 1 million seniors
Citizens' Services Minister Terry Beech says 1,200 seniors have already visited a dentist and had their claims processed by the federal government's new dental care plan.
Lawyers for alleged serial killer to argue he is not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers told court they will argue alleged serial killer Jeremy Skibicki is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women by way of a mental disorder.
B.C. tribunal decides first case involving non-consensual sharing of intimate images
In a first-of-its-kind case, a B.C. tribunal has ruled on a dispute involving the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, awarding damages and issuing orders that the photos be destroyed and taken offline.