Sunday marked the 30th anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide. In 1994, Hutu groups in Rwanda carried out a genocide against almost one million Tutsis, Hutus and Twas.
This anniversary provides an opportunity to remember all those who were killed, subjected to violence, displaced and turned into refugees.
We must also recognise the long history of Western intervention, including Belgian divide-and-rule, in fuelling the atrocity.
The legacy of the Rwandan Genocide still has a huge impact. Yet the UK Government is still attempting to push forward legislation to declare Rwanda a safe country to deport asylum seekers to. Once again, the West is complicit in violence against Black and other racialised communities.
At MRN, we always speak about the root causes of displacement, including genocide. We cannot advocate for migrant justice without an understanding of the oppression that forces people to flee their homes. We must resist the Government’s cruel plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, and we must remember the European history that made the Genocide possible.