KEEPING THE FAITH
The church that failed – the Rwanda genocide

The church that failed – the Rwanda genocide

The tragedy of the 1994 Rwanda genocide shook the Christian church to its foundations. A culture of ethnic hatred culminated in the killing of an estimated 800.000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus during the months of April, May and June 1994.

When the killing started, the first impulse for many was to run for sanctuary to the nearest place of worship, but many of the massacres took place in church buildings where the targeted victims had sought safety. To those resolved to kill, the silence and direct or indirect participation of many clergy in the acts of genocide brought a sense of legitimacy to the killing. Members of every denomination in Rwanda were responsible for the most appalling atrocities.		 More stories:

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Many women who were victims, having suffered serious sexual violence and trauma, now face numerous new challenges, as widows bearing both the physical and psychological marks of genocide.

No one can bring back the dead or undo the suffering inflicted upon the victims. There exists a complex relationship between repentance, forgiveness repent and be willing to offer a sincere apology, while the victim must be willing to accept the apology and forgive.