Twenty-five police students from the region currently attending the ‘Police Senior Command and Staff Course’ at the National Police College (NPC) in Musanze District, on Wednesday visited Kigali Genocide Memorial to pay tribute to more than one million innocent lives killed during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
The officers are from Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, South Sudan, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, Sierra Leone and Rwanda.
At the memorial centre, the officers laid wreaths in honour of over 250, 000 Genocide victims resting there. They were thereafter given a tour where they were detailed on the pre-colonial history, colonial and post-colonial era, and the historic bad leadership that culminated into the 100 days of extermination.
The visit was also part of the ongoing internal tour for the senior command students, which started Monday.
According to Commissioner of Police (CP) Felix Namuhoranye, the Commandant of NPC, said that the visit was also to learn more about the 1994 Genocide against Tutsis, which is part of their conflict resolutions and peace studies at the College.
Deputy Commissioner Titus Shikongo Shikongo from Namibia said: “Human kind must unite to ensure no repeatition of this horrible act again.
Commissioner of Police (CP) Moses Kafeero from Uganda said that “this memorial centre reminds us to value unity as humanity.”
Their fellow student Colonel Ahmed Amed Abdel from Sudan also called for unity among Rwandans global partnership to ensure that the tragedy doesn’t happen elsewhere again.
The genocide memorial site documents the social-culture and political history of Rwanda. It has also documented others conflicts that culminated into genocide of elsewhere in the world.
The Police Senior Command and Staff Course offers a one year professional and career course and a Master’s in Peace Studies and Conflict Transformation, and Level 7 certificate in strategic leadership and management.
The tour focused on twelve institutions in the sectors of justice, governance, security, foreign policy and economic development.
Previously, they visited the Ministry of Justice, Office of Ombudsman, Free Trade Zone, the Eastern Province and Isange One Stop Centre.
The students will conclude the internal tour this Friday with the visit to Nyabihu Tea Factory, and Sopyrwa in Musanze district.