In the heart of Kigali, a group of university students huddled around their phones, scrolling through social media. Among them was Eric, a 22-year-old history student whose grandparents had survived the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. What he saw made his blood boil—a post claiming the Genocide was a “civil war,” not a systematic extermination.
“This is denial,” Eric muttered, his fingers flying across his keyboard as he prepared a response.
The War of Narratives
Eric wasn’t alone in his frustration. Across Rwanda and in the diaspora, young people like him were fighting a different kind of war—one not fought with guns, but with truth, facts, and relentless activism.
At a recent Twitter Space hosted by The New Times, Félicité Lyamukuru, President of Ibuka Memoire et Justice in Belgium, had spoken about the pain survivors endure when faced with denial. “We fought to survive the Genocide, and now we fight every day against those who deny it,” she said.
Eric understood this deeply. His own grandmother, Mukandutiye, still bore the scars—both physical and emotional. She rarely spoke of the horrors she endured, but when deniers spread lies, Eric saw the hurt in her eyes.
The Roots of Denial
During a university lecture, Michael Butera, a legal expert from the Ministry of Justice, explained why denial was so persistent. “The world carries guilt,” he said. “Some nations hoped Rwanda wouldn’t survive, but we did. Now, they spread lies to ease their conscience.”
Eric learned that denial wasn’t just ignorance—it was intentional. Deniers twisted facts, manipulated history, and even abused Artificial Intelligence to spread false narratives. A simple search about the Tutsi could generate AI-written scripts full of distortions.
Fighting Back with Facts
Determined to act, Eric joined a youth initiative called “Truth Keepers.” They combated misinformation by:
- Documenting survivor testimonies and sharing them online.
- Correcting false claims on social media with verified sources.
- Educating peers on Rwanda’s true history.
One day, Eric stumbled upon a viral video by a foreign “analyst” claiming the Genocide death toll was exaggerated. He didn’t just get angry—he responded. He posted UN archives, court testimonies, and survivor accounts. His thread went viral, drowning out the lies.
The Power of Memory
As Kwibuka (Genocide commemoration) approached, Eric and his friends organized a “Memory Hackathon”—a tech event where young developers built apps and databases to preserve Genocide history. One team even trained an AI model to detect and counter denialist content.
Linda Melvern, a British journalist who had documented the Genocide for decades, sent them a message: “Truth seekers must respond with dignity and facts. Challenge the deniers—they thrive in silence.”
A Future Without Denial
Years later, Eric stood before a global youth forum, speaking about Rwanda’s journey. “We don’t just remember the past—we defend it,” he said. “Because when truth wins, genocide can never happen again.”
The fight wasn’t over. But with every fact shared, every lie exposed, and every young Rwandan educated, denial lost ground.
And in that victory, the survivors—like Eric’s grandmother—finally found peace.
Inspired by Alice Kagina’s article in The New Times, this story highlights how Rwandan youth are combatting genocide denial through truth, technology, and resilience.
