“30 years ago… Rwanda went through an unimaginable violence, a violence of genocide against the Tutsis that started in April 1994,” Shyaka said, adding that it is important to note that such acts of terror do not take place in a vacuum but have political and ideological antecedents.

“We need to know that a genocide does not erupt overnight..it is prepared, orchestrated by an existing regime, but also it is built on certain ideologies. Ours was built on the Hamitic theory premises [the theory that taught that Tutsis were inferior to the Hutu majority—TVP World]…which divided the people,” Shyaka said.

He attributed the genocide to bad internal politics and the deafening silence of the international community.

“The world watched it happening, but everybody saw it coming,” he said, adding that had the Western states and the international rights organizations taken a more vocal stance, it could have been avoided.

“The genocide against the Tutsis was a preventable genocide… somehow nobody dared to step in,” he said.

However, the ambassador said that Rwanda has tried to move on from its dark past and has attempted to construct a system that allows the society to rebuild, “a system of thinking and a leadership that promotes reconciliation among the people, which allows us today to enjoy peace and security.”

“We cannot change the past, but we can craft a different future. That’s what we are looking for,” he continued.

“For us all, Rwandas are one…beyond any differences, and that’s where the future lies. The fundamental thing for us…is unity,” the ambassador added.

But he emphasized that the nation must remember what happened in order to forge a better future and to ensure that such a horrific event won’t ever be repeated.