RUGO Remembers

This year's RUGO annual memorial service in remembrance of the victims of genocide in Rwanda was held at St. Andrews Church in South Harrow. Rev. Douglas Cockbill, the vicar of this North West London parish church, led the service. Many of those attending were Rwandese but they were joined by a large number of people from the ndigenous British community and those from the rest of the world, reflecting the cosmopolitan nature of London. It also reflects how the tragedy that befell Rwanda six years ago shook many people across all countries.

The Rt. Reverend Michael Scott-Joynt, Bishop of Winchester in South East England, gave the main address for this service. He spoke of his pastoral visit to Rwanda with his wife. He spoke of the beautiful hills of the country and the hospitality they got everywhere they went but also spoke movingly about the pain and horror of genocide that could be seen across the country.

An address was also given by Oona King, MP who is the chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Rwanda, The Great Lakes and Prevention of Genocide. The MP said that it was unusual for her as a politician to be addressing a church congregation but what she witnessed on her visit to Rwanda during the select committee's tour of the Great Lakes Region had deeply moved her at a personal level. She referred to her ancestry, as someone with a Jewish mother she was very aware of the horror of the holocaust. She pointed out that the creation of the United Nations was meant to ensure that there were no more holocausts but the Rwanda genocide took place when the UN had a peacekeeping force in the country. Instead of strengthening this force it was scaled down rendering it impotent to act effectively.

Finally the service was addressed by Gerald Gahima, Rwanda's Chief Prosecutor. He expressed his gratitude to those non-Rwandese people who had joined their Rwandese friends to ensure that the memory of the victims is kept alive and the many projects they support. The Rwandese and Burundi ambassadors and other diplomats also attended the service.

Hymns both in Kinyarwanda and English were sung to the accompaniment of the organ played by church's chief organist, Mr. Peter Godwin. Children placed candles on a model of Rwanda's landscape on which crosses had also been placed.

The vicar made a donation to Rwanda projects on behalf of the church and the collection was also donated for this purpose. The victims and survivors were well remembered in this dignified service.