I want to thank Pambazuka News. We Africans do have a lesson to learn from this genocide. It happened in Rwanda but this was an African reality brought to the lamplight. I have a point for all of us Africans: there are more genocides to come and in progress that we need to fight. To my Rwandan brothers and sisters I will ask you to take heart, love your country and know that the human being is God's creature. To leaders I will advise them to be God fearing and do to their people what you would like them to do to you. To all African believers or not, every evening just say God thank you for the day and help us to love one another. With love for Mother Africa!

RESPONSE TO AZEH JOHN:
FROM NICOLE VENTER, SOUTH AFRICA

I am always so inspired by your mail, and proud to be part of the African renaissance - we are indeed all brothers and sisters here and God willing we will take heed when the call comes to assist each other, sustain each other, teach, support and care for each other.

Concerning Rwanda - an issue very close to my heart is that of the children. If anyone can assist with information (other than that which has been posted in Pambazuka News) relevant to the formulation of new programmes of assistance in various health and development related areas, I would like to invite them to forward such information to us. ([email protected])

RESPONSE TO NICOLE VENTER:
FROM VALENTINE NGWA

I really hope that the African Renaissance is a reality. Ten years is too short a time for us to understand how our so called brothers and sisters can sit down, plan, import machetes and slaughter almost a million of their neighbours, rape many and plunder their property. I wonder how long it takes for the memories of such barbaric acts to go away; especially so when there are many things to remind the victims including HIV.

Rather than Africa taking a leaf from Rwanda, we see neighbouring DR Congo in anarchy, Sudan on the verge of their own genocide and my native Cameroon under a very uneasy calm; which lessons have we learnt? These issues get difficult to comprehend and at times one is tempted to wonder whether such things were meant to be.

After all, history teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives. In all these, you will always hear our people in their usually escapist tendency say 'The International Community failed us!' They should rather say how they have failed themselves. I weep for Mother Africa.