PM Modi visits Rwanda's Genocide Memorial Centre; pays tribute to victims

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today saluted the "indomitable spirit" of the people of Rwanda as he visited the Genocide Memorial Centre here which honours over 250,000 victims of the country's mass killings in 1994.

Prime Minister Modi, who is on a two-day state visit to Rwanda, arrived here yesterday on the first leg of his three-nation Africa tour, becoming the first Indian premier to visit the East African country.

He paid tribute to the victims of the genocide with a laying of wreath on the burial place and toured the centre to learn more about the history of the genocide against the Tutsi -- the principal ethnic community in Rwanda.

Modi wrote a heartfelt message in the guest book of the memorial after his visit.

"My visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial has been a deeply moving experience. The genocide in Rwanda was a grim reminder of the worst aspects of humanity. Rwanda's response, as a nation, to this tragedy has been one of restraint, reconciliation and peace.

"I salute this conscious effort of the Rwandan government and the indomitable spirit of the people of Rwanda. May the departed souls rest in peace," the Prime Minister wrote, according to the Kigali Genocide Memorial's twitter handle.

The memorial is the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the genocide against the Tutsi.

"Beginning the day on a poignant note! PM @narendramodi visits the Genocide Memorial Centre in #Kigali. The Memorial honours the victims of the worst excesses of violence. It is also symbolic of the admirable and exemplary process of reconciliation Rwanda has embarked upon," Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet.

The memorial includes three permanent exhibitions, the largest of which documents the 1994 genocide.

There is also a children's memorial and an exhibition on the history of genocidal violence around the world. The education centre, gardens, and Genocide Archive of Rwanda contribute to a meaningful tribute to those who perished, and provide a powerful educational experience for visitors, according to the memorial's website.