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SURF applauds visit of David Cameron and Conservative Party members to Rwanda
24th July 2007
Survivors Fund (SURF), the only dedicated international charity representing and supporting survivors of the Rwandan genocide, applauds the visit of the David Cameron, leader of the Conservative Party, to Rwanda.
SURF has played an instrumental role helping to organise the visit, to ensure that Mr Cameron and his colleagues from the Conservative Party are given the opportunity whilst on the visit to learn more about the plight of survivors of the genocide, and the work of the British-based charity to provide vital support to improve the lives of the hundreds of thousands affected by the killings in 1994.
Mary Kayitesi Blewitt, Founder and Director of SURF, who lost over fifty members of the family in the genocide said:
“I would like to applaud the visit of David Cameron, and the delegation of Conservative Party members, to Rwanda. The fact that party members have taken time out to see first hand the realities on the ground in Africa is admirable.
Literally “seeing is believing” when it comes to understanding the genocide, and its aftermath, and the visit is important, not only for Conservative Party members but also for survivors of the genocide too. The visit is giving survivors the opportunity to speak directly to those in a position to make a difference to their lives, to help address their challenges that include the issues arising from the release of perpetrators of the genocide given amnesty through gacaca (village courts) to the trauma of giving evidence at such trials.
These problems, unique to survivors in Rwanda, are exacerbated by the ongoing issues of lack of shelter, education and access to healthcare which Survivors Fund (SURF) is helping to address. The support demonstrated by the Conservative Party visit will not solve all these problems, but will go some way towards at least helping raise awareness of their existence.”
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SURF applauds visit of David Cameron and Conservative Party members to Rwanda