As a survivor, the tragedy left her family forever changed.
“My parents ... if you could see how they act, there’s still a trauma among them,” Sesonga said. “They don’t trust people.”
As the 20th anniversary of the genocide begins this month, the memory of what occurred still lives on in the hearts and minds of many, both for survivors and Spartans.
Amid the high tensions of an ongoing conflict between cultural groups now known as the Rwandan Civil War , the mass slaughtering of the Tutsi and the politically moderate Hutu spanned from April to July of 1994 .
The civil war was ignited by the death of then-Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana of the majority Hutus.
His death led to the killing of the minority Tutsis and Hutus by soldiers and Hutu extremists.
Approximately one million people were murdered within those 100 days .
International relations junior Mireille Linda Umulisa, an international student from Rwanda, said she has noted a significant difference in the way that the passing of the anniversary of the genocide is remembered between countries.
In Rwanda, the grief and remembrance is palpable, Umulisa said. The tragedy often isn’t viewed the same way in America, she said.
“I feel like we should be able to look at it, but not turn away from it,” Umulisa said about remembering the piece of history. “It should help us recognize that (the genocide) happened and (genocides are) happening right now.”
For her, watching her mother remember the events that occurred is the hardest.
Sesonga said other countries don’t share the same understanding.
“Most people here ... they don’t know what really happened,” Sesonga said. “The whole world was watching and those people died.”
Sesonga said the anniversary is about giving homage to the people who lost their lives, remembering the events that transpired and making the commitment to develop and unite Rwanda.
Rwanda has made quite a turn around in the years that have passed since the devastation, with the defense of human rights and standards of living ever-increasing.
Sesonga said this is due to the efforts of Rwandan President Paul Kagame .
“We are so grateful for what he did ... (he) helped when no one else was helping,” Sesonga said.
Christina DeJong, director of the Center for Integrative Studies in Social Science, said the extra attention given to the genocide as the anniversary passes will help illuminate a portion of history on which many students don’t have extensive knowledge.
Even though these events seem like they’re far away, they have an impact on the U.S., she said.
“So many times after a genocide has happened, the world has said ‘Never again,’” DeJong said. “But our memory seems to be very short.”
With political unrest and potential genocides currently in progress, Umulisa said people should be actively promoting world peace.
"(The Rwandan genocide) should help us recognize that it happened, it’s happening right now and we should do something about it,” Umulisa said. “The question becomes: What can you do?”
