Evidence of meeting #50 for Subcommittee on International Human Rights in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was tutsi.
A video is available from Parliament.
1:50 p.m.
Conservative
David Sweet Conservative Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON
Okay.
I asked the leaders of the association in Montreal—forgive me, I don't recall the name—if there had been any move in the diaspora to raise resources to help with counsellors, psychiatrists, and psychologists for those who are in Rwanda. Has there been any movement in your community, in your association, to take that kind of action?
1:50 p.m.
Member, Humura Association
The notions of solidarity with survivors of the Tutsi genocide and justice underlie our association's statutes. The three keywords that describe our mission our memory, justice and solidarity.
On the solidarity front, unfortunately, we've only been able to raise a small amount of money to help survivors of the Tutsi genocide living here, even those here right now, who are struggling with psychological issues and suddenly have breakdowns and end up on the street. Unfortunately, we don't have the resources to assist them.
We haven't really been able to rally public support. Are we using the wrong strategies? Are people simply indifferent because it doesn't concern them, as I mentioned? We may need some advice in that regard. What can we do to improve the response? I have no idea. If we can't find the resources to help those here in need of counselling, how can we rally public support to help those all the way in Rwanda? It's impossible.
Eight years ago, when I was the president of the Page-Rwanda association in Montreal, we did some fund-raising to help orphans of the Rwandan genocide. Unfortunately, we weren't able to raise very much. Today, there is a woman in Toronto being harassed by her husband, but we can't scrounge together enough money to get her a lawyer. You can imagine just how difficult the situation is. She is a genocide survivor who needs help, but the survivors who are here can't afford to help one another.
1:55 p.m.
Conservative
David Sweet Conservative Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON
Thank you. I wish you all the best in your efforts with your association.
Thank you, Chair.
1:55 p.m.
Conservative
1:55 p.m.
NDP
Tyrone Benskin NDP Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
Thank you.
I want to come back to the children of rape issue.
You were talking about the process of reconciliation. The exploration that I'm interested in is not so much about reconciliation but about self-healing within the community. I grew up with and adhere to the belief that forgiveness begins at home. If we can't forgive ourselves, then it's hard to forgive somebody else.
That process of reconciliation is not between Hutu and Tutsi. It is between mother and child, this child who was born and who has lived 20 years now with people looking at him or her with hate, with rejection, with disgust. A previous witness testified that a significant number of these children as well as orphans are stuck in a cycle of substance abuse or prostitution. Both of these things are rooted in a lack of self-value, a lack of connection to any foundation. This is why I feel it's important that we take a look at this, to learn from our past mistakes.
Forgive me if I'm misinterpreting this, but there seems to be a sort of an acceptance that these people are who they are, and that's that. What kind of effort is being made to push and to have these children become part of the rebuilding of the community, as opposed to unintentionally losing children of that generation and having them simply disappear because they don't fall into a particular category?
1:55 p.m.
Member, Humura Association
I'm not sure I understand your question.
Are you asking what could be done to help these children rebuild their lives?
1:55 p.m.
NDP
Tyrone Benskin NDP Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
Yes, to rebuild their own lives; they're 15 or 20 years old at this point, so we may be at a point where we've lost the opportunity to rebuild the relationship between mother and child, or community and child. How do we help them rebuild their own lives so that they become a contributing part of the community, and thus the community begins to move forward within itself?
2 p.m.
Member, Humura Association
I should just clarify that all of these children are the same age, 19 years old, since the events took place between April and July 1994. They don't range in age from 15 to 19; they are all 19 years old, give or take a month or two, but no more.
These children are left to their own devices. I talked about the fact that they have been rejected by their mothers, their families, their classmates and playmates, as well as the government. Nothing can be done as far as the relationship with their mother is concerned. It's impossible, as I explained. The children remind these women of the suffering they endured during the genocide. Keep in mind that these women were raped after their children and husbands were killed. They can't accept a child of rape taking the place of everyone they loved. These children weren't born of love.
Nothing can be done to make surviving family members or classmates accept these children. But, as I said, something can be done to make the government accept them.
As I pointed out, these children deserve the same benefits afforded to those who survived the genocide. I made that very clear. And as long as Canada does not provide any assistance, there is nothing it can do to influence the Rwandan government. It would be a different story if we were in London or Washington; things could be done. There are no other options.
2 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair (Mr. Wayne Marston (Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, NDP)) Conservative Scott Reid
Excuse me, Mr. Benskin, that's time. You've gone over your limit just a little bit.
On behalf of the committee, I want to thank you, sir, for your testimony today. You've been very expansive, and that's very helpful to us. I also want to wish you well. This is a significant concern to many of us around this table, both for what's happening in Rwanda but also for the people who have come here and made Canada their home. We wish you well and we thank you very much.
Is there any other business?
2 p.m.
Conservative
2 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair (Mr. Wayne Marston) Conservative Scott Reid
Merry Christmas to everybody, and to all a good night.
The committee is adjourned.