In 1994, in Rwanda, just before the ethnical and political tensions in that country culminated in the terrible human calamity, later known as the rwandan genocide. As a Journalist of the once powerful government political print media, Imvaho and La Relève, was asked to report on a rather unusual athletic event. Unusual because from a social and political point of view, it would have blown any sane person's mind for a team from the rebel front area to play against a "regular" team, in the capital city stadium , a government controlled area, at a time when the civil war had left the society deeply divided. Everyone was on alert, expecting acts of violence from opposing political parties; youths were trying to provoke fanatics of the rebel front team ,seen then as common national enemies.
" Sports have won " was the title i chose for my article on that much anticipated athletic, or rather politically motivated event. In the end, people got a chance to chat and greet some of their old buddies from the rebel front army without being intimidated or threatened for their audacious and endagering approach.
Sports have throughout time been used to bring people together; it is a social link diametrically opposed to cultural, political and religious tendencies, and sports create a space to celebrate humanism. People of different cultural, social and religious philosophies learn to live together as broad family. People often use games and sports as a means of relaxation: an indispensable remedy to various life unpleasing predicaments. People may be found busy competing in games such as billiard, table tennis, and foozeball. For instance, one could see many soccer fans gathered closely around the TV screen watching La Liga enthusiastically. Some of them may even be kind enough to share ideas on how games and sports carry great importance for them, even when they might be facing uncertainty about their lives. Whenever there is a very important international game, people become very excited. Sports pave way as a unifying force, bringing people together, even those from different backgrounds.This is a way for people to come back to their lives. Games in general make people chase that kind of idle mind away, keeping them busy so that they forget about any bad side of the situation they may be going through. Sports is important for our integral well being, as it is regarded as a social link and a kind of remedy for good health- a recipe for rejuvenating one's own person.
Mayele Deogratias Karegeya
