Survivors of the Genocide perpetrated against Tutsi from different parts of Musanze are calling for authorities to renovate three Genocide memorial sites in the district.

The run-down memorial sites are home to a combined 4,000 victims.

The memorial sites are Muhoza, that is home to over 800 victims who were particularly killed at the former Appeals Court’s Chambers in the former Ruhengeri Prefecture and neighbouring areas, Busogo memorial site and Kinigi memorial.

According to survivors, none of the three sites meets the minimum standards as the remains are just piled up in decomposing coffins, besides the fact that the sites are small and old.

"When it rains, running water from roads flows into the sites of Muhoza and Kinigi and this has greatly affected these memorials. You can’t proudly say that these are memorials where our loved ones are resting with dignity,” said Sawiya Nyirasafari, a survivor from Musanze.

She said that the two memorials were improvised in the aftermath of the Genocide and they were temporary from the very beginning.

Nyirasafari and others appeal to the district to make good on the promise they have made to construct an appropriate Genocide memorial where all the remains can be hosted to ensure the victims’ remains are kept in a dignified manner.

"It hurts a lot to see grass growing over the graves of our loved ones; we need a proper memorial where we will be sure that even the generations that will come after us will be able to visit and get to understand what happened here,” said Gaetan Kayitare, another survivor.

He said they have made this appeal for years but with little success.

In August last year, the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG) had asked the Ministry of Local Government to implore Musanze District to speed up the process to help thousands of remains of Genocide victims to get a decent burial not later than six months.

After the directive, officials from Musanze District, together with representatives of Genocide survivors from the district, held several meetings during which they jointly agreed on building a district Genocide memorial that will host remains from the three existing memorial sites in the district.

The six months have, however, since passed.

Speaking to The New Times, the Mayor of Musanze District, Jean Damascène Habyarimana, acknowledged that the district does not have any Genocide memorial that meets standards.

He assured that the district, together its partners, are committed to do all their best to build a new home for victims this year to give them deserved honour and at the same time conserve history.

"This is a must to have the memorial site that meets requirements and conversations with CNLG and Ibuka on where the site should be constructed have successfully ended with a commitment to construct it this fiscal year,” said the mayor 

Habyarimana revealed that the Musanze Genocide Memorial will be built in Kigombe Cell of Muhoza Sector in Musanze town.

He added that the district advisory committee has already allocated budget for the construction of the first phase. The memorial will be constructed within two phases at a tune of about Rwf600 million, he said.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com