NORTHERN PROVINCE

The staff of Parc National de Volcanos has donated Frw400,000 to Genocide survivors, many of whom escaped death after days of hiding in the national park.

Gafero Petero Karaveri, a survivor and retired school teacher says that the animals in the park helped shield many people who were hunted in 1994.

"Prior to the Genocide, we risked to hide in the park,” Karaveri says.

"But when the situation worsened we crossed to Ruthuru [in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.0] Others who could not penetrate the forest of Virunga did not survive.”

While donating the money, community conservation manager Benjamin Mugabukomeye said that after the park officials visited the Genocide memorial in Gisozi, they thought about visiting and offering money to the survivors.

Genocide survivors from Kinigi are grouped in an association and have so far acquired two Friesian cows.

Joseph Munyarutete, chairman of the association, expressed happiness and gratitude and said that those who were most disadvantaged than others, especially the aged and widows, would receive preliminary benefits of the donations.

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