The staff members of the Embassy of Israel in Rwanda on Friday, May 27, paid tribute to the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi buried at Nyanza-Kicukiro Genocide Memorial, Kicukiro District.

The ceremony was also attended by the Programs Director at Ibuka Rwanda, Olivier Brave Ngabo, who explained the history of the place during the genocide.

Nyanza-Kicukiro Genocide Memorial is home to more than 105,000 victims, many of whom were killed from different parts of Kigali City.

While explaining the uniqueness of the killings at the place, Ngabo said that in 1994, at ETO-Kicukiro (currently IPRC-Kigali) there were troops serving under UNAMIR, a reason to why many Tutsis in the surrounding sought refuge, hoping to be protected by these well-armed UN soldiers.

However, he said, the Belgian contingent left the country, leaving Tutsis in the hands of Interahamwe militia who made them walk to Nyanza where they were killed. Those who failed to make it were killed on the way.

"The perpetrators brought Tutsis here because they feared they would be seen by foreigners who were passing near Sonatubes heading to the Kigali International Airport. Some Tutsis were killed along the way to Nyanza, and those who were brought at this place were also brutally murdered. Of more than 3,000 Tutsis who were escorted from Etoo Kicukiro to Nyanza, only 90 people survived,” he explained.

In his remarks, Ambassador of Israel to Rwanda,  Ron Adam said that the genocide against the Tutsi and the Holocaust have many things in common.

"As a second generation Holocaust survivor, I can tell what it feels like to expect death at any time, to find no safe place to hide and to be gathered in a single place with a single intention; killing you because of how you were born. My thoughts and prayers go to the victims of the genocide against the Tutsi, and we stand in solidarity and comfort those who survived,” he said

The Ambassador also stressed that genocide survivors should share their personal testimonies as much as they can and put them in writing where possible, noting that it is a long-lasting weapon to fight genocide denial.

"This will also help the post-genocide generation to know the truth of what happened during the genocide and be able to confront genocide deniers,” he added.

After laying wreaths at the memorial site, the staff of the Israel Embassy in Rwanda visited ‘Jardin de la Mémoire’ (Garden of Memory).