SOUTHERN PROVINCE

NYANZA/MUHANGA – Remains of 186 Genocide victims were over the weekend given a befitting reburial at Gatagara Memorial Site in Mukingo Sector, Nyanza District.

The president of IBUKA, an umbrella organization of Genocide survivors, Theodore Simburubudari, who was among the mourners urged survivors to work hard in order to build a future full of hope for their families.

He also cautioned residents against breeding Genocide ideology and negation of the Genocide.

In Nyamabuye Sector, Muhanga District, remains of five people were also laid to rest at Kabgayi Memorial Site.

During the reburial, many ADEPR Christians complained about the conduct of  some members of the clergy during the time the Genocide was carried out.Some Christians indicated that some of the members of the clergy must have  played a big role in the deaths of over the 1,000 victims.

One survivor, Pastor Aimable Kabanda, said the killings at ADEPR Nyabisindu were led by pastors- who in most cases betrayed their flock.

Kabanda recalled that he witnessed the killing of over 500 Tutsi on April 12 1994 - who were dumped in a pit near the church premises.

"As a pastor, it was the worst horror I ever witnessed to see that Christians were being murdered in front of the Church under the watch of our church leaders,” Kabanda said.

According to Kabanda, the actual number of victims has never been established yet some of the perpetrators are still at large. 

The pastors suspected of involving in Genocide in the area include Pastor Yohani Segahutu, Simon Pierre Gatera, Enoch Nyanwdi and one Goretti Utuyisoni- a pastor’s wife.

Survivors say that so far the remains of many victims have never been recovered making it difficult to organize reburial .

They have suggested  that a special committee be put in place with an intent of  gathering concrete information on how the killings were conducted .

Since 1999, another Pastor  Charles Twagirimana has said that efforts to establish facts about the killings at Nyabisindu have been frustrated by leaders of ADPR Church.

"ADEPR church has continued to block such  efforts since 1999 and some pastors who supported the idea of a special committee have been silenced and some have been even demoted,” he said.

"We want the truth of the matter with respect to the killings to be established and the victims to be reburied.

The church should let survivors get involved in the process so that justice is expedited,” Twagirimana said in a separate interview.

Pastors, who spoke at the memorial, asked Christians to change the course of the country’s history by fighting Genocide ideology while fostering unity and reconciliation.

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