SOUTHERN PROVINCE

NYAMAGABE — Students and staff of Kicukiro College of Technology (KCT) and Kigali Health Institute (KHI), last Friday paid tribute to Genocide victims buried at Murambi Genocide Memorial site.

Francois Rusanganwa, a guide at the memorial recalled that the victims were drawn to their death trap through empty promises that they would be protected.

He said: "Tutsi were urged to gather here by local leaders who assured them of security. Many believed this lie. They left their hiding places and gathered here where they were mercilessly killed on the night of April 21 1994.”

According to Rusanganwa, the victims at Murambi were thoroughly searched for any weapons then two weeks later they would be served with a meal of rice to encourage them to stay at the former technical school.

"Some Tutsi had started to flee the technical school because of lack of food and water. A late meal of rice was served on April 21 1994. This was later followed by 3.00am attack that left thousands dead,” he added.

The students and staff from the two institutions had a guided tour of the memorial’s 14 rooms that contain some of the bodies of the victims, before laying wreaths on graves containing remains of over 50,000 Genocide victims.

"Seeing has a strong impact than hearing,” said Joseph Mfinanga, the Principal of KCT after touring the memorial. "We should strengthen and promote the ‘Never Again’ notion.”

He called upon students as future leaders, to plant good seeds and to preserve positive social values in society.

"Tutsi here were killed in the most brutal of ways; this is a bitter lesson for us all. The ‘Never Again’ notion should not be mere rhetoric but should be put into action by all,” said Leonard Kagimanyi, an official from KHI.

"As youths, we have a big role to play in ensuring that Genocide never happens again in any form any where in the World,” Innocent Kalisa Ngabo, the President of Genocide students’ associations in Higher Institutions of Learning said.

The Kicukiro College of Technology donated Rwf1m towards the maintenance of the memorial.

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