Districts unveil activities for Genocide commemoration

GISAGARA- The 16th commemoration of Genocide against Tutsi that kicks off next week, will be marked by public discussions in villages and giving decent burials to the remains of the victims exhumed in several parts of the Province, local government officials who talked to The New Times say.

Saturday, April 03, 2010
The remains of Genocide victims at Murambi Genocide memorial site (Photo P Ntambara)

GISAGARA- The 16th commemoration of Genocide against Tutsi that kicks off next week, will be marked by public discussions in villages and giving decent burials to the remains of the victims exhumed in several parts of the Province, local government officials who talked to The New Times say.

In Nyaruguru District, commemoration activities will officially begin on April 7 in Ngoma Sector followed by week-long activities which will include public debates to be held at village level.

"On April 18, we will accord a decent burial to the remains of 37 victims of the 1994 Genocide at Cyahinda Genocide memorial site,” said the district Mayor, Felix Sibomana.

In Gisagara District, the commemoration week will start in Save Sector, around a large pond of water where many Tutsi were dumped during the Genocide.

"We will join residents of Save Sector in remembering people who perished in this site,” said district Mayor Leandre Karekezi. "On April 20-27, we will accord decent burial of the remains of victims of Genocide that were exhumed from various parts of the district.”

In Huye district, activities will be held in Cells where several villages will take turns in organising commemoration activities during the mourning week.

Counselling teams have also been trained to handle trauma cases that may arise during this period.

"We have a team of students from the National University of Rwanda that has been trained to assist during this period,” said Aloysie Nyiransabimana, the district vice Mayor in charge of Social Affairs.

"We will also accord decent burial to the remains of over 128 victims of the 1994 Genocide, but the search for more remains is still on which we believe are still scattered in various places ,” she added.

Ends