NUR students held over derogatory remarks

SOUTHERN PROVINCE HUYE — The Police are holding two students from the National University of Rwanda (NUR) for questioning over remarks made during the official Genocide commemoration week that ended, Tuesday. The two, Innocent Habarurema, a third year statistics student and Elipharz Singayumuhezo a second year electronics student made the remarks on April 8. Sources revealed that Habarurema who was making his evangelical teachings during the commemoration said that not only Tutsi died during the Genocide but also Hutus and Abaciga a reference to people from the Northern part of the Country. “This was construed by many as a reference to the double Genocide theory advanced by revisionists,” said Geraude Nyabutsitsi, the coordinator of the association of student survivors of the 1994 Genocide at the National University of Rwanda. Nyabutsitsi added: “We put him to task to explain his statement further and he apologised but Police thought that he had a case to answer.” Sources further revealed that Singayumuhezo, on April 11 during public discussions in Cyarwa Cell near the University, had sought to advance his thinking that the commemoration was only about Tutsi Genocide survivors. In a related story, the official Genocide commemoration week ended at the the campus with a call on students to show greater participation in future commemoration activities. Part of the closing ceremony of the commemoration included accounts by survivors. In a chilling testimony, Rombe salum, who was a student at the University during the Genocide narrated how he was hunted down by fellow students. “It was my fellow students who handed me out to soldiers and Interahamwe so as to be killed,” said Rombe. He narrated how the explosive political climate in the country had spilled over to the campus during the days leading to Genocide. The Varsity vice-Rector in charge of Administration and Finance, Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana promised the University community unwavering support to the Genocide survivors. He outlined different research projects on Genocide being undertaken such as recently introduced Master’s programme in Genocide studies as steps in ensuring that Genocide ideology is kept under check. The Varsity also set aside October 21 as the day to pray for the souls of those who perished at the University during the 1994 Genocide. Ends