At least 13,000 bodies of victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi will be relocated from memorial sites that are deemed to be in a poor condition in Southern Province and placed in those that meet standards, Governor Alice Kayitesi has said. ALSO READ: Senators want merger of genocide memorial sites fast tracked The move is part of Rwanda’s plan to merge and consolidate genocide memorials, a decision that was taken after the government realised that maintaining a large number of memorials was challenging in the context of the country’s limited resources. A number of memorials were not up to standard and were poorly preserved. For instance, some were not roofed, while others were affected by rainwater. “It is a process that we have started, and it will continue. The relocation activity is carried out after discussions with the families of genocide survivors whose relatives are buried at these memorials. The bodies are relocated after the families understand the importance of this decision,” she explained. ALSO READ: Conservation of memorials key to prevention of genocide She added that so far, bodies of genocide victims buried in 19 graves have been relocated after consolidating six genocide memorials. The consolidation of genocide memorials in Southern Province is part of a broader effort to consolidate hundreds of memorials across the country, according to the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE). Genocide memorial sites are divided into three categories: national level, district level, and international level. The merging of some memorials is part of implementing the Presidential Order of May 2019, which outlines the modalities for the consolidation of Genocide memorial sites for the Genocide against the Tutsi. Memorial sites must have enough space to preserve the history of the genocide, a memorial garden, and other essential features. Recent figures show that there were 172 genocide memorial sites and 53 mass graves in the country. ALSO READ: Four Genocide memorials added to UNESCO World Heritage List This reflects progress in reducing the number of memorial sites, as a 2015 census indicated that there were 234 genocide memorial sites and 115 graves. Ibuka emphasized that sites that no longer contain genocide victims' bodies must still feature symbols to ensure that the history of those specific areas is not forgotten. Governor Kayitesi said that so far, 362 Genocide victims in Musambira Sector of Kamonyi District have been relocated. Southern Province originally had 55 graves and memorial sites, and this number will decrease after consolidation. “Most of these graves are located in Nyanza and Gisagara,” Kayitesi said. According to Zacharie Mwenedata, the President of Ibuka, the umbrella association of Genocide survivor organizations in Kamonyi, the coffins for the genocide victims’ bodies will also be improved before relocation. The merging of Genocide memorials continues across the country. Memorials in Rwamagana District, for instance, are set to be reduced from 11 to six after the merger.
