Residents share reconciliation story

KAMONYI – Residents of Musambira and Nyarubaka sectors in Kamonyi district have agreed to work together and bury their past differences. At a ceremony to mark achievements made in restoring unity, various speakers from Giheta and Ruseke villages recalled how they were sharply divided along ethnic differences during and after Genocide, looking at each other with suspicion. Giheta residents are said to have mounted various attacks on their neighbors in Ruseke village. “Giheta residents killed their neighbors [during the Genocide] but with the help of Gacaca courts residents have since reconciled,” said Jean Claude Rutaringwa, one of the initiators of the reconciliation drives in the area. “We have asked for forgiveness from each other, compensated for destroyed property and now work together as brothers and sister.” Rutaringwa, stressed that forgiveness and Gacaca courts have played a big role in fostering unity and reconciliation. The residents reaffirmed their commitment to helping the survivors and vulnerable members of the community. Ends