Hundreds turn up for burial of Genocide remains in Uganda

UGANDA - Hundreds of mourners yesterday participated in the burial of over 4,000 Genocide remains at the Ggolo Memorial Site in Mpigi District, Uganda. The mourners, led by the guest of honor - the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG), Jean de Dieu Mucyo, laid to rest the remains of 4,772 victims. Of these, 3,817 were shifted from Dimo and Malembo sites in Masaka district and transferred to Ggolo which becomes the third memorial centre after Kasensero in Rakai district and Lambu in Masaka. Caskets containing the remains were lowered into two mass graves amid hymns led by Ggolo sub parish choir.“In grief we must find strength and pride to build our self respect and defy those who sought to devalue us,” Mucyo said. He underscored the importance of remembering the Genocide victims, adding that memory honors the dead and bestows dignity to the survivors. The highly emotional event was also graced by among others; Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Uganda, Frank Mugambage and the Permanent Secretary in Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign affairs Ambassador James Mugume. Mugambage asked the mourners to always avoid bad leaders who only think of divisionism and hatred, saying that it is such leadership that caused the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Mugume called for the upholding the Never Again notion, and said that the Genocide memorial sites should serve as wake up call to Genocide deniers and revisionist all over the world. “The Rwandan people fought with us and we shall always fight with them because a friend in need is a friend indeed,” said the Mpigi Resident District Commissioner Katenda Luutu, who was also among the invited guests. The land on which the site is established was donated by Mhamood Noordin Thobani, a Ugandan businessman who played a significant role in preserving the bodies. Ends