Musha Genocide victims accorded decent burial

RWAMAGANA-Remains of over 5,700 Tutsi genocide victims in Musha, Rwamagana District were, yesterday, offered a befitting burial at a newly completed Genocide Cemetery. All roads led to Kumugina centre in Musha sector as tens of thousands of Rwandans paid tribute to the victims. Musha genocide cemetery is now home to more than 17,000 genocide victims. Tutsi in the former Gikoro and Bicumbi communes were tortured, killed and dumped in huge open cassiterite mines. It took over Rwf 12 million, collected from various sources , to retrieve the remains and build the cemetery. Placide Habimana, a teenager during the Genocide, said that the Tutsi were tricked into hiding at the Musha Church where they were pursued and systematically butchered. The second year university student, who survived, saidTutsi were betrayed by their Hutu neighbours and the Church. “The Church you see today was a butcher house...Tutsi were starved and tortured to death. The then regime used government machinery to crack down every individual, Tutsi family. Only handful survived,” he said. Anastase Nabahire, who spoke on behalf of the survivors, reiterated that the systematic planning of the genocide virtually left no Tutsi alive in the area. He said that Musha’s fertile land and climate had attracted many Tutsi, who were cattle keepers. “Musha is a fantastic area to live in...Tutsi admired the area because it favoured cattle keeping. The genocide planners thus made it one of its main targets... Most of it is uninhabited today. So, let new settlers occupy it to bring back its glory,” he said. Janvier Gafaranga, Ibuka Executive Secretary, urged the people to castigate revisionists. The day-long ceremony was attended by Dr. Aisa Kirabo Kacyira, the Governor of Eastern Province among other high ranking security officials. Ends

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Musha Genocide victims accorded decent burial