Survivors narrate their suffering at vigil

UPSETTING testimonies from Genocide survivors who told of their despicable suffering at the hands of ruthless Interahamwe militias dominated a night vigil on the first day of Genocide memorial week at Amahoro National Stadium. Thousands of mourners turned up for the vigil on Monday night, during which those present observed a night of silence in remembrance of the over one million victims of the Genocide. Speakers and survivors appealed to the nation and the international community to fight the genocide ideology and its promoters to avoid the recurrence of the same tragedy anywhere. Survivors recalled with sadness the plight of many innocent Tutsis long before the Genocide under the despotic regimes of Juvenal Habyarimana and Gregoire Kayibanda. One survivor, Esperance Mukamugurwa, gave details of the murder of a baby known as Umutoni. When the killers struck, the baby smiled innocently, but one of the attackers speared her to death, Mukamugurwa narrated as she fought back tears. Her body was thrown into a latrine. I can’t walk property because of the effects of the Genocide but at least I thank God I am still alive, she told those present. Wails and screams could be heard in the terraces of the 25,000-seater stadium. A documentary on Genocide was also shown in French as candle light was substituted for the normal stadium lights. Speakers also took a swipe at the international community’s indifference during the Genocide. We are speaking here of the failure of the western countries who sat with their hands folded as ours were being killed. They ate and laughed when Rwandans were being butchered, one Veronica said. : Our parents were killed, but what hurts me most is that they never lived to enjoy today’s peace…to see a Government that treats all Rwandans equally, She lamented. She gave a harrowing account of how she was gang-raped and left for the dead, only to be rescued by the Rwandese Patriotic Army, which defeated the Genocidal regime. They washed me and told doctors to look after me, she recalled. The function was also characterized by memorial songs as emotions ran high among the crowd, with counsellors struggling to deal with trauma cases. The official mourning week ends on April 14 although some memorial activities go on in various parts of the country for three months – the duration of the Genocide.Ends