6,000 Genocide victims laid to rest

HUYE – An estimated 6,000 victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi were on Sunday re-buried at the newly constructed memorial site in Ngoma sector, Huye district.Thousands of mourners thronged Huye airstrip to pay their last respect to the victims. During a requiem mass where Bishop Philippe Rukamba of Butare Catholic Diocese was the chief mourner, Father Jerome Masinzo, gave an emotional testimony of how he survived the killings hiding in a cupboard inside Ngoma Catholic Church -a testimony that left many in tears.“For me the past and the present are like night and day. There is a great difference,” he said as he narrated his ordeal.Dr Jean Pierre Dusingizemungu, the president of IBUKA, commended the high turn-up saying that it was a good sign that the population has realised the importance of paying respect to Genocide victims.IBUKA is the umbrella of Genocide survivors’ associations.He observed that remembrance activities have helped a lot in healing the wounds inflicted by the Genocide.Dusingizemungu noted that 18 years after the Genocide, its survivors are showing the courage and determination to build a brighter future, for themselves, the community and the country in general.“Today, it is clear that survivors have decided to move forward while striving to rid the society of any form of hatred,” Dusingizemungu said.“From their history, survivors have learnt that hatred and discrimination lead to death. So, they have chosen the better way of building a united community for a brighter future of this nation,”He appealed for continued support to survivors, calling for the setting up of local funds to support vulnerable survivors in their respective communities.The Minister of Culture and Sports, Protais Mitali, observed that the massive turnout should be accompanied by the provision of information on the whereabouts of the victims who are yet to be accorded decent burial.“By providing information on the Genocide planners, executors and the whereabouts of victims you will be giving your contribution in building a better and harmonious society while at the same time supporting the healing process for Genocide survivors,” Mitali said.He urged survivors to always strive for improved welfare, which he said, is another way of honouring their loved ones.

National

6,000 Genocide victims laid to rest