In Karongi District, 143 remains of victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi were laid to rest with dignity at the Gatwaro Genocide Memorial. The ceremony served as both a somber farewell and a stern critique of those who continue to withhold information regarding the location of mass graves.
A Long-Awaited Peace for Survivors
For many families, the day brought a painful but necessary sense of closure. Alfred Imaniriho, 33, shared that he finally feels at peace after burying his mother. Her remains were only recently discovered near their former home, 32 years after she was killed.
“Someone finally came forward with information, and we followed up to find she had been dumped near our house,” Imaniriho said. “After burying her with honor, I feel a weight has been lifted from my heart.”
Cyprien Kabera, speaking on behalf of the bereaved families, expressed deep gratitude to the RPF-Inkotanyi forces for stopping the genocide. “We thank God for using the ‘angels’ known as the Inkotanyi to save the Tutsi. Our gratitude goes to President Paul Kagame and the troops he led.”
The Silence of Neighbors
The burial coincided with the 32nd Commemoration (Kwibuka 32), specifically honoring the more than 15,000 people slaughtered at Gatwaro Stadium and its surroundings.
Vedaste Ngarambe, the President of Ibuka in Karongi District, detailed the origins of the remains:
-
139 bodies were discovered across various sectors.
-
4 bodies were relocated from inappropriate burial sites.
-
80 bodies were unearthed by roadwork machinery near IPRC Karongi (formerly ETO Kibuye), at a site where a notorious roadblock once stood.
Ngarambe questioned the persistent silence of local residents who lived near these killing sites. “We still wonder: these bodies were found right next to people’s homes. How can you live next to a roadblock where people were being butchered for three months and say nothing for 32 years?”
A History of Brutality in Kibuye
The scale of the tragedy in the former Kibuye Prefecture remains staggering. According to Ngarambe, under the orders of the then-Prefect Clement Kayishema, Interahamwe militias killed approximately 200,000 Tutsi within just seven days.
The Bwishyura Sector alone serves as a massive graveyard, housing four major memorials:
-
Gatwaro: Over 15,000 victims.
-
Home Saint Jean: 11,000 victims.
-
Saint Pierre: 9,000 victims.
-
Nyamishaba: 3,500 victims.
The event concluded with a renewed call for truth-telling as a foundation for unity and a plea for anyone with information on undiscovered remains to come forward so that every victim may receive a dignified burial.
