SOUTHERN PROVINCE

MUHANGA — The Government has asked the Catholic Church and residents of Gitarama to avail information on the Kabgayi Diocese massacres carried out during the 1994 Genocide.

The call was made by Esperance Nyirasafari, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice on August 3. This was during the burial of remains of 588 Genocide victims at Kabgayi memorial site.

The call follows complaints that these details of the killings still remain unknown 14 years after the genocide.

Addressing hundreds of mourners, Nyirasafari said, "The killings are said to have been done by some residents of former Gitarama province, Interahamwe militias and former government soldiers.

But the information gathered during Gacaca has not been satisfactory.”

She added, "This information has to be recollected and the truth is told, so that victims can know what exactly happened to their beloved ones and pave way for healing.”

Various leaders including Domitila Mukantaganzwa, the Gacaca boss, and the association of genocide victims have previously made the same call.

Previously, Mukantaganzwa asked the Bishop of Kabgayi Diocese, Smargade Mbonyintege to assist in the process of gathering more information on the killings in the area.

An unknown number of people were massacred at the church premises and its surroundings, the bodies could be spotted on the roadside during the genocide; according to various testimonies of survivors.

Nyirasafari reminded the mourners that unity and reconciliation was at the centre of development, and all Rwandans to take advantage of the President’s (Paul Kagame) exemplary leadership to fight perpetrators of genocide ideology.

At the burial ceremony, Bishop Mbonyintege, and other local leaders condemned residents for abandoning the memorial vigil to survivors.

Mbonyintege said that genocide is an issue which affected all Rwandans and each ones’ participation is needed in order to attain unity and reconciliation.

The commander of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) 4th Division, Brig, Gen. Mubarak Muganga urged residents to maintain peace and security and utilise the available security in the country to build the nation.

The latest remains to be given decent burial were collected from various areas including forests and pits around Kabgayi. Most of the bodies were detached from the heads..

Over 6,000 victims are currently buried at the Kabgayi site, which was recently expanded to accommodate more bodies.  

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