The management and members of staff of The New Times visited the Ntarama Genocide Memorial in Bugesera District on Wednesday, July 2, as part of the 31st commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The visit served both as a moment of honouring Genocide victims and a platform for learning about the history of the Genocide, especially in Bugesera, where Tutsi were isolated, persecuted and killed decades before 1994.

Located about 30 minutes from Kigali, the Ntarama memorial holds grim historical weight. Once a Catholic church, it became a killing ground in 1994 after thousands of Tutsi sought shelter inside and around it, only to be massacred by government soldiers and Interahamwe militias. The site is one of the country’s most visited Genocide memorials for its unique history.

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Patrick Rwasa, executive secretary of Ntarama Sector, who represented Bugesera District leadership during the commemorative event, emphasised the importance of remembrance and supporting Genocide survivors.

"We thank The New Times for visiting to learn about Ntarama’s history and for recognizing that the impact of the Genocide against the Tutsu continues,” Rwasa said, acknowledging the medical insurance support donated for 500 families.

"This is not only a welcome relief but also a reminder that the media has a role in national healing. The media must keep fighting. Denialists are louder and more numerous than ever. You must confront their lies with facts and protect the truth of our history,” he said.

Tens of thousands of Tutsi men, women, and children were killed in churches as they believed religious buildings would offer sanctuary. Ntarama Genocide Memorial, which is the final resting place of more than 5,000 victims killed at the church and its surroundings, is a testament of the cruelty with which the Genocide was perpetrated.

The memorial has undergone extensive restoration over the last 15 years. Restored belongings, torn Bibles, and bloodstained clothes of the victims and the weapons used to kill have been preserved for historical memory. Steel roofing structures now protect the remains of the former church buildings from rain and further decay.

The New Times management and staff observed a minute of silence and laid a wreath and flowers on the resting place in honour of the Genocide victims.