Construction of Musha Genocide site complete

Rwamagana -  Musha Genocide memorial site in Rwamagana District is now complete. It will accommodate the remains of over 5,000 genocide victims, which have been kept in Musha Church since 2010.The Chairperson of Ibuka in Rwamagana, Dativa Musabyeyezu, said that the new site is special.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Rwamagana -  Musha Genocide memorial site in Rwamagana District is now complete.

It will accommodate the remains of over 5,000 genocide victims, which have been kept in Musha Church since 2010.

The Chairperson of Ibuka in Rwamagana, Dativa Musabyeyezu, said that the new site is special.

"Genocide victims in Musha were killed with the kind of brutality never witnessed in human history. Most of them were killed inside the Church and dumped in mines,” she said.

The construction of the site cost Rwf11 million.

The Mayor of Rwamagana, Nehemie Uwimana, thanked the Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG) and other institutions that contributed to the project. He said the Genocide victims will now be accorded a decent burial.

"Remains are in a church that is used by Christians for daily prayers. It is absolutely an unhealthy environment in all aspects,” he said.

Meanwhile, Musabyeyezu called for the closure of Musha mining site, saying that miners keep retrieving remains of genocide victims.

 "Miners come out with body parts of victims...it would be prudent to close the mines- Survivors feel grieved. Bodies are scattered in the mines.”

Jean Kabaranga, a resident in the neighbouring sector of Mwurile, told The New Times that the exact number of victims in Musha will never be known.

The Tutsi who were killed in Musha were not only its residents, but also others from elsewhere who had taken refuge in the church, he said.

"You know Churches were regarded as safe havens, ironically, they turned into butcher houses. Musha was the biggest Church in the area, so Tutsi from a far came to seek refuge.” Kabaranga said.

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