Butare varsity hospital honours Genocide victims

HUYE-Staff at Butare University Teaching Hospital (CHUB) on Thursday held a night vigil to remember victims the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi. For the second time, they honoured over 67 Tutsi, including the hospital’s former employees, who were killed at the hospital.

Friday, June 24, 2011

HUYE-Staff at Butare University Teaching Hospital (CHUB) on Thursday held a night vigil to remember victims the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.

For the second time, they honoured over 67 Tutsi, including the hospital’s former employees, who were killed at the hospital.

Testimonies indicated that instead of helping wounded Tutsi who sought assistance at the hospital, some nurses and doctors abandoned them, or at worst, killed them.

Speaking during the commemoration, Dr Andre Musemakweli, the Hospital Director, noted that the exercise was important for medical workers to rethink their task of protecting vulnerable people.

He noted that the misconduct of some of their colleagues during the Genocide should serve as a lesson.

"But, I am glad today that times have changed and we are all committed to handling our task professionally,” he observed.

Huye District Mayor, Eugene Kayiranga Muzuka, reminded the mourners that the Genocide was possible because the then government was involved in planning and executing it.

"Instead of planning for the country’s development, they sought to exterminate some residents,” he lamented.

He asked them to shun the Genocide ideology and concentrate on what will help the country develop.

As part of the exercise, the hospital plans to donate cows to vulnerable survivors in Rusatira sector, Huye District.

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