Districts urged to do more to renovate memorial sites

District leaders have been urged to ensure Genocide memorial sites in their respective jurisdictions are in proper state. Speaking ahead of this week’s commemoration period, Diogene Bideri, the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG) legal advisor, said some memorial sites needed special attention, adding that central government and districts were responsible for their maintenance. He said CNLG was doing advocacy to renovate the sites across the country, but districts had also committed to renovating those in sorry state. “Murambi, Gisozi, Gisenyi, Nyamata, Bisesero and Ntarama memorial sites are taken care of by the central government while districts take care of the rest of the memorial sites in the country. It is true that some memorial sites are in poor state. It all depends on the amount of attention districts pay to these sites. So the districts are to blame for the poor state of the sites,” he said. The 2012-2013 report by CNLG, presented to Parliament last year, said some of the memorial centres were either unfinished or not well built. The report added that others experienced flooding whenever it rained while some were being mismanaged. Mukarange Genocide memorial site in Kayonza District was cited among those that require a major facelift, requiring over Rwf10 million for renovation. Over 8,000 bodies of Genocide victims were laid to rest at Mukarange memorial site. According to the Ibuka president in the area, Ignus Munyurangabo, they were in the process of mobilising funds for renovation. “We have so far mobilised some funds to help us kick -start the renovation. However, we call for more support to enable us attain our objectives,” he said. Ibuka is the umbrella organisation of Genocide survivors. Munyurangabo further lamented that the site earmarked to be the major memorial site of the district remains substandard. “Mukarange still looks like a mere cemetery or graveyard. The space is very small, it’s not covered and is in a sorry state,” Munyurangabo said. Dativa Mukeshimana, another member of Ibuka, warned that the remains were beginning to be affected by rain.Between April 11 and 14, 1994, thousands of Tutsi were massacred when major attacks were launched on the Tutsi that had sought refugee at Mukarange parish. “It is quite disturbing to see this site in its current state. There is not even a sign post or the list of the victims. We request government to intervene,” she said. Kayonza has seven Genocide memorials, where 28,000 victims of the Genocide are buried. John Mugabo, the district mayor, said the public had been mobilised to offer more support in the form of manpower where necessary. He said there were other sites that needed renovation, but Mukarange would be given priority because it is the worst affected. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Districts urged to do more to renovate memorial sites