April 12, 1994 was the sixth day since the full outbreak of the Genocide against the Tutsi, and while many lives continued to be lost on a horrifying scale across the country, a lot was taking place in political offices on the international level. In Kigali, for instance, as killings continued, prisoners were used to load corpses of victims onto dumpsters before being taken to be disposed of in trenches dug by tractors meant to be used to construct bridges and roads by the Ministry of Public Works (MINITRAPE). ALSO READ: Kwibuka Timeline - April 10, 1994: Church sides with killers General Dallaire, the Canadian military officer who was force commander of UNAMIR, a UN peacekeeping mission for Rwanda in 1994, learned of the heightened atrocities not only in Kigali but also in Gisenyi and Kibungo. He moved to report the killings. Meanwhile, in Bonn, Germany, Willy Claes, the Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs, told UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali that UNAMIR had become useless in Rwanda and was in danger, adding that there was an anti-Belgian climate in the country. With such, he proposed the suspension and withdrawal of the force. Boutros-Ghali replied: I share your analysis. Until then, the United Nations had consistently refused to strengthen the mandate of UNAMIR despite relentless appeals from Gen Dallaire. Boutros Ghali was out of his office in the United States all the while, continuing his travels abroad despite alarming reports from UNAMIR reporting several deaths since April 7, 1994. ALSO READ: April 11, 1994: When Belgian forces withdrew from ETO Kicukiro and killers pounced Frodouald Karamira calls on all extremists to exterminate Tutsi Speaking on Radio Rwanda early on the morning of April 12, MDR-Power leader Froduald Karamira told his listeners that the war was “everyone’s responsibility,” an idea that would be repeated frequently in the following few weeks. He called upon the Hutu “not to fight among themselves” but rather to “assist the armed forces to finish their work.” The same day, Radio Rwanda broadcast a press release from the Ministry of Defense. It denied “lies” about divisions in the armed forces and insisted that: “Soldiers, gendarmes [National Police], and all Rwandans have decided to fight their common enemy in unison and all have identified him. The enemy is still the same. He is the one who has always been trying to return the monarch who was overthrown.” The ministry asked Rwandans, soldiers and gendarmes to act together, carry out patrols and “fight the enemy.” ALSO READ: Timeline: April 7, 1994; Genocide spreads across the country Genocidal government leaves Kigali for Gitarama On April 12, 1994, the genocidal government left Kigali and settled in Gitarama (current Muhanga) where it continued to coordinate the extermination of the Tutsi in all prefectures. Killings continued in various parts of the country. For example, in Nyawera and Mukarange sectors of Kayonza District, there were extremely cruel killings between April 11 and 12. On the same date, Interahamwe militia killed a mother named Murebwayire who was pregnant, disemboweled her with a machete, and burned the fetus in fire, publicly. At Mukarange Catholic Parish, in the same district, the Tutsi who had taken refuge at the religious facility, hoping for some safety, were attacked by Interahamwe militia-men. Despite the effort they put up to try to defend themselves, they were overpowered due to the reinforcement from the police and the army, and were exterminated. ALSO READ: Timeline - April 8: President Sindikubwabo’s govt incites community, killings intensify Massacres in Nyamasheke, Kibuye In Nyabitekeri Sector of Nyamasheke District, Tutsi men were first forced to leave their homes to participate in a so-called security meeting. When they arrived at the supposed meeting place, the Tutsi men noticed that there was no meeting but that Interahamwe, armed with traditional weapons, were waiting for them to kill them. A local leader by the name of Joseph Kanyarurembo asked them to enter the sector office, where they were locked up. The killers wanted to set the office on fire, but apparently the petrol in their possession was of poor quality and did not burn. Kanyarurembo then asked a military reservist named Theodore Torero to throw a grenade in the building. He threw two grenades after which the killers entered and killed the Tutsi men inside the office. In the former Kibuye prefecture, on April 12, 1994, in the former Rwamatamu commune, a place highly populated by the Tutsi, also came under attack. In the past, since 1959, during the pogroms against the Tutsi, many people had always hidden in places like the commune offices and were not killed, though their property would be looted. ALSO READ: Kwibuka Timeline - April 9, 1994: France evacuates citizens amid escalating Tutsi massacres On April 12, 1994, a meeting was held at Rwamatamu Commune from 10am to 1.20pm, attended by local residents and leaders. At the end of the meeting, the leaders reassured the Tutsi that peace had returned and that they should return to their homes. But that was not the case. Not long after the meeting, a vehicle carrying soldiers and Interahamwe arrived at the commune, and shots began to be heard. More than 250 Tutsi were killed. Tutsi from Kamonyi thrown into Nyabarongo River On April 12, 1994, a large number of Tutsi from Kamonyi took refuge in the premises of Kigese health center. The killers attacked them and took them to Nyabarongo River using several usual paths leading there. They were killed and dumped in the river. The best-known site on Nyabarongo river where the Tutsi were rounded up before being thrown into this river is Ruramba. Such killings were always preceded by atrocious humiliations causing physical and mental degradation of the victims.
