About seven years since he survived from the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, veteran journalist Marcel Rutagarama found comfort in the sports world when he started commentary at Radio Rwanda in 2001. Born in the former Cyeru Sector, now in Mugina Sector, Kamonyi District, the 49-year-old started his journey as a football commentator at a time he was battling the scars left by the killing of his family that he lost during the 1994 tragedy. However, that did not stop him from not only establishing himself as one of the most popular sports journalists of his time but his career also helped him in the rebuilding and reconciliation process as he wanted to build a bright future. The father of three has now switched from journalism to doing youth-related radio programmes, including a prominent one called ‘Urubyiruko rw’u Rwanda’ which airs every Friday at 2pm. Surviving Genocide The massacres of April 25 and 26 in 1994 always bring a sense of reflection in Rutagarama’s memory. “I feel like I am carrying a heavy burden on my head.” His family was killed at Mugina Catholic Parish on April 25 while the rest of the Tutsi victims were slaughtered at the same place the following day. The killings of Tutsi in Mugina came late due to the fact that the area’s Burgomaster Callixte Ndagijimana did not support the killings during his reign before he was eventually killed by those who weren’t happy for his interference in their plan to kill Tutsi victims. The killings were executed by perpetrators under the supervision of Major Pierre-Claver Karangwa who, alongside Major Jean Damascene Ukurikiyeyezu, were in charge of execution of Genocide against the Tutsi in former Gitarama Prefecture. Karangwa, who is famously known to have orchestrated the killings of over 50 000 Tutsi in Mugina, is reportedly on the run in the Netherlands. “I believe justice will be served and see him [Karangwa] brought to justice. He is out there and we trust our justice will make sure he pays for what he did,” says Rutagarama Rutagarama is the only survivor from his family, including eight siblings and both his parents. He describes how he was nearly buried alive after being severely injured and escaped from his perpetrators during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. “On the day of killing Tutsi who fled to Mugina Parish, one hit me with a machete on my head and I lost consciousness and when I regained consciousness, I found my body was full of blood from wounds on my head, the back and my belly. They actually wanted to cut me into two pieces,” he narrates. Rutagrama was surrounded by many corpses of slain Tutsis that were supposed to be buried as perpetrators to prevent satellites taking pictures of dead bodies. He would have been buried alive if it had not been for the mercy of one of the men who let him go when he came to the spot to collect the corpses of the killed victims. “A friend of mine who was my school mate almost buried me among other victims until he found out that I was alive. He told me that he and his colleagues were ordered to bury the corpses but secretly advised me to do my best and find an escape in a sorghum plantation that was nearby the parish. He was so scared to help me out because he thought he would be killed,” he said. Rutagarama was able to escape and, luckily, was among the casualties that were taken to Kabgayi Hospital, in Muhanga District. He healed from the injuries and survived after the RPF-Inkotanyi troops liberated Kabgayi. Sports as a healing tool Rutagarama introduced himself to journalism in 2001 where he started as football commentator at Radio Rwanda and quickly became a popular figure at a time when there were hardly any private raidos. However, he started the profession at a time that when he had not yet recovered from the grief of what he experienced during the Genocide and he attributed sports as one of the most powerful tools that helped him reconcile with people who that had killed his family and the Tutsi in general. He recalls the time he wanted to avenge anyone whom he knew was involved in the killings of Tutsi. “As we watched football matches together at the stadium, shared drinks after the match, I started to become a different person to the point that I was ready to help a person who I knew had been involved in the genocide,” he said. It is through sports that Rutagarama made a lot of friends regardless of what they represent in the history of Genocide. “That time (2000s), many of the genocide survivors were still too angry to speak to anyone and I was no exception. But sports played a key role in my journey to recovery from our horrific history,” he says. From his experience as a sports journalist, Rutagarama is convinced sports has the power to unite and reconcile Rwandans. Ready to forgive Rwanda is hailed for the progress it has achieved towards unity and reconciliation among Rwandans, especially between those who were involved in the Genocide and the survivors. To Rutagarama, however, reconciliation still has a long way to go as long as some perpetrators refuse to seek apology for the genocide crimes they committed. “It surprises me that I haven’t seen anyone coming to me to seek an apology for what they did. I know some served their sentences and were later released but no one has come to say ‘sorry’ to me. It’s so sad,” he said. “But whoever wishes to apologise, I am ready to forgive,” he said.
