April 17, 1994: Rwanda hospitals become sites of genocidal slaughters

On April 17, 1994, several Tutsi, including patients, their caretakers, and other people who had taken refuge at Kigali University Teaching Hospital (CHUK), were attacked as the Genocide against the Tutsi went it its tenth day. According to records, many of the hospital staff were characterised by genocide ideology and hatred. For example, towards the end of 1993, some doctors were supplied with guns allegedly for their protection. ALSO READ: April 14–15, 1994: Kibungo’s 'darkest days' during Genocide against the Tutsi Dr Faustin Kanyangabo, the former director of the hospital, allowed armed soldiers to reside at the hospital’s premises, claiming it was for security purposes. Working with some medics, the soldiers carried out a census of the Tutsi who were in the hospital to avoid mistakenly killing Hutu. Interahamwe militias were camping near the hospital, waiting to kill all Tutsi thrown out by the doctors. On April 17, medics, including Dr Benoit Nteziryayo, Edithe Mukakabera, worked with a soldier called Pierre Kamashini to check patients’ ID cards to establish their ethnicity. They handed the IDs of the Hutu back to their holders, and kept those belonging to the Tutsi. ALSO READ: April 16, 1994: Genocide massacres peak in Rukumberi The Tutsi patients were discharged immediately, and as they made their way home, they were killed by Interahamwe near the hospital. Among the doctors, nurses, and hospital staff who took part in the plot to kill the Tutsi at CHUK were Dr Nteziryayo, who was tried in absentia and sentenced to 30 years of imprisonment by a Gacaca court, and Dr Theoneste Habyarimana, sentenced to life imprisonment by Gacaca court. At Ndera Neuropsychiatric Teaching Hospital, approximately 3,500 Tutsi were massacred, having taken refuge at the facility from various areas, such as Ndera, Rubungo, Jurwe, Murindi, Gasogi, Kanombe, and Remera. Interahamwe had started to attack them as early as April 8, from outside the fence. However, they could not kill many as they tried to fight back using traditional weapons. ALSO READ: April 15, 1994: Bulldozer used to crush Tutsi refugees in Nyange April 17, 1994, was characterised by many killings in various places. Between April 15 and 17, a notorious Interahamwe leader called Hassani Rubayiza had established a roadblock in Kitabi centre near Mont Kigali, where several Tutsi were killed and thrown into mining pits nearby. More Tutsi were murdered at the home of the Calcutta Sisters near St. Famille Catholic Church in Kigali, where they had taken refuge. Interahamwe attacked them, killing many, including women and children. These Interahamwe attacks were headed by Odette Nyirabagenzi, the councilor of Rugenge Sector, and Angeline Mukandutiye, the Inspector of Nyarugenge schools. The latter also supplied guns to Interahamwe, and her home was used to host them. ALSO READ: Politicians urged to renew efforts to fight against genocide ideology After the Genocide, Mukandutiye fled to Zaire (current DR Congo). She was sentenced to life imprisonment by Gacaca courts after a trial in absentia. In 2019, Mukandutiye was repatriated to Rwanda along with members of armed groups responsible of terrorist attacks and was handed over to Nyarugenge district prison to serve the sentence. On April 17, 1994, the genocidal government held a meeting in which some provincial governors were replaced by others considered more capable of speeding up Tutsi killings in their respective prefectures. Jean-Baptiste Habyarimana, the prefect of Butare, and Godefroid Ruzindana of Kibungo were sacked, replaced with extremists and later on murdered together with their families. ALSO READ: April 13, 1994: Massacres stain Kigali churches New extremist prefects were inaugurated. These included François Karera for Kigali-Ngari, Sylvain Nsabimana for Butare, Anaclet Rudakubana for Kibungo, Elie Nyirimbibi for Byumba, Basile Nsabumugisha for Ruhengeri, and Dr Charles Zirimwabagabo for Gisenyi. Many of them were later convicted of Genocide crimes. Karera was convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and was sentenced to life imprisonment, while Nsabimana was sentenced to 18 years of imprisonment. ALSO READ: April 11, 1994: Belgian withdrawal opens door to massacres in Kicukiro Zirimwabagabo was tried by a Gacaca court and sentenced to life imprisonment. Some others are still at large. On April 17, 1994, with support from Kanombe military camp, Interahamwe demolished the fence and entered the Kanombe hospital. Using weapons like grenades and guns, the soldiers massacred many people. Those who had not died were left for Interahamwe to finish them off. Other parts of the country also continued to face Tutsi massacres on the same day. These include Nyaruguru, where many were killed as they tried to flee to Burundi. In Bweyeye (currently in Rusizi District), a large number of Tutsi were killed at a Pentecostal ADEPR church. A Tutsi woman called Petronile Mukakarera, was gang-raped and killed afterwards.

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April 17, 1994: Rwanda hospitals become sites of genocidal slaughters