QA Venue Solutions staff pays tribute to Ntarama Genocide victims

Staff members of QA Venue Solutions, a company that manages BK Arena, Zaria Courts, and Nyandungu Eco-Tourism Park, on April 23, visited Ntarama Genocide Memorial, former Catholic church in Bugesera District to commemorate the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The delegation, which included Rwandans and foreigners from diverse nationalities, paid tributes to over 6,000 victims laid to rest at the memorial, while deepening their understanding of the tragic history that unfolded in the region. ALSO READ: Ibuka renews call to reveal whereabouts of Genocide victims The visit was guided by Antoine Kagarama, an official from the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement, who provided a historical overview of how the Genocide against the Tutsi was prepared, particularly in Bugesera. He explained that since 1959, Bugesera had been deliberately designated as an uninhabitable place. Tutsi families from different parts of the country were forcefully relocated there, despite the area having no infrastructure, being infested with tsetse flies, and placed under strict military control. By 1994, the Tutsi living in Bugesera had endured decades of misery, effectively becoming prisoners in their own country. Kagarama highlighted that in 1968, Tutsi were forbidden from returning to their original homes or moving to more habitable areas. They were condemned to remain in Bugesera, which had become a semi-arid region. Eventually, the government even stopped providing food and other basic necessities, intentionally abandoning them to suffer. “Imagine, they were displaced and prisoners in their own country,” Kagarama said. ALSO READ: Genocide and its stopping - a true representation of worst and best of mankind Over time, restrictions tightened further. Tutsi were denied the right to cross into nearby Kanzenze Commune unless they had a “laissez-passer”. This travel document was required to go to Kigali or any other part of the country. In general, the laissez-passer was first used in Bugesera before it was applied in other parts of the country. The process involved obtaining a recommendation from the local mayor. This system led to the establishment of a well-known checkpoint on the road to Nyamata at a place today called Kuri Arrêt. In addition, people with private cars were prohibited from entering Bugesera or giving lifts to anyone from the area. According to Kagarama, this was done to prevent the illegal movement of Tutsi, especially those who had family members in Kigali or other regions, since many had already been displaced from their homes. ALSO READ: Kwibuka Timeline - April 10, 1994: Church sides with killers The worst aspect of the discrimination was in access to education, he said. Many Tutsi children were denied the right to attend school. They were not welcome in the first school in Bugesera, Collège de Rilima. It was constructed in 1973 by André Perraudin, a Swiss Catholic bishop who had a controversial role in Rwanda’s history. He had been involved in the formation of PARMEHUTU, a political party that spread the genocide ideology. The school was established for Hutu refugees from Burundi, while Tutsi children, though living in the same area, were barred from attending. “Children of refugees were allowed to study, but not the Tutsi,” Kagarama said. All these acts were the culmination of discriminatory policies initiated in preparation for the extermination of the Tutsi in 1994, the official said. Participants in the visit reflected on this history, honored the lives lost, and were reminded of the ongoing importance of unity, remembrance, and vigilance. John Ntigengwa, the Country Director of QA Venue Solutions, affirmed that such a visit is very important because as a company they believe it’s essential not only to contribute to Rwanda’s growth but also to understand its past and join Rwandans in commemoration of the Genocide. “It's a good opportunity for us all, especially young people among the team who are not Rwandan, to grasp the whole context. We learnt a lot and it doesn't stop here. For young people who are under good leadership, the ‘Never Again’ should be not just a phrase but ideas and actions,” Ntigengwa said. “For foreigners, some of whom had the wrong information about this history, they are here to observe and listen. This is helpful and it’s the reality of the context. Therefore, it’s a good opportunity for them to learn,” he added. Amri Yossouph from Egypt, on his first visit to a Genocide Memorial, described the experience as profound and emotional, expressing his hope to continue learning more. “It’s difficult to explain how shocking it was to witness evidence of an event that the world witnessed with no humanity,” he said. Jackson Ntshinga, a South Africa national said that the experience is “different from somebody telling you a story or listening from the radio.” “Rwandans are humble but still have scars in their hearts which is not something that could go away anytime soon. I doubt it could ever go away,” Ntshinga said. “I've learnt how to treat and teach each other very well. I know this can never happen again and we can't change and bring back whatever we've lost but we have to learn from what we've seen,” he added.

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QA Venue Solutions staff pays tribute to Ntarama Genocide victims