Rutsiro: Genocide survivors urge efforts to find missing remains of loved ones

Genocide survivors in Rutsiro District have renewed their call for information on the whereabouts of missing remains of their loved ones who were killed in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The appeal was made during a commemoration event held at the Nyamagumba Genocide Memorial on Monday, April 13, where survivors noted that thousands of victms have yet to be given a decent burial due to a lack of information about where they were killed. 22 Genocide victims recovered from construction sites and other areas in Gihango and Mushubati sectors were laid to rest on Monday at the Nyamagumba Genocide Memorial, which is the final resting place for more than 10,000 victims. “We believe that some remains are still buried beneath buildings, and they number in the thousands, especially in urban areas,” said Balthazar Munyentwari, who spoke on behalf of the families whose loved ones were given a dignified burial. ALSO READ: Rubavu mayor urges continued fight against genocide ideology from DR Congo “Although 32 years have passed, we urge those with information to come forward and show us where our loved ones were dumped,” added Munyentwari. According to Philippe Niyonsenga, representative of the Genocide survivors' organisation Ibuka in Rutsiro, more remains continue to be discovered during infrastructure development projects across the district. “To this day, we still find remains during construction activities,” he told The New Times. “This suggests that some people are still unwilling to disclose what they know about where victims were dumped.” Locating the genocide remains is a crucial step toward healing for survivors, Niyonsenga said calling on those with the information “to be open and tell the truth in order to promote unity and reconciliation among Rwandans.” ALSO READ: FDLR’s long survival and the spread of genocide ideology Meanwhile, residents of Rutsiro—one of the districts bordering DR Congo—were urged to remain vigilant, as perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in the neighboring country still harbor the same hate ideology and attempt to carry out similar killings, as warned by Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, who attended over the commemoration event. “We must commit ourselves to ensuring that what happened never happens again,” said the minister. “The principle of ‘Never Again’ requires vigilance and a shared responsibility to protect our country, both from within and beyond our borders.” “There are people across Lake Kivu who want to bring that back—you know them. They still hold the same genocidal ideology even after 32 years. Let us all stand up and prevent them, together with our security forces.”

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Rutsiro: Genocide survivors urge efforts to find missing remains of loved ones