11 districts will from next month undergo an exercise of documenting wiped-out families in a process that will end in May 2019 before their commemoration in the same month. Fidele Nsengiyaremye, the Executive Secretary of Groupe des Anciens Etudiants et Elèves Rescapés du Genocide (GAERG), an organisation founded by Rwandan graduate Genocide survivors told Sunday Times that they decided to do the census in the 11 districts at the same time because of the growing concern that information about wiped out families would be erased forever. “People who have this particular information are growing old and forgetting while others are dying. We’re afraid if we don’t finish the exercise soon we’ll have lost the information we need about the wiped out families” he said. So far, 9,706 families have been documented to have been wiped out in 42,647 households from 19 districts. 11 districts are yet to be documented. Nsengiyaremye said that partners including the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG) have accelerated their support for the cause of accomplishing the exercise. “We’re preparing to publish a book about wipe-out families and all partners have agreed that we accomplish the exercise so that the book is published”. Nsengiyaremye says that in many cases details of individual members of the family like their full names, ages are difficult to capture which makes the exercise difficult. “You find that the wife’s name is unknown and the children. This in many cases is due to forgetfulness because of the time that has elapsed without talking about the victims”. The exercise will conducted in the districts of Rwamagana, Kayonza, Nyagatare Bugesera, Nyanza, Nyaruguru, Huye, Gisagara, Rusizi, Nyamasheke and Ngororero districts. Nsengiyaremye called upon individuals and institutions to join hands with GAERG in the cause of documenting wiped-out families. “We call on anyone who has information that can help this exercise to contact us,” he said. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
