Nyamata Memorial Visits

Yesterday we traveled to the southern part of the country, no less than 30Km from the Burundi boarder. Our group of 17 packed into one mutato (taxi bus) and ventured for our first time outside of Kigali. Once we left the city limits the newly paved road took us meandering through the hills lined with banana groves. Mud huts dotted the hills and every once in a while we would see small villages under construction. These villages are part of a governmental mandate as they believe it is safer for the people to consolidate into villages as they would be more vulnerable living isolated and scattered throughout the country side. Much attention has been paid to the southern region of Rwanda. Historically, Tutsi’s were forced to relocate in the south because it was thought to be less inhabitable and the Hutus were establishing their power center in the north. When the genocide broke out, the Interhamway moved down into the south and attacked the Tutsi’s in mass. We visited two churches that were horrific genocide sites. The memorials were kept almost exactly as they had been left in April of ’94; windows remained shattered, blood stains were unwashed, doors hung on their hinges, bars that had been pried apart by the perpetrators were still bent, and holes dug by the victims in desperation were left unfilled. Personal items such as toot brushes, shoes, jewelry, cloths, and identity cards were laid out for display. The skeletons were arranged by body type and lined on shelves. The first church was the site of 5,000 deaths, the second 10,000. There is no way to describe the scene or the emotions one feel when faced with such horror. As I stared into the hollow eyes of the skeletons I felt a commitment to upholding the resolution of never again.

Juxtaposed to the memorial sites, we visited a couple different development project sites. The first was near-and-dear to my heart. It was a NGO and government sponsored project to help fight poverty and malnutrition by building sustainable stoves. The stoves were made out of a creative mixture of sand and mud that with a limited amount of heat could stay warm for hours. This project has supplied people with jobs, clean boiled water, and they use about ¾ less firewood which is a benefit to the environment and also to the women and girls who have to go far distances to collect firewood. Now, instead of collecting wood, the girls are able to go to school! Some of the villages nearby have received large stoves in the school so that the children are able to receive sustenance during the school day. Amazing huh! When asked how the stove project has helped to create peace and reconciliation, the villagers responded that making the stoves has pulled them together and has given them hope for the future. Their children study together and are growing into a collaborative existence.