Genocide memorial sites in Rwanda

Genocide memorial sites in Rwanda

There are six genocide memorial sites in Rwanda established to commemorate the victims of the genocide that took place in Rwanda in the year 1994 against the Tutsi. These memorial sites were set to educate the visitors on how the genocide took shape and to analyze the different genocides that took place in the 20^th century. The genocide memorials are widely spread all over Rwanda where some are simple gardens and the other contains the relics that remain and exhibitions on the genocide. The six genocide centers are;

• Kigali genocide memorial
• Camp Kigali Belgian monument
• Nyanza genocide memorial
• Ntarama genocide memorial
• Nyamata genocide memorial
• Murambi genocide memorial

 

Kigali genocide memorial

This is the main genocide memorial center among the six centers and its located at KG 14 ave, Kigali Rwanda it was opened in 2004 to commemorate the 250,000 victims of the genocide as this is their final resting place. Kigali genocide memorial has got walls of names of the victims of the 1994 genocide and many more names are being added up to date since many victims that are in the graves are unknown. The center has also got memorial gardens that provide a quiet contemplation about the genocide history in Rwanda during 1994 against the Tutsi. The Kigali genocide memorial provides support to the widows and orphans who came in place as the result of the 1994 Tutsi genocide in Rwanda. The place is open daily from 8 am to 5 pm having the last entrants by 4 pm. During the last Saturdays of every month, the memorial is opened at 1 pm and closed at 5 pm not forgetting that there is no fee to the center and the center has got audio guides. The Kigali genocide memorial has 3 permanent exhibitions;

Exhibition 1: the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi

At the start of this exhibition, you are to have an outline of Rwandan society before the colonial rule showing the unity peace, and happiness that existed. The second part of this exhibition will give the details and the nature of the horrible genocide that was against the Tutsi. Stories that were told by the survivors, rescuers, and those who brought such a situation to an end. At end of this exhibition, you will get to know how justice and reconciliation have been administered.

Exhibition 2: wasted lives

While at the Kigali genocide memorial the second exhibition is themed wasted lives just because some of the killings and massacres aren’t recognized as genocide by international law. Namibia, Armenia, Cambodia, Balkan, and the holocaust atrocities are not recognized.  

Exhibition 3: children’s room

This room is dedicated to the young victims of the genocide and in this section, you will realize how the young generation of the nation was destroyed as thousands of children were massacred during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi people in Rwanda.  

Camp Kigali Belgian monument

Thie genocide site was put in place by the Belgian government on the 7^th of April 2000. This site was set in place to commemorate the ten Belgian UN blue beret soldiers who were deployed to guard the house of prime minister Agatha uwilingimana on the commands of General Dallaire. At the beginning of the genocide, the presidential guards invaded the prime minister’s house and disarmed the Belgians, transferring them to Camp Kigali where they were mercilessly killed. The place where they were killed was at that time a military camp and these soldiers were serving the command of the united nations mission assistance for Rwanda (UNAMIR) The force makes rwandaise (FAR)  consequently sprayed all areas with bullets to make sure that they kill these Belgians and the 10 pillars found at this site represent the 10 Belgian soldiers. After the death of these soldiers, they were mutilated and dumped at the closest hospital. On July 5^th, 2007 Bernard ntuyahaga was convicted by the Belgian jury just because he was the army major at that time and his involvement in the killing of the 10 Belgian soldiers. As a result of the death of the Belgian soldiers, the UN withdrew its peacekeeping forces from Rwanda and the masterminds of the genocide achieved their desired goal. After the UN left Rwanda the days of massive bloodshed started as over 800,000 people were massacred. Camp Kigali Belgian monument has got 2 rooms well equipped with the information on genocides all over the world.  

Nyanza genocide memorial

This is one of the six genocide sites in Rwanda and its located in Kicukiro, a suburb southeast of Kigali. This place has got little things for you apart from the tailed tops of four mass graves with numerous unmarked wooden crosses said to hold remains of the 4000 Tutsis that had hidden at the Ecole technique officielle ETO grounds. After the withdrawal of the UN peacekeeping forces from Rwanda, these Tutsis were surely left with n serious protection and ultimately taken to nyaza where they were killed.  

Ntarama genocide memorial

This site is only a one-hour drive from Kigali and it’s one of the six genocide memorials in Rwanda located in the southern part of Kigali in the bugesera district. This place was a former catholic church where 5000 people were brutally killed on the 15^th April 1994. This site contains human remains, art crafts, and the clothes of the victims of the genocide. Historically bugesera district was scarcely populated compared to other districts of Rwanda as it was heavily forested and swampy areas filled with tsetse flys. After 1959 t0 1962 violence the Tutsis who were formerly living in the northern park were forcibly relocated to bugesera. After the death of president Habyarimana, the killings rise at a high speed and the Tutsi decided to hide at the church where they thought they were much safer. On 15^th April 1994 soldiers led by Francois Karera attacked these innocent souls and killed all of them.  

Nyamata genocide memorial

This site is also found at a former church just 30 kilometers south of Rwanda’s capital having a history of over 2,500 lives killed at this church. At this site, you will find there the graphics and audios aimed at the mass brutal rape of females plus the spread of HIV aids as the favorite weapon of this genocide. As the genocide commenced many people gathered at the church with hopes of protection but were later killed at the church’s compound by 10^th April 1994.  

Murambi genocide memorial

murambi was a technical school but is now a genocide memorial site found in the southern part of Rwanda near the murambi town. During the genocide as the killing were at a high rate, many Tutsis hid at the church where the bishop told them to go to murambi technical school promising them protection from the French troops which was a big lay. On the 16^th of April 1994 over 65,000 Tutsi moved to the technical school but only 34 of them survived the attack from the killers were after the French dag several pits where the bodies were placed and then put a volleyball court on top. The only displayed bodies at murambi are for the young victims. This site was founded on 1995 April 21^st. To include the genocide memorial sites on your Rwanda package feel free to contact ADVENTURE IN THE WILD SAFARIS  as they have got the best memorable and affordable Rwanda tours.