The 1994 Genocide, was a genocidal mass slaughter between the Tutsi and the Hutu that lasted for 100 days ( three months plus some days) where millions of lives were claimed including those of the little children, while others lost property, parents, other were raped and left infected. It is named as one of the worst political unrest that has ever been recorded in history. This hazardous Genocide war, left the country with about eight ( 8) Genocide Memorial Sites which include among others; Murambi Genocide Memorial site, Gisozi Memorial site, Gisenyi Genocide Memorial site, Nyamata memorial site, Bisesero memorial site, Nyarubuye memorial site and Nyanza memorial site as well as Ntarama memorial site.
- Murambi Genocide Memorial Site:
Murambi site is one of the many Genocide Memorial Sites of Rwanda. It holds some of the unforgettable horrors of The 1994 Rwanda Genocide outbreak/ political unrest.These remains are mainly for the many locals who had run to the school seeking for refuge which was yet in vain.It is said that at the Murambi Genocide Memorial site, bodies have been exhumed and preserved with powdered lime and they appear as they did on the day of attack / destruction.
The museum is well built with many tombs in the former class rooms where the dead were left in their postures that you can even guess what was really going on like a baby crying and reaching out to the mother and vise versa, some cut deep in the skull and so many other related cases of massive deaths in a war.
Such a scaring cold feeling is not for the faint (seeing white chalked bodies). There is always a guide to take you through this place and even explain to you more about what happened.
- Gisenyi Genocide Memorial Site
It is found in the Gisenyi area in the Eastern part of the of Lake Kivu not far from the Democratic- Rwanda border (Goma area) with about 12,000 remains of corpses of the 1994 genocide
This was the first memorial site put up by Ibukaunder The Ministry of Youths, Sports and Culture.However many of these bodies were collected from areas of Nyundo, CornicheImbabazi (which was a dangerous road block, At Gisenyi, you also find Madame Carr’s grave, an American who operated at the school.
Minus the established grave yard at Gisenyi, you can also enjoy Rwanda’s beautiful landscape surrounding this tis area that is blessed with numerous hills planted with pine trees and eucalyptus trees that all offer an Alpine atmosphere, it’ssuch a breath taking every one visiting Rwanda should experience. There are hot springs just out of town and also the major brewery that brews the local Primus beer and has a license to brew Guinness. You can visit on weekdays by prior arrangement.
- Gisozi Genocide Memorial site
Gisozi Genocide Memorial site,also known as The Kigali Memorial Center, is located in the Gasabo district of Rwanda .t Tthis place, majority of Tutsi nwere slaughtered by the Hutuere / are laid .The site has a display house, cementary, a library and photo gallery.
It is an education and documentary Center where the Rwandan schools are enabling their children to learn about their country’s History.
Gisozi is one of the frequently visited sites in Rwanda with about 250,000 bodies. It was constructed in 2000 by The Kigali City Council together with The Aegis Trust of United Kingdom (UK). It clearly exhibits the 1994 genocide.
The center has permanent exhibitions of education center, memorial Gardens, and The National Documentation Center of Genocide for the lives and its history.
If your visit is based on the memorial site, just contact a local tour operator and it will take you around all these famous sites.
- The Nyamata and Ntarama Genocide Memorial site
These are / were catholic churches where people ran to in the hope of finding protection and safety and instead killed.
These churches contain the most powerful evidence of the Masscare since it / they display bones, skulls, bloodied bodies and clothes of all those who were murdered there. In these two places, the murderers were very cruel and brutal to their victims.
Nyamata Memorial Genocide siete
Nyamata is found in the Eastern part of Rwanda in Bugesera district holding the newly constructed International Airport (Bugesera International Airport).The NyamataMemerial Center is found in Nyamata parish holding a catholic church where about 50,000 bodies majority being the Tutsi are found.
These people had run to the church grounds for safety and instead were killed especially women and children. It is at this location that most brutality was used by the murderers using rape of women and HIV as deliberate weapons for genocide.And since then, this church has not been tampered with and currently a display site for tourists.
At the Nyamata site, you will feel the real screams and shout outs of the genocide as the belongings of the victims hang on the walls as it was 20 years back at its occurrence.There are also guides who can enlighten you more about what happened, together with some few available survivors who too can share their experiences with you.
Ntarama Memorial Genocide Site
It is sometimes referred to as “The Ntarama Church Massacre”. At this place, about 5000 people died with majority being women. You find the remains lined up along the walls of the former church with several remains piled up in the shelves and bringing out what happened exactly.. All these were a result of an ethnic conflict between the Tutsi and Hutu.The victims at this church too had reached the church for safety but instead were slaughtered by the angry Hutu mob.
Considering the current inhabitants of Rwanda; peaceful and very friendly, it’s quite hard to believe that they ever got to the extent of the 1994 genocide.
- Nyarubuye Memorial Site
This site is found in the Kibungoprovince of Kirehe district of Rwanda in the former Nyarubuye Roman Catholic Church.Victims at this site were killed indiscriminately (men, women and children of both tribes); like for Nyamata and Ntarama sites, victims went to the church seeking protection and instead fell in the open mouth of their murderers. They were massacred with several tools like spears, machetes, clubs, hand grenades as well as the automatic weapons.The church grounds that were once settled by nuns and priests now stand the Nyarubuye Genocide Memorial site.