Always ranked as the harshest, darkest and most dreadful dark tourism site in Rwanda and the world at large, the Murambi genocide memorial really leaves terrifying and heart breaking experiences to all the visitors who visit the site to know more about the Rwandese genocide that took over 20 years.
Bodies of Rwandese who were murdered in the genocide are displayed.Shockingly these bodies are in a half decomposed state and whitish because of the lime they had been buried in- in the mass graves.
The Murambi dark tourism is a haunting experience that can not easily be handled by those who are very fearful and with weak hearts because its indeed a total shock that leaves you wondering how brutal and heartless some people can be.
An Insight Of The Genocide Back In 1994
During the 1994 Rwandese genocide, the Tutsis were being hunted by their counter part Hutus and since they were running out of hiding places, they resorted to hiding in churches that they thought were holy places that could not be intruded by the Hutu warriors. This is what happened in Murambi; many Tutsis had filled the church at the Gikongoro parish and were then told to move to Murambi by the bishop since the church could not fully accommodate them.
Left with no choice, the crowds moved to Murambi to the new school whose construction had not yet been fully finished. The Tutsi did not know that this was the worst move they had ever made in their lives and on 18th April; the first Hutu killers arrived at the school attempting to murder them. The Tutsi refugees being in large numbers fought and defended themselves. In the process, many people lost their lives and having been defeated the Hutu warriors went for reinforcement that they got and came back well and fully equipped on the 21st three days later.
With guns, hand grenades, machetes and other sorts of killing weapons, the Hutus surrounded the school killing the defenseless Tutsis. After few hours of firearms, the Hutu warriors went around killing and finishing all those who were not yet completely dead. The number of people who died here is estimated to range from 10,000 to 70,000.
Very few people escaped these killings especially those who left Murambi within the three days when the Hutu had gone for reinforcement and those that were mistaken for being dead and left who possibly escaped at night when the Hutus had gone to get the heavy machinery to burry the thousands they had killed.
The Real Dark Tourism Experience At Murambi
At a glance on arrival, the Murambi memorial site is white fenced with one large building in front and other smaller buildings. The large building serves as the reception and it’s where local guides are found. They are however not fluent in English but French and Kinyarwanda languages are also spoken.
While here, you are instructed to leave all your cameras and recording devices behind because taking photographs is strictly not allowed in here unless you have a special pass from the national commission for the fight against genocide issued in Kigali.
After ensuring that you do not have any cameras and recording devices, you are then led to rooms where exhumed dead bodies from the mass graves are displayed. The bodies on display are in a non-decomposing state and some appear fresh which leaves many on viewers in a stomach turning state. The experience here is very horrific and indescribable as you watch the thousand bodies on display.
As you take a closer look at the bodies, you realize that the whitish exhumed bodies have expressions clearly depicting the way the persons were killed- some have their hands trying to cover their faces, others with missing body parts and the most skulls with marks of the weapons the killers used especially machetes.
Among the bodies on display are many children bodies that clearly tell you that the killers indeed had no mercy. Some children look young and seem to be below the age of three. Most of the dead bodies on display are naked; those that seem to be clothed have faded colored rugs. The displays are not just in one room!!! There are more rooms with even worst displays and if you are not strong enough you can stop at the first room as most of the visitors in shock do.
As you proceed to the next rooms, you come across cupboards full of skulls and skeletons and pilings of decaying blood stained clothes. Out of the buildings are mass graves one on which the French military soldiers who were providing security had a volleyball field and therefore played volleyball on a grave. Most mass graves are marked with posters in English, French and Kinyarwanda inscriptions.
The other mass grave from where some of the bodies were exhumed was left open at the sides to give the tourists just another experience. The tour ends near the gate after the mass graves and with that scary and unbelievable experience, you will definitely be rest assured that Murambi genocide is the darkest tourism site the whole of Rwanda and the world at large.
The Murambi memorial is always open from 8:00 am and closed at 4:00 pm except for public holidays, public work days and the last Saturdays of the month however its very important to first inquire to know whether you are likely going to find someone there.
Entrance is free of charge but donations are very much encouraged. Photographs are strictly not allowed and if you are caught trying to smuggle your camera in you are handled ruthlessly and so to avoid that whole mess, just get the photograph-taking permit from the national commission for the fight against genocide or gently leave your camera behind.
Murambi genocide memorial is located in Gikongoro village that is approximately 150 kilometers from Rwanda’s capital Kigali and about 25 kilometers from Butare/ Haye. The genocide memorial can be accessed by road transport using a local bus to Butare. After reaching Butare, one can get another mini bus heading to Cyangugu that can drop you off at Gikongoro where you can ask around or get a motorcycle that will directly take you to the memorial.
Those who do not want to go through all this hustle can hire cars from Kigali to directly take them to the site. For similar dark tourism experiences, tourists can also visit the Nyamata memorial genocide.