Just a couple of weeks to the start of the 1994 Rwanda genocide that claimed thousands and thousands of lives of the local people, rumors started passing around everywhere of mayhem. This is among the Genocide sites you will visit o your Safari in Rwanda. One of the locals (Innocent Rwililiza) narrated what he remembers about this heart breaking time.
One of the locals recalls the day when he was walking back home from work with his neighbor who stopped him and told him that they are all going to be killed.
The 38 year old teacher just as most Rwandans did not believe this. He believed that just as they had survived the previous challenges the country had faced, they would also survive this. However on April 6th when the presidential plane crushed, they became really scared. He went on to narrate that they carried on with the teaching during day time and then at night they would sleep away from their homes in the bushes.
It was a Monday morning 11th April when the interahamwe militia invaded and attacked the people in town with sharpened machetes and clubs. They began their brutality with flourishing shopkeepers, after sometime, soldiers arrived as well and there were lots of gunfire.
Everyone went into panic; people started running all over and went to the town hall seeking for protection from their local leader. . However the mayor addressed them and said: in case you return home, you will be killed, In case you run into the bushes, you will be killed, and should you remain here, you will certainly be killed. Even so, he advised them to leave that place, because he did not want any blood at the doorsteps of his town hall.
The Ntarama Church Massacre
Located in the Eastern Province in Cyugaro Village, Ntarama Sector within Bugesera District is the Ntarama Church Massacre.
In the long run, Thousands of people ran into the compound of the church. They believed that the mercenaries would not attack them if they hid inside the church. It is believed that about 5000 people were killed here mostly women and children.
Located in the Eastern Province in Cyugaro Village, Ntarama Sector within Bugesera District is the Ntarama Church Genocide Memorial Site.
On your Rwanda Cultural Safari, you will have an opportunity to visit this site which was declared a One among the total six Rwanda Genocide Memorial Sites. The Ntarama site contains artifacts, human remains and clothing that belonged to the people that were killed in this place.
