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Kinyarwanda
The Kwibuka Flame (Flame of Remembrance) today reaches Kibeho in Nyaruguru District, the eighth stop on its tour of Rwanda’s thirty districts. The Kwibuka Flame will return to Kigali on 7 April 2014, the start of the national mourning period.
Genocide survivor Angelique Uwase will give her testimony at the community event. Angelique was born in Kibeho and survived by hiding amongst fellow students at the Marie Merci School and also at the local Parish of Kibeho. Today she works for Cyahinda Sector and is in charge of Social and Economic Development. Testimony will also be given by genocide perpetrator Athanase Nsabimana. As a police officer in 1994, he set up a road block at the Marie Merci School and was convicted of the murder of many students from the school.
Athanase was released after serving his sentence, doing community work and after asking for forgiveness.
At the event a poem will be read by genocide survivor Daproza Nyirabahutu.
She was born in Munini Sector and today is an artist, farmer and president of an association called Abakunda Amahoro or ‘Peace Lovers’. Munini Sector experienced some of the worst atrocities during the genocide, in part because of the former Deputy Mayor, Damien Biniga. He was known as “Binigimpinja” (strangler of babies) because of his cruelty.
The host of today’s event is the Mayor of Nyaruguru Francois Habitegeko. The special guest is the Minister of Public Service and Labor Anastase Murekezi. The flame will be received from Gisagara District by young Nyaruguru residents Issaie Shumbusho and Josette Mukabirori and welcomed by a choir of ten students from Marie Merci School and ten students from Mère de Verbe Secondary School singing Urumuri Rutazima. The Master of Ceremony for today’s event is Alphonse Nkomezamihigo.
During the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Kibeho in Nyaruguru District was the site of the mass murder of students from Marie Merci School. In addition, many Tutsi were killed at the local church where they had taken refuge. The Interahamwe shot into the church, threw in grenades and asphyxiated victims with smoke from outside. The French-led Operation Turquoise, which provided a safe haven for genocidaires’ transit into neighbouring Zaire after the end of the genocide, meant that Kibeho became a stronghold of the Interahamwe until the Rwanda Patriotic Front liberated the area in 1995.
The Kwibuka Flame symbolises remembrance as well as the resilience and courage of Rwandans over the past twenty years. Carried in a simple lamp, it will be used to light other lamps in communities around Rwanda. To mark the 20th commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi, all memorial fires throughout the country will stem from this single Kwibuka Flame. On returning to Kigali, President Paul Kagame will use the Kwibuka Flame to light the National Flame of Mourning. This will take place on 7 April 2014, marking the official beginning of the national mourning period. The flame will also be the source of the fire used at the candlelit vigil at Amahoro Stadium on the evening of 7 April 2014.
Kwibuka Flame Tour Event Program for Nyaruguru District
When: 2:30 – 4:30pm, 30 January 2014
Where: Kibeho, Nyaruguru District
Welcoming Remarks from the Master of Ceremony Alphonse Nkomezamihigo
Children’s Choir signing Urumuri Rutazima as the Kwibuka Flame arrives
Remarks by Nyaruguru Mayor Francois Habitegeko
Kwibuka20 Short Film – Remember, Unite, Renew (Kwibuka Twiyubaka)
Testimony from genocide survivor Angelique Uwase
Poem from genocide survivor Daproza Nyirabahutu
Testimony from genocide perpetrator Athanase Nsabimana
Explanation of how to be involved in Kwibuka20 by the MC
Remarks by Minister of Public Service and Labor Anastase Murekezi
Final performance of Urumuri Rutazima
Source: kwibuka.rw
