A List Of Genocide Memorial Centres In Rwanda

Genocide memorial centres in Rwanda

In 1994, Rwanda registered a horrible story that will always be remembered by generation. During this time over 800,000 minority Tutsis, moderate Hutus and members of a third ethnic group, the Twa were butchered during this 3 months war in the east African country.

A number of genocide memorial centres were established across the country to remember the lives of those people who lost their during the cold bloodshed. And these can be explored on your Rwanda safaris trip. These include;

Kigali Genocide memorial centre

Situated about 3km from Kigali city, Rwanda in Gasabo district, this is the best known and most visited site because of its proximity to the capital, which makes it more accessible.

Tourists visiting Rwanda find it easy to drive to the site, and even from the hotels around the capital. Over 250000 remains of the genocide victims were gathered from different parts of the country and buried in the cemetery of this memorial site.

There was treatment of different objects which could serve as material proofs of the genocide, such as clothes, bones, weapons that were used like machetes, pangas , clubs, swords, and all these are preserved in the memorial. It also contains things like rosaries, identity cards, shoes, clothes, and pipes, abandoned by victims.

Ntarama Genocide Memorial site

Situated just an hour away from Kigali in an area known as Bugesera is Ntarama church was where most of the brutal killings took place. Over 5000 people were slaughtered inside the church as they had gone there to seek refugee, most of whom were women and children.

The ruthless attackers found them in the church and hacked all of them to death. The victims of the genocide remain there, their bones still strewn with lifeless chaos where they fell nearly ten years ago. Their belongings cover the floor; clothes, suitcases, a child’s white sock – the last remnants of a desperate flight for life.

Nyanza & Nyarabuye Genocide memorial Centers Rwanda

Nyanza Memorial centre is where over 2000 Tutsis had gone for refugee, as it was protected by the United nation peace keeping force. But following the withdrawal of the Forces, the people were matched from ETO school up to road to Nyanza and all slaughtered. The place is donned with wooden crosses, symbolizing the abandonment of the people by the international community.

Nyarabuye: This was a school where over 20000 people were killed as they tried to escape the genocide to Tanzania. The place remains empty with only scattered bones.

Murambi Genocide Memorial Center

This is an old school, now deserted, where more than 40000 people were massacred as they sought shelter, following the unforgettable 1994 genocide. It is located near the town of Gikongoro, in the South west of Rwanda, 30 minutes from the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda.

A monument was elected there, and copses are preserved and displayed in the school building, which is an exhibition to the genocide. It has a children’s section, where you learn about the experience of how they lived and how they died.

This site is most visited because of its historical context as it is the place that was created and was under construction to be a technical school by the French, and it was controlled by the French troops by the time the genocide started. The memorial at Murambi feels like a museum. It’s too raw, too real, too unadorned. Some genocide survivors were trained and are there to act as guides as you visit this tear yielding site.

Bisesero Memorial site

This is situated 31 km from the lake side town of Kibuye province, west of Rwanda. Over 30000 people were killed here as they tried to resist the massacre. Because they were ill equipped, they could not survive the wrath.

Bisesero Memorial site is now referred to as the Hill of resistance because of the effort the people put on trying to repel the adversaries. It consists of nine small buildings which represents the nine communes that inhabited the place. Bones of some of the victims and skulls were collected and treated and placed in these buildings for memorial purposes.

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