As Rwanda and the world commemorates 30 years of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi that took over 1 million lives, SENS posed the question “How do you remember?” to survivors. They told us how they keep the memories of their loved ones alive and honored, three decades later.
Dionise Niyonzima; “I still vividly remember the terror of fleeing with my pregnant mother from Ruhunda to Gishari commune, (now in Rwamagana district) hoping to escape the massacre. Despite being shot during our escape, I miraculously survived, thanks to my mother’s courage and the help of a friend. I lost my father and my mother and a new born.
To remember my family, I try to maintain optimism for the future. I make sure to contribute to the rebuilding of my country. I owe a debt of gratitude to the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) for their role in rebuilding our nation. I remain hopeful for the future and thankful for the blessing’s life has bestowed upon me.”
David Ntare; “I was the youngest of five siblings. I was one year old. My parents and two brothers were killed in the violence. “Maintaining good health, facing life challenges head-on, expanding and taking my family forward, are all the ways I remember and honor my family.”
Eric Ngurumukiza; “I lost my father in the 1994 Tutsi genocide, and every May I put flowers on my father’s grave. I also lost other relatives, till now we haven’t found their bodies. How do you remember them? It still breaks my heart.”