Remembering

This April marks 20 years since the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. During colonial rule, the Belgians decided that the Hutu and Tutsi (who shared the same language, religion, and culture) were two very distinct ethnic groups. They (arbitrarily) issued identity cards and elevated the minority Tutsi group to an elite status. They enjoyed education and the best job opportunities. This system obviously created hostility amongst the Hutu majority. 

After independence, the Hutu overthrew the Tutsi and took control of the country. There were occasional bouts of violence and many Tutsi fled the country as refugees. On April 6, 1994 the president of Rwanda's plane was shot down over the capital city of Kigali. This incident was used by the pro- Hutu interim government as an excuse to attack the Tutsi. 

The genocide lasted 100 days and more than a million people were brutally murdered. Many people from outside Rwanda assume the genocide was spontaneous. That is not remotely true. It was systematically planned by those highest in the government. They meticulously compiled lists of "cockroaches" and used the radio to send out hate-filled broadcasts to enrage the population to do their bidding.

Every corner of Rwanda experienced unspeakable horror. Most people were hacked to death with machetes. An estimated 99.9% of children witnessed acts of violence and more than 60% witnessed a family member being killed. Today 25% of the population suffers from PTSD, although personally I believe that the true number is much higher. In most cases the acts were highly personal. Neighbor killed neighbor, father-in-law killed son-in-law. No one was safe, and more importantly, no one could be trusted. 

Even religion could not provide refuge. Thousands were killed after gathering inside churches for protection. Countless priests and nuns surrendered their congregations, and in one case a church filled with thousands of Tutsi was set on fire. The priest provided the gasoline. 

Healing comes hard in Rwanda. There is little to no psychological support. Many cannot trust the church that betrayed them. The majority of people returned to their villages and now the victims and perpetrators must live side by side. It is a situation very few could accept. But somehow they do. 

I was able to participate in my community's genocide memorial week. We began the commemoration on April 7th with a Walk to Remember though the village. Everyday that week there was an afternoon session discussing the history of the genocide and reconciliation. In the evenings they showed films and music videos about the genocide. During the night sessions, there was always a bonfire. It is traditional to honor the dead with a fire outside the home the night after they die. Family and neighbors come to visit and pay their respects. 

On April 27, my village held an even more official ceremony to remember the day in 1994 which marked the height of the violence in our region. Around 4,000 people were killed in my community. In one day. The number is truly impossible to grasp. I arrived at our sector office and was taken aback because right in the middle of all the rows of chairs were three coffins, draped in the genocide color of a grayish purple. These bodies had been discovered this year. In fact, bodies have been discovered every year since and are constantly being added to the mass grave site. (There is a large concrete museleum they use for this purpose). This was shocking to me. I suppose I naively assumed the remains were all gathered in the aftermath. Obviously, it is difficult to track them all down. They were haphazardly buried and those who know the locations are dead, in exile, or unwilling to disclose them because they either fear repercussions or they have no remorse for their actions. 

I realize I have painted a very grim picture. But do not consider this simply a picture of Rwanda. This is how most societies look rebuilding from genocide or traumatic civil war. The emotional scars are still very present. At almost every commemoration event I attended, women started crying and were taken inside in hysterics. A girl my age collapsed screaming for her parents that were murdered. It's a long process. The world, who ignored the genocide while it was unfolding, rushed in at the aftermath and poured in aid (to override their guilt, I suspect). That aid has helped and Rwanda has pulled itself out of a dark place. It has one of the quickest growing economies in the world. Kigali is becoming more metropolitan by the year and is one of the cleanest cities I have ever seen (even by American standards). Corruption, which is rampant across the continent, is almost nonexistent here. However the majority of the population still struggles to meet their basic needs. 

Rwandans will never forget what happened here. Hopefully the world will also remember. We said "never forget" after the holocaust and only a few decades later watched Rwanda slip down the same path. If you ever find yourself in Rwanda, you will find a beautiful country (breathtaking really), with friendly people who are moving forward. Really, if it wasn't for the purple memorials poping up occasionally across the countryside you might never guess what happened here. Which goes to show it can happen anywhere. The last thing Rwanda needs is judgement. To write Rwanda off as a broken, violent country would be unfair, not to mention completely inaccurate.