By Oswald Niyonzima
A group of university students from Nyamagabe district visited Murambi memorial site last Saturday in order to help their district eradicate Genocide ideology.
“We choose to visit this site because we wanted to get the same image and the same understanding about what happened in 1994 Genocide before we start sensitizing others,” said Désiré Nibagwire, the president of Association des Etudiants Ressortissant de Nyamagabe (ASSERENYA).
The idea for the visit came whem ASSERENYA had a meeting with Nyamagabe leaders about what university students should do to develop their district.
Clémentine Irakarama was one of the 120 students who attended the memorial site.
“It has chocked me! It has shocked me…to realize by this visit how they killed innocent people,” she said. “We have seen the bodies of Genocide victims, babies, mothers and fathers, people of middle ages and old ones, all were killed.”
She says she wants to tell her colleagues and the people around her what she has seen with her own eyes at Murambi and call upon youth in general to fight for unity and reconciliation.
Alphonse Munyentwari, the Mayor of Nyamagabe District says such visits show that today’s youth have the will to get rid of Genocide ideology.
“You harvest what you sow, if you sow peace then you harvest peace and if you sow security you harvest security,” he said.
Silas Mureramanzi, The Vice Rector Academic at NUR, accompanied the students on their visit. He encouraged them to keep searching for the true image and value of their country.
“Youth participated in Genocide because of bad politicians who simply corrupted them. So they have to say never again and work hard to promote unity and reconciliation,” he said, adding that university students have a big influence on the population.
Murambi memorial site was built in 1995. It contains more than 50,000 bodies of people all killed during the Genocide and more than 1.000 bodies were not buried to serve as evidence to people who visit the site.
Besides ASSERENYA members the visit also included the representative of other district associations, Murambi Genocide survivors and those whose relatives were killed there.
Patrice Cimpaye is one of the group, he regrets to see how people have been killed while they are not their cretors.
“ We are born without our choice. I don’t think there should be any one allowed to kill his fellow.” Said Patrice.
He also said that remaining bodies serve as a remembrance to the people and a proof to show the hardships Rwandans have faced during this period.
A group of university students from Nyamagabe district visited Murambi memorial site last Saturday in order to help their district eradicate Genocide ideology.
“We choose to visit this site because we wanted to get the same image and the same understanding about what happened in 1994 Genocide before we start sensitizing others,” said Désiré Nibagwire, the president of Association des Etudiants Ressortissant de Nyamagabe (ASSERENYA).
The idea for the visit came whem ASSERENYA had a meeting with Nyamagabe leaders about what university students should do to develop their district.
Clémentine Irakarama was one of the 120 students who attended the memorial site.
“It has chocked me! It has shocked me…to realize by this visit how they killed innocent people,” she said. “We have seen the bodies of Genocide victims, babies, mothers and fathers, people of middle ages and old ones, all were killed.”
She says she wants to tell her colleagues and the people around her what she has seen with her own eyes at Murambi and call upon youth in general to fight for unity and reconciliation.
Alphonse Munyentwari, the Mayor of Nyamagabe District says such visits show that today’s youth have the will to get rid of Genocide ideology.
“You harvest what you sow, if you sow peace then you harvest peace and if you sow security you harvest security,” he said.
Silas Mureramanzi, The Vice Rector Academic at NUR, accompanied the students on their visit. He encouraged them to keep searching for the true image and value of their country.
“Youth participated in Genocide because of bad politicians who simply corrupted them. So they have to say never again and work hard to promote unity and reconciliation,” he said, adding that university students have a big influence on the population.
Murambi memorial site was built in 1995. It contains more than 50,000 bodies of people all killed during the Genocide and more than 1.000 bodies were not buried to serve as evidence to people who visit the site.
Besides ASSERENYA members the visit also included the representative of other district associations, Murambi Genocide survivors and those whose relatives were killed there.
Patrice Cimpaye is one of the group, he regrets to see how people have been killed while they are not their cretors.
“ We are born without our choice. I don’t think there should be any one allowed to kill his fellow.” Said Patrice.
He also said that remaining bodies serve as a remembrance to the people and a proof to show the hardships Rwandans have faced during this period.
