By Dr Jean-Damascène Bizimana;
On April 26, 1994, the criminal government continued to implement their plan to exterminate Tutsi. This document points out some of the locations where Tutsi massacre took place on this date in 1994.
1. Tutsi massacre at Mugina Catholic Parish, Kamonyi
Mugina Parish is located in Mbati Cell, Mugina Sector, Kamonyi District. During the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, many Tutsi from Bugesera, Kigali City, Kigali Ngari, and from the communes which surrounded Mugina commune had taken refuge at Mugina Parish. They were so many and hence they thought they would defend themselves when the attacks would come. Those who had taken refuge at Mugina Parish tried to fight the attacks with the support of Mugina Bourgoumestre called NDAGIJIMANA Callixte who did not support the killing of Tutsi. He agreed to pay selected Hutu, Tutsi youth as well as police officers if they would continue to fight back the attacks which were coming from Mbati, Mukinga, Jenda and elsewhere to attack at Mugina Parish.
The former Mugina Bourgoumestre called NGIRUWONSANGA Onesphore alias Gitaro held a meeting and ordered to cut off all water pipes saying that you cannot kill snakes without starving them. They locked all pathways using roadblocks and had many dogs around to hunt any Tutsi who would go look for nourishment. Tutsi refugee starved to death and they decided to slaughter their cows.
The attacks led by NGIRUWONSANGAand KANYANZIRA were persistent. Killers decided to kill the Bourgmestre Ndagijimana Callixte first and was killed in Ntongwe, then after, they called upon Burundian refugees who lived at Nyagahama, Kinazi to come and help them kill. About 14 trucks full of armed soldiers, interahamwe as well as attacks from Kabugondo, Ngoma, Runda and elsewhere arrived at the Parish. From April 25, 1994, the killing started to intensify but they exterminated them on April 26, 1994.
Those who had fled to the parish were killedusing various weapons including guns, grenades, machetes, sharp sticks, stones and many more as people hunted for any one surviving to finish them off. Some of the perpetrators include Major KARANGWA Pierre Claver, NGIRUWONSANGA Onesphore, KANYANZIRA and others. Major KARANGWA Pierre Claver fled to the Netherlands and he hasnot faced justice yet.
2. Tutsi massacre at ISAR Rubona (RAB), Huye
Before the Genocide, ISAR Rubonawas located in Ruhashya commune. Many Tutsi who worked at ISAR Rubona, those from Gikongoro, Maraba, Ruhashya, Rusatira, Mbazi andMugusa had taken refuge there and they were gathered at mount Rubona. Many of them were reverted from Mugusa commune while trying to cross to Burundi and they were brought to ISAR Rubona. These Tutsi at mount Rubona were killed by the attacks from the above mentioned communes. The killers would come to look for Tutsi from their communes after finishing off those who were at Ruhashya, Mbazi and Byiza.
On April 26, 1994 around 9 am, the attacks arrived yelling and whistling and they joined gendarms, soldiers and police officers and they killed Tutsi the whole day and night.
On April 27, 1994, the former prefet of Butare Nsabimana Sylvain came to ISAR and told killers to stop killing. On that day, the surviving Tutsi were taken to Gakera below mount Rubona and they started constructing small huts using trees and grasses andtoilets with the hope that killing was over. On May 2nd, 1994, more attacks came and killed them all.
Those who planned and implemented genocide against the Tutsi at ISAR Rubona were Ntahontuye Ndereyehe Charles, the director of ISAR, Mulindangabo Joseph, Rubona Chief of the station, Mugemana Didace, staff manager and he is the one who had prepared a list of Tutsi of ISAR to be killed, Ntunda Jacques, Rutunga Venant, Mukuralinda Aloys, Ndayizigiyealias Ajida, Musabyimana Thaddée, Nsengiyumva Innocent, who was a teacher. They were helped by the notorious interahamwe led by Ruhoryongo, Kanyeperu, Nyangeziand others.
It is not easy to say the precise number of Tutsi who were killed at ISAR Rubona, however around 70 ISAR Rubona staff and their families are noticed. Some of the bodies of Tutsi killed in ISAR Rubona have not yet been found to be buried in dignity, only 120 are buried in the Genocide memorial of Rubona.
Ndereyehe Ntahontuye Charles played a key role in the massacre carried out at ISAR Rubona and he is continuing the genocide ideology where he lives in the Netherlands.
Ndereyehe Ntahontuyeis from Cyabingo Commune in the former Ruhengeri Prefecture. In 1992, along with other intellectual extremists including Nahimana Ferdinand, Dr Rwamucyo Eugène, Dr Nshimyumuremyi Jean Berchmas and others, Ndereyehe created and led a gang group called “Cercles des Républicains Progressistes” that incited students to plan genocide at the University in Nyakinama and Butare.
At the beginning, Ndereyehe was MRND member, however in 1992 he abandoned MRND to participate in the creation of another Hutu extremist party called “Coalition pour la Défense de la République” – CDR which participated massively in the genocide against the Tutsi in 1994.
Ndereyehe started the genocide planning before he was sent to ISAR. Prior to his deployment at ISAR, he was in charge of the Agricultural and Livestock Development Project in Gikongoro (PDAG). At the time, he was one of the civil servants who formed Interahamwe militia in Gikongoro, along with Captain Sebuhura Faustin who was the deputy commander of the Gikongoro Gendarmery. Sebuhura was from Mukingo Commune in Ruhengeri, the same region as Ndereyehe.
While forming Interahamwe group in Gikongoro, Ndereyehe was supported by the leaders of agricultural projects in Gikongoro especially Pierre Célestin Mutabaruka who led Crête Zaïre Nil project, Leaders of Mata Tea factory (Denis Kamodoka) and Kitabi Tea Factory (Juvénal Ndabarinze), various leaders in Gikongoro prefecture including Ayurugari Justin, Chef of ELECTROGAZ and Celse Semigabo, a prosecutor. They have all been brought to justice.
Ndereyehe left Rwanda in 1994 after the criminal government and their army were defeated in the battle. When they were refugees in Zaire on April 3, 1995, he participated in the creation of an extremist political and military group called the RDR founded on Genocide ideology. Currently, he lives in the Netherlands and he is one of the leaders of the FDU-INKINGI (a terrorist party) founded on genocide ideology.
In various FDU-INKINGI statements, Ndereyehe strongly denies the Genocide against the Tutsi, educates people to deny it and undermines the commemoration of the Genocide by calling it a “trade fund” or a business.
In Netherlands, Ndereyehe coordinates Rwanda extremist groups which always advance racist ideology that led Rwanda to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Among the extremist groups include FEDERMO (Fédération des Organisations Rwandaises aux pays Bas), CARP (Collectif des Associations Rwandaises aux Pays-Bas), RIFDP-NL (Réseau International des Femmes pour la Démocratie et la Paix), DEN HAAG, Pro Justitia, FFDR (Foundation for Freedom and Democracy in Rwanda).
On November 5, 2008, Ndereyehe was sentenced to life imprisonment in his absence by Gikirambwa Gacaca Court after he was found guilty of genocide crime carried out at the National Institute for Agricultural and Livestock Research (ISAR).
Since April 20, 2010, Rwandan Justice issued an International Arrest Warrant for Ndereyehe. He is also on the list of wanted by the International Police. That, however, does not stop him from continuing his extremist propaganda activities in Europe and elsewhere.
3. Tutsi massacre at Birambo Catholic Parish, Karongi
Birambo sous prefecture was composed of the following three communes: Bwakira, Mwendo and Kivumu. During the Genocide against the Tutsi, it was governed by sous prefet RUDAKUBANA Anaclet, its headquarter was in Bwakira commune led by Bourgoumestre KABASHA Tharcisse.
In Birambo, the genocide started a day after the death of the former president of Rwanda, extremist Hutu and Interahamwe immediately started killing Tutsi, looting property and burning houses.Tutsi believed that they could find assistance at the sous prefecture and at the Parish, hence all Tutsi from the surrounding areas started to seek refuge at Birambo sous prefecture, at Birambo Catholic Parish and to the nearest schools of religious people. Although they thought they had found refuge, Interahamwe were plotting to kill them all in Birambo.
Two notorious killers at the national level were from Birambo: Enock Ruhigira and Edouard Karemera. Enock Ruhigira, who was the Director of Cabinet during Habyarimana’s period, was born from Birambo and he instructed the existing authorities how the genocide was to be carried out. Edouard Karemera, the former First Vice-President of the MRND was from Mwendo commune, one of the communes that making up Birambo sous -prefecture. Karemera has been widely accused of inciting people to kill Tutsi in Birambo, and in Bisesero. He started the preparation of genocide in Birambo since 1993, as he and prefect André Kagimbangabo, Colonel Ndahimana, a CDR businessman called Amani Mugabo, and the Bourgmestre Kabasha, supplied firearms, and set up a military training program for Interahamwe.
On April 14, 1994, the Interahamwe led by Bourgmestre KABASHA, Councilor of Nyabiranga Sector MUNYANKINDI Cyprien, Councilor of Musasa Sector MUGABONAKE, MP SEBITABI Alphonse and Prosecutor KWIZERA Aaron attacked Tutsi who had taken refuge in a Sisters’ School called NP Birambo. Tutsi tried to defend themselves and Interahamwe called upon soldiers and gendarms for support to kill the so-called enemy. They came back the next day on April 15, 1994 and killed all the Tutsi in NP Birambo and immediately setting fire on schools in an attempt to destroy everyone who could hide somewhere.
On 16 and 17 April 1994, the attack was also sent to kill Tutsi who had taken refuge at Birambo Parish and at the sous prefecture. Due to the cruelty of the genocide perpetrators, before killing the Tutsi in all the above-mentioned attacks, they first separated the religious according to their ethnicity; Tutsi nuns and priests were protected by the gendarmes so that they would not disappear and the Hutu were kept separate for their own safety. The next thing was to search for Tutsi who were hiding all over the place, gathering them together and arranging a day to exterminate them together with Tutsi religious.
On 26/04/1994 the attack led by Bourgmestre KABASHA, Councilor of Nyabiranga Sector MUNYANKINDI Cyprien, Councilor of Musasa MUGABONAKE, MP SEBITABI Alphonse and Prosecutor KWIZERA Aaron, in collaboration with Interahamwe, gendarms, soldiers tortured and killed the rest of Birambo Tutsi. Among the Priests killedwere Father RUBERIZESI Innocent and Father SEBATWARE Narcisse.
It is estimated that more than 6,000 Tutsi were killed by the above mentioned attacks. After the April 26, 1994 attack, killers were well aware that they had killed most if not all Tutsi who had fled to Birambo.
The killers were congratulated and celebrated the job that they had accomplished.
Enock Ruhigira fled in 1994 and is wanted by the justice. Edouard Karemerawas convicted of genocide crime by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and sentenced to life in prison.
4. Tutsi massacre at Kigoma commune, Ruhango
Kigoma commune was built in Butare sector, Kabambati Cell in the former Gitarama prefecture currently Ruhango district, Ruhango Sector,Rwoga Cell, Bihome village, During the genocide, some Tutsi fled to Kigoma commune hoping to survive, others were brought by authorities after falsely promising them that they will be protected.
More than 475 Tutsi were killed at Kigoma commune on April 26, 1994 and during the days before. Those who were killed there had come from various sectors of Kigoma commune which includes Gahombo, Mukingo, Kiruri, Ngwa and elsewhere. After gathering them, they were killed at the roadblock opposite the commune and bodies were thrown in the pits excavated nearby the commune offices.
Some of the perpetrators include the former bourgmestre Ugirashebuja Celestin, soldiers who include MUGENZI, MUKERANGOMA and another nicknamed KAGOMA. There was also a notorious interahamwe called NZARAMBA who called himself Caïn (Gahini) who led the attacks.
5. Tutsi massacre at Tambwe commune, Ruhango
More than 20,000 Tutsi were killed at Tambwe commune. The first Tutsi was killed in front of the flag marking the launch of the killing and inciting interahamwe and citizens to participate. Those who got killed had taken refuge at the commune and others were brought there by authorities, others had taken refuge at Ruhango sous-prefecture, Ruhango church and elsewhere. After killing them, their bodies were thrown in the papyrus forest, in the pits and trenches. Some of the perpetrators were the Bourgoumestre of Tambwe commune, Mugaba Nathan, an MP born in Tambwe called KAYONDO, President of Ruhango primary court called Munyeshyaka Grégoire and a notorious interahamwe called NZARAMBA also called Gahini.
Conclusion
Massacre of Tutsi continued. It was done in a way that every so-called Tutsi would be killed and most of whom were killed while fleeing. On this day many were killed in administrative buildings, communes, in churches because people falsely believed that they could survive in such places. (End)
Done at Kigali on April 26, 2020
Dr BIZIMANA Jean-Damascène, Executive Secretary/National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG)