1 day France and the Catholic Church will have to acknowledge and move on

[mchambawima1]

Written in 2014 by Mrs Jeannette Kagame, First Lady of Rwanda, on the occasion of the 20th Commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi

As we close this special month dedicated to women in Rwanda, and prepare to mark the 20th commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi, I wish to pay particular tribute to the valiant Rwandan women who have borne the greatest burden of our history.

In 1994, our country stared deep into the depths of human cruelty that knew no bounds. Rwandan women who survived the genocide saw this horror and went through an immeasurable anguish.

They witnessed a nation and its people robbed of dignity. The lights of too many of our mothers, daughters, sisters and wives were extinguished and amid the debris and despair. Theirs are stories too agonizing to tell, too painful to recount.

Suzanne, you were 58 years old then, when you fell victim to one of the most heinous weapons of war: rape. Yours was not a singular instance of pain and humiliation, as interahamwe militia systematically killed your family and neighbours.

You were raped day in, day out until you lost consciousness. Suzanne, you were stripped bare of all humanity and dignity and incapacitated in every way. You could neither sit nor stand, or go about your daily chores. You could not even respond to nature’s call!

Josephine, you survived the waves of killings in ’59, ’63, ’73. But in 1994 your seven children and husband, who should have been a part of your future and not your past, were cold-bloodedly ripped from your loving arms.

Yolande, you were hunted down day and night, and made a choice no mother should have to: to separate with your children. In fear of all of your lives, you decided that, in order to increase your chances of survival, your niece should hide your three precious children.

But when your niece returned towards the end of the genocide, all alone, the sight was too much to bear. Yolande, you were put in a dilemma too difficult for us to understand.

Rose, you cradled your teenage daughter, Hyacinthe, as she died in your arms at the St. Famille church. Her budding life snatched away at the behest of a notoriously brutal Roman Catholic priest who continues to preach unabated in different parishes in France.

Rose you left before seeing justice exacted, but rest assured your death has not been in vain.

Sonia, every April you are haunted by the image of the man who was shot in front of your four year-old eyes. You could still feel his blood spilling on your face.

After seventeen years of concealing your trauma, trying your best to be brave, you broke down and suffered from post-traumatic stress. Your loved ones stood firmly by you; they were willing to go to any lengths to see their little girl fight this disorder.

Dianne, you are now at university, but the same man who raped your mother, raped you when you were just five-years-old. Your body continues to suffer the consequences of that ill-fated day; you do not know if you will ever bear children of your own.

To those of you whose loved ones were mercilessly flung in the rivers, I cry with you as you lay tributes of petals in solemn recall of your dear departed ones. For those who may never find your beloved ones, nor have any place of remembrance or solace, my heart reaches out to you.

To those who have refused to release their pain and shed tears, standing instead with courage and resilience in support of your brothers and sisters. I pray that you will one day find peace and closure.

To those of you who still live, having lost so much: I appeal to you not be discouraged by the naysayers, the deniers of the genocide and revisers of our history. Do not allow them to define who we are. Do not allow them to reopen your wounds. Do not allow them to recreate our heroes. Do not allow them to rewrite our history.

To the true patriots of this nation let us remember those whose lives were robbed; let us unite for a better future; let us renew our faith in humanity.

To the unsung heroines, I salute you for bearing, with such incredible grace and admirable strength, the burden of our horrific history.

As Rwandans prepare to Kwibuka for the 20th time, I thank you Suzanne, Josephine, Yolande, Hyacinthe, Rose, Sonia and Dianne for personifying generations of women who have shouldered the burden of tragedy and the unimaginable challenges that ensued.

I salute you and all my Rwandan sisters, for standing strong in the face of adversity, for coming out hopeful, resilient and dignified.

If you have not given up, how can we?

Source: NewTimes

 

[mchambawima1]

At the Nyange Genocide Memorial and learning about the horrific murder of Tutsi here in April 1994. At least 1,500 were killed. #Kwibuka22
The killers rounded up Tutsi at the church, shot at them & threw grenades. Then they used an earth mover to crush any survivors. #Kwibuka22
After murdering more than 1,500 Tutsi at Nyange Church, the priest told Interahamwe to bury/hide the bodies so foreigners wouldn't see them.
As the only survivor from the Nyange Church massacre still living here, Aloys Rwamasirabo says he has a duty to share his story. #Kwibuka22
Disgusting that the Catholic Church wanted to build a new church in Nyange exactly where thousands were killed. Survivors refused #Kwibuka22
Thanks to survivors stepping in & lobbying government, a memorial is now being built at the site of the Nyange Church massacre. #Kwibuka22 jMali

 

[jMali]

mchambawima1 kwa nini umenitag? Mimi sitakataa walivyofanya interahamwe, ila wewe utakataa walivyofanya upande wa pili.

 

[mchambawima1]

mchambawima1 kwa nini umenitag? Mimi sitakataa walivyofanya interahamwe, ila wewe utakataa walivyofanya upande wa pili.

yaleyale... sikatai chochote kilichofanyika! mauwaji yalisimamishwa kivita sasa ulitegemea nini? unataka tuseme ni GENOCIDE kama ile yenu iliyopangwa barabara? hivi jMali kuna wakati huwa unakaa na kujiuliza kama RPF ingechelewa kidooogo sana, tungekuta nini Rwanda? najuwa unajifanyisha kutoelewa lakini inahitaji mtu mjinga au mnafiki kama Bukyanagandi ambaye anaweza kufananisha serikali inayotumia HIT_LIST specifically for killing all TUTSIS in the country na wale waliojaribu kila namna kukabiliana na adui(Genociders) hao... anyway yetu macho lakini YOU WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT HITS YOU!!!

 

[Kaunga]

Hivi kukumbushana hizo horrible incidents zinasaidia nini? Naona mnaendeleza machungu na chuki possibly blood revenge. What do you gain as a nation? Sijui mambo ya saikolojia hivyo naomba nielimishwe. Dwelling in the past is not healthy, na devil ndio mzuri kwa kukumbusha past za watu. Poleni kina mama wote.., lakini angalieni mbele na si nyuma. Naamini wengi wenu mna dini. Talking about dini, alichofanya padre mmoja au wawili ambacho sio maelekezo ya kanisa hakiwezi kufanya kanisa lote liwe ovu, kama walivyofanya wanyarwanda 10 haifanyi wanyarwanda wote kuwa wauwaji..... ooh nilisahau, hakuna wanyarwanda kuna wahutu na watusi. So huenda wahutu wote ni interahamwe kama vile kanisa katoliki wote ni waovu.

 

[mchambawima1]

Hivi kukumbushana hizo horrible incidents zinasaidia nini? Naona mnaendeleza machungu na chuki possibly blood revenge. What do you gain as a nation? Sijui mambo ya saikolojia hivyo naomba nielimishwe. Dwelling in the past is not healthy, na devil ndio mzuri kwa kukumbusha past za watu. Poleni kina mama wote.., lakini angalieni mbele na si nyuma. Naamini wengi wenu mna dini. Talking about dini, alichofanya padre mmoja au wawili ambacho sio maelekezo ya kanisa hakiwezi kufanya kanisa lote liwe ovu, kama walivyofanya wanyarwanda 10 haifanyi wanyarwanda wote kuwa wauwaji..... ooh nilisahau, hakuna wanyarwanda kuna wahutu na watusi. So huenda wahutu wote ni interahamwe kama vile kanisa katoliki wote ni waovu.

we acha kelele, tuna gain kwa kukumbushana ubaya wa chuki na ukabila in otherwords NEVER AGAIN!!! kufanya maadhimisho ya kukumbuka mauwaji ya kinyama yaliyo fanywa dhidi ya watu wetu it is a DUTY! you are right, wanyarwanda sio wauwaji lakini palikuwepo serikali ya wauwaji! na walio pata bahati mbaya wakaangukiwa na RPA jMali mkumbushe tuliwafanyeje, kwa mfano KARAMIRA na wale wenzake tulinyonga hadharani kwani wao ni miongoni ya walio loga jamii! sasa kama wewe ni padre na inakukela sana kuskia lawama kutoka kwetu basi tuambie katika mazingira haya tusemeje? The Church’s Blind Eye To Genocide in Rwanda

 

[Kaunga]

C

we acha kelele, tuna gain kwa kukumbushana ubaya wa chuki na ukabila in otherwords NEVER AGAIN!!! kufanya maadhimisho ya kukumbuka mauwaji ya kinyama yaliyo fanywa dhidi ya watu wetu it is a DUTY! you are right, wanyarwanda sio wauwaji lakini palikuwepo serikali ya wauwaji! na walio pata bahati mbaya wakaangukiwa na RPA jMali mkumbushe tuliwafanyeje, kwa mfano KARAMIRA na wale wenzake tulinyonga hadharani kwani wao ni miongoni ya walio loga jamii! sasa kama wewe ni padre na inakukela sana kuskia lawama kutoka kwetu basi tuambie katika mazingira haya tusemeje? The Church’s Blind Eye To Genocide in Rwanda

Great, continuing dwelling in past, but do not force us to be bitter with your issues. We have our own, so just suck yours.

 

[mchambawima1]

C
Great, continuing dwelling in past, but do not force us to be bitter with your issues. We have our own, so just suck yours.

I actually don't recall having a discussion with you on Rwandan issues, no body is forcing you to interfere in this dicussion even if your institution(Roman Catholic Church) is mentioned here! it is not the first we hear horrible stuff from your church leaders(Forget about the followers)and they all go unanswered/unpunished, time will come and you will not be able to suck-up anymore, stay tune!

 

[Kaunga]

I actually don't recall having a discussion with you on Rwandan issues, no body is forcing you to interfere in this dicussion even if your institution(Roman Catholic Church) is mentioned here! it is not the first we hear horrible stuff from your church leaders(Forget about the followers)and they all go unanswered/unpunished, time will come and you will not be able to suck-up anymore, stay tune!

So this is Rwandan forum?

 

[mchambawima1]

So this is Rwandan forum?

even though it is a .com and not .tz I still believe it is a Tanzanian forum which gives us a chance to refute lies posted by Interahamwes! so what is your point Mr. Priest?

 

[jMali]

yaleyale... sikatai chochote kilichofanyika! mauwaji yalisimamishwa kivita sasa ulitegemea nini? unataka tuseme ni GENOCIDE kama ile yenu iliyopangwa barabara? hivi jMali kuna wakati huwa unakaa na kujiuliza kama RPF ingechelewa kidooogo sana, tungekuta nini Rwanda? najuwa unajifanyisha kutoelewa lakini inahitaji mtu mjinga au mnafiki kama Bukyanagandi ambaye anaweza kufananisha serikali inayotumia HIT_LIST specifically for killing all TUTSIS in the country na wale waliojaribu kila namna kukabiliana na adui(Genociders) hao... anyway yetu macho lakini YOU WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT HITS YOU!!!

1. Kama unakubali mauaji yalisimamishwa kivita, kwa nini mnakataa kuwapa haki marehemu wasio na hatia waliokufa kwa mashambulizi yenu? Au bado unaendelea kudai kuwa 100% ya waliokufa including wanawake na watoto wote walikuwa ni genocidaires?
2. Rwanda ilikuwa na serikali. Je RPA iliingia kuisaidia serikali kupambana na wauaji (interahamwe) au iliingia kupambana na majeshi ya serikali? Hata ukigoogle sasa hivi utasoma kuwa RPA inaitwa "tutsi rebel group", na huwezi kukataa kuwa Rwanda ni nchi yenye majority wahutu. Huoni kuwa RPA kuvamia Rwanda baada ya ndege kutunguliwa ndio kuliko chochea genocide?
Na je kama lengo la RPA lilikuwa kustopisha mauaji kwanini wakati mauaji yanaendelea Kagame alikataa UN wasilete majeshi na kutishia kuwa atayapiga MWANZONI KABISA! na badala yake mauaji yakaendelea for weeks?
Ni mnafiki kama wewe peke yake ndio ataendelea kuzusha kuwa RPA ilienda kuzuia mauaji ya watusi wakati walikuwa wanapigana na serikali toka mwaka 1990!
3. Kuwapo kwa hit list ndio ushahidi tosha kuwa serikali ya Habyarimana ililenga maadui tu na sio kila mtusi jumla jumla. Ila kwa upande wa pili hebu nisaidie jina la mtu mmoja tu mwanachama wa FDLR ambaye ana kesi either ICTR au Gacaca au mahakama yoyote ile duniani kuhusu genocide aliyofanya. Ukishindwa naomba ufafanue ni kivipi mnasema FDLR ni wauaji wa kimbari.

 

[mchambawima1]

1. Kama unakubali mauaji yalisimamishwa kivita, kwa nini mnakataa kuwapa haki marehemu wasio na hatia waliokufa kwa mashambulizi yenu? Au bado unaendelea kudai kuwa 100% ya waliokufa including wanawake na watoto wote walikuwa ni genocidaires?
2. Rwanda ilikuwa na serikali. Je RPA iliingia kuisaidia serikali kupambana na wauaji (interahamwe) au iliingia kupambana na majeshi ya serikali? Hata ukigoogle sasa hivi utasoma kuwa RPA inaitwa "tutsi rebel group", na huwezi kukataa kuwa Rwanda ni nchi yenye majority wahutu. Huoni kuwa RPA kuvamia Rwanda baada ya ndege kutunguliwa ndio kuliko chochea genocide?
Na je kama lengo la RPA lilikuwa kustopisha mauaji kwanini wakati mauaji yanaendelea Kagame alikataa UN wasilete majeshi na kutishia kuwa atayapiga MWANZONI KABISA! na badala yake mauaji yakaendelea for weeks?
Ni mnafiki kama wewe peke yake ndio ataendelea kuzusha kuwa RPA ilienda kuzuia mauaji ya watusi wakati walikuwa wanapigana na serikali toka mwaka 1990!
3. Kuwapo kwa hit list ndio ushahidi tosha kuwa serikali ya Habyarimana ililenga maadui tu na sio kila mtusi jumla jumla. Ila kwa upande wa pili hebu nisaidie jina la mtu mmoja tu mwanachama wa FDLR ambaye ana kesi either ICTR au Gacaca au mahakama yoyote ile duniani kuhusu genocide aliyofanya. Ukishindwa naomba ufafanue ni kivipi mnasema FDLR ni wauaji wa kimbari.

1) kwani nani aliyekatazwa kuomboleza vifo vya ndugu zao? serikali iliuwa watu wake kwa makusudi na RPF imechukuwa full responsibility sasa we ulitaka wafanyeje tena?
2)nyie interahamwe mbona watu wa ajabu sana, kwa hiyo kwa bahati mbaya tungekuwa tunafahamiana alafu nikakuzaba vibao kutokana na chuki au ujinga wako, ungesubili alafu uje kuvizia watoto wangu alafu ulipize kisasi? nyie Interahamwe ni shida tupu!
3)
FDLR chairman Ignace Murwanashyaka was arrested in Mannheim, Germany, in April 2006, but released shortly thereafter.[21] However, in November 2009, after pressure applied by the United Nations, the German Bundeskriminalamt captured Murwanashyaka, the 46-year-old chairman of the FDLR, again, along with his 48-year-old deputy, Straton Musoni, in Karlsruhe.[22] This was considered a severe blow to the FDLR organization.

The trial for Murwanashyaka and Musoni began on May 4, 2011 before the Oberlandesgericht in Stuttgart. They are accused of several counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity according to the German Völkerstrafgesetzbuch. Their trial is the first to be held in Germany for crimes against this law.[23][24]

In October 2010, the Executive Secretary, Callixte Mbarushimana, was arrested in France under a sealed warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed in the Kivus (Democratic Republic of the Congo). The warrant concerns widespread attacks allegedly committed by FDLR troops against civilians in North and South Kivu in 2009. The Court's judges state that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Mbarushimana bears criminal responsibility for these attacks, including murder, torture, rape, persecution and inhumane acts. The warrant alleges that Mbarushimana was part of a plan to create a humanitarian catastrophe to extract concessions of political power for the FDLR.[25]

On 13 July 2012, the ICC announced an arrest mandate against the FDLR chief Sylvestre Mudacumura for war crimes committed in the Kivus[26] as well as against

 

[jMali]

1) kwani nani aliyekatazwa kuomboleza vifo vya ndugu zao? serikali iliuwa watu wake kwa makusudi na RPF imechukuwa full responsibility sasa we ulitaka wafanyeje tena?
2)nyie interahamwe mbona watu wa ajabu sana, kwa hiyo kwa bahati mbaya tungekuwa tunafahamiana alafu nikakuzaba vibao kutokana na chuki au ujinga wako, ungesubili alafu uje kuvizia watoto wangu alafu ulipize kisasi? nyie Interahamwe ni shida tupu!
3)
FDLR chairman Ignace Murwanashyaka was arrested in Mannheim, Germany, in April 2006, but released shortly thereafter.[21] However, in November 2009, after pressure applied by the United Nations, the German Bundeskriminalamt captured Murwanashyaka, the 46-year-old chairman of the FDLR, again, along with his 48-year-old deputy, Straton Musoni, in Karlsruhe.[22] This was considered a severe blow to the FDLR organization.

The trial for Murwanashyaka and Musoni began on May 4, 2011 before the Oberlandesgericht in Stuttgart. They are accused of several counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity according to the German Völkerstrafgesetzbuch. Their trial is the first to be held in Germany for crimes against this law.[23][24]

In October 2010, the Executive Secretary, Callixte Mbarushimana, was arrested in France under a sealed warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed in the Kivus (Democratic Republic of the Congo). The warrant concerns widespread attacks allegedly committed by FDLR troops against civilians in North and South Kivu in 2009. The Court's judges state that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Mbarushimana bears criminal responsibility for these attacks, including murder, torture, rape, persecution and inhumane acts. The warrant alleges that Mbarushimana was part of a plan to create a humanitarian catastrophe to extract concessions of political power for the FDLR.[25]

On 13 July 2012, the ICC announced an arrest mandate against the FDLR chief Sylvestre Mudacumura for war crimes committed in the Kivus[26] as well as against

Naona unaruka ruka kama chura wa snura, narudia tena swali na nakuwekea maandishi ya msingi kwenye red:

"nisaidie jina la mtu mmoja tu mwanachama wa FDLR ambaye ana kesi either ICTR au Gacaca au mahakama yoyote ile duniani kuhusu genocide aliyofanya. Ukishindwa naomba ufafanue ni kivipi mnasema FDLR ni wauaji wa kimbari."

 

[mchambawima1]

Naona unaruka ruka kama chura wa snura, narudia tena swali na nakuwekea maandishi ya msingi kwenye red:

"nisaidie jina la mtu mmoja tu mwanachama wa FDLR ambaye ana kesi either ICTR au Gacaca au mahakama yoyote ile duniani kuhusu genocide aliyofanya. Ukishindwa naomba ufafanue ni kivipi mnasema FDLR ni wauaji wa kimbari."

acha kujifanyisha! kwa hiyo hizo kesi wanazoshutumiwa na ICC kwa waliyoyafanya DRC ni za kipuuzi kwa sababu hazionyeshi waliyoyafanya Rwanda? huo ndio uinterahamwe wenyewe jMali unataka nikuletee kesi zao Rwanda wakati watu wenyewe hata majina yao yenyewe mara nyingi tunakuta ni ya kuchonga... kama kweli una nia ya kujuwa ukweli kuhusu ndugu zako basi subili wakisha jisaliminisha! huwa tunapigwa na butwaa tunapogundua majina yao kamili baada ya kutoka huko kwenye misitu ya DRC... mambo ya Rwanda aisee, usije ukashangaa ukikuta hao jamaa walikuwa mapadre!

 

[jMali]

acha kujifanyisha! kwa hiyo hizo kesi wanazoshutumiwa na ICC kwa waliyoyafanya DRC ni za kipuuzi kwa sababu hazionyeshi waliyoyafanya Rwanda? huo ndio uinterahamwe wenyewe jMali unataka nikuletee kesi zao Rwanda wakati watu wenyewe hata majina yao yenyewe mara nyingi tunakuta ni ya kuchonga... kama kweli una nia ya kujuwa ukweli kuhusu ndugu zako basi subili wakisha jisaliminisha! huwa tunapigwa na butwaa tunapogundua majina yao kamili baada ya kutoka huko kwenye misitu ya DRC... mambo ya Rwanda aisee, usije ukashangaa ukikuta hao jamaa walikuwa mapadre!

We zugazuga lakini dunia imeshashtukia kuwa HAKUNA KESI HATA MOJA YA GENOCIDE POPOTE PALE INAYOWAHUSU FDLR! FDLR wanaitwaje genocidaires? Mnajuaje kuwa waliua 1994 wakati hamna hata kesi moja? Chura anaruka ruka chura....

 

[Gamba la Nyoka]

Jmali kauliza maswali magumu, mchambawima1 usirukeruke,. Hebu tueleze role ya RPA katika Genocide ya mwaka 1994, Tusaidie tujue wao waliuwa raia wangapi wasio wanajeshi wa serikali ndani ya Rwanda kuanzia mwaka 1990 hadi 1994 na baadae mauaji ya wanyarwanda wengine kwenye kambi za ukimbizi DRC?

 

[Snipper]

Hivi Gamba la Nyoka ulifanikiwa kupata majibu ya maswali haya?? Hata mi ningefurahi kupata majibu

Jmali kauliza maswali magumu, mchambawima1 usirukeruke,. Hebu tueleze role ya RPA katika Genocide ya mwaka 1994, Tusaidie tujue wao waliuwa raia wangapi wasio wanajeshi wa serikali ndani ya Rwanda kuanzia mwaka 1990 hadi 1994 na baadae mauaji ya wanyarwanda wengine kwenye kambi za ukimbizi DRC?

 

[MAGALEMWA]

yaleyale... sikatai chochote kilichofanyika! mauwaji yalisimamishwa kivita sasa ulitegemea nini? unataka tuseme ni GENOCIDE kama ile yenu iliyopangwa barabara? hivi jMali kuna wakati huwa unakaa na kujiuliza kama RPF ingechelewa kidooogo sana, tungekuta nini Rwanda? najuwa unajifanyisha kutoelewa lakini inahitaji mtu mjinga au mnafiki kama Bukyanagandi ambaye anaweza kufananisha serikali inayotumia HIT_LIST specifically for killing all TUTSIS in the country na wale waliojaribu kila namna kukabiliana na adui(Genociders) hao... anyway yetu macho lakini YOU WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT HITS YOU!!!

Tuambiane RPF waliua wangapi na wanaendelea kuua wangapi hadi sasa?

Likowazi Tutsis ni mahodari wa propaganda kama ndugu zao mayahudi.

I am sorry I have yet to witness a balanced story of the incident

 

[kbosho]

Jmali kauliza maswali magumu, mchambawima1 usirukeruke,. Hebu tueleze role ya RPA katika Genocide ya mwaka 1994, Tusaidie tujue wao waliuwa raia wangapi wasio wanajeshi wa serikali ndani ya Rwanda kuanzia mwaka 1990 hadi 1994 na baadae mauaji ya wanyarwanda wengine kwenye kambi za ukimbizi DRC?

Sure.......

 

[ira lionel]

Wameua wengi sana na badonwameendelea kuua.