La Marche du Peuple: RWANDA: Murder in Gakurazo 15 civilians, including 13 clerics and two young men.

On June 5th,1994, the RPF killed 3 bishops, 9 priests, 1 religious brother and 2 young people including an eight-year old child.

Testimony

from

Emmanuel Dukuzemungu,

the sole survivor.

Manuscript completed on: June 5, 2000

Publication: June 2014, at theoccasion of the commemoration in Orleans (France) the 20th anniversary of the assassination of Gakurazo.

Remerciements: Nos sincères remerciements à Messieurs Justin BUHUNGA, Jean-Népomuscène MANIRARORA, Isaac RUSANGIZA et d'autres sans lesquels cette traduction anglaise n'aurait pas eu lieu. La Marche du Peuple.

Summary

0 Foreword

Introduction
Influx of war displaced in Kabgayi, April 7, 1994.
The diocese is mobilizing for the displaced.
The seizure of Kabgayi by RPF on Thursday, June 2
We are made prisoners on Thursday, June 2
Driven to an unknown destination, the night of June 2
Tambwe our prison on Friday, June 3
A new life is endured and accepted, the Saturday, June 4
Hauled to Gakurazo the Sunday, June 5
The walk of Providence, to 17 h.
A death meeting convention, around 19h 00
Sketches related to the assassination of Gakurazo.
My secret is discovered.
The list of 15 victims:
A parody of prayer on the morning of Monday, June 6
Preparing the funeral on Monday, June 6
Funeral ceremony on Tuesday, June 7
RPF intelligence services are activated.
The tongues of the three girls loosen up.
Escape plans.
Unexpected visit of Father Vjecko on Wednesday, June 22
The order to leave Gakurazo on Thursday, June 23
Ruhango to Rwabusoro (Bugesera) on Saturday, June 25
Inkotanyi coming for me, the night of Monday, June 27
The visit of Cardinal Etchegaray in Kabgayi on Tuesday, June 28
From Rwabusoro in Rwamagana (Kibungo)
Sad news of Brother Balthazar Ntibagendeza’s murder.
Evasion through Burundi, on 30 July.
The Stay at the Grand Seminary of Bujumbura.
Insecurity in Burundi and ambush by the "never-fail", Batutsi militia.
Evacuation and arrival in France on 8 December.
Appendix: Geographic and historical landmarks.

0. Foreword

The testimony herein, a translation of the original text in Kinyarwanda, was written in the aftermath of Gakurazo events of June 05 1994. Although released 20 years after, June 2014, the information available at the time of writing were maintained as such. The uninformed reader on Rwanda will find attached to this document, some geographical and historical landmarks allowing a quick location of the facts narrated.

The file called "Gakurazo" has been well documented in 1994. It is part of the documents that allowed a commission of experts to conclude that the RPF had "perpetrated serious breaches of international humanitarian law and crimes against humanity. " The conclusions of this UN Commission strongly contributed to the creation of the ICTR International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, based in Arusha, Tanzania. This court was established to "ensure that those responsible for genocide and other serious violations committed in Rwanda and neighboring countries between January 1994 to December 1994 are brought to justice before an independent and impartial tribunal." The Tribunal investigated for more than 10 years on the crimes committed by the RPF and gathered incriminating testimonies and concrete evidence. To date, much like Human Rights Watch points it out in a letter to the General Prosecutor of the ICTR and made public on 1 June 2009, "the Court held just leading perpetrators of the Rwandan genocide of 1994 and has not initiated prosecutions against RPF officers despite having jurisdiction to try their crimes. "

Attorney General Hassan Jallow

- Source: RFI

Instead of proceeding with the indictment of these cases in court based in Tanzania, the General Prosecutor Hassan Jallow decided in June 2008 to transfer to Rwanda the files of Rwandan Patriotic Front suspects for them to be prosecuted there. And yet, at that time, "two of the chambers had the Tribunal reject requests for pending genocide cases transfer to Rwanda on the grounds that the Rwandan judiciary could not guarantee a fair trial." [1]

For a trial of the RPF officers, Rwandan authorities arrested four military officers in June 2008 and charged them with war crimes for the murders in 1994 of 15 civilians, including 13 clergy and an eight-year old boy. At the end of the trial called "a politically-motivated travesty of justice" by Human Rights Watch, two of the officers confessed to the murder and were sentenced to eight-years imprisonment (reduced to five years on appeal). Two senior officers were acquitted. It was October 24, 2008.
Since then, Human Rights Watch has repeatedly called for "a formal evaluation of the trial" and urged the General Prosecutor Hassan Jallow "to recall the case and try it in accordance with available evidence." This request was only relaying a statement made by Jallow himself. We will remember that in a report to the UN Security Council in June 2008, he pledged to "monitor closely the Rwandan RPF trial and recall the case if the proceedings did not meet international standards.”
To our knowledge, no action has been taken on this request until now.

Former RPF senior officials began to testify. This is the case of Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa, former Secretary General of the RPF and Chief of Staff in the Presidential Cabinet, who asserts that Mr. Paul Kagame, the current president of Rwanda, personally ordered the killing of civilians in Gakurazo, and has a direct and personal responsibility.

Paul KAGAME- Source: theguardian.com

Would there be a direct relationship between the direct involvement of Rwandan authorities at the highest level and abandonment by the General Prosecutor Hassan Jallow to prosecute serious crimes committed by RPF, even though they fall under the jurisdiction of the ICTR? History will tell. In any way, as well stated by the NGO Human Rights Watch, "refraining from addressing the murder of tens thousands of civilians by members of the RPF would result in a dramatic impunity for serious crimes committed in 1994, and would leave many people with the feeling of a biased justice or "victor's justice". Such a result would seriously undermine the accomplishment of the Tribunal”.

The efforts of non-governmental organizations involved in defense of human rights, such as HRW, in highlighting the ICTR inconsistencies clearly show that there is a malaise about what may be considered as a scandal of the century. In fact, the international community gives the impression to have created for Rwanda a unique tribunal of its kind that guarantees impunity to one of the favorite protagonists during the war and not to prosecute all suspects. "Unlike the ICTY (International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia) who brought the charges against each of the protagonists, only members of the former Rwandan government and the former Rwandan armed forces are only the ICTR defendants."

One wonders if the Rwandan problem is a concern for the decision makers of this world. Instead of handling the Rwandan tragedy in all its entirety and help eliminate the evil in all its depth by pursuing the culprits, some powers have opted for a kind of masquerade obeying to an unspoken logic. If not, how to explain notorious inconsistencies in Hassan Jallow’s decisions to transfer the Gakurazo file to Rwanda? Not to mention the deafening silence of the UN unable to rein in a court it created? The answer is in the statement made by Prof. Peter Erlinder [2] when he rails against what he calls "obvious political manipulation ... [that] have transformed the Tribunal for Rwanda into an instrument of the great powers for their foreign policy rather than an example in an international justice. There was, in any event, no other potential explanations when we are reminded of what happened to Mrs. Del Ponte when she wanted, based on irrefutable evidence, ie, s assassination of Gakurazo to apply an impartial justice. This former Chief Prosecutor of the ICTR was ousted from her position at the ICTR in 2003 because she had "suggested that both sides had committed crimes" and that publicly recommended "that the two conflicting parties had to answer for their crimes known as the "Rwandan genocide".

Brig. Gen. Innocent KABANDANA- Source: umuvugizi.com

The presence of a crime suspect on US soil is another striking example. General Innocent Kabandana identified by Mrs. Hope Mukashema [3] as one of the masterminds of the murders of Gakurazo is today Chargé d'Affaires at the Embassy of Rwanda to the United States. The witness said that "he was also part of the group that brought the bishops on June 5, 1994. He was a lieutenant, and was among those called the" psi ". It was these people who were organizing meetings. Kabandana was involved in making all the decisions, he could not ignore this assassination plot in which he was actively involved. "

It is high time that these powers take their responsibility towards the Rwandan people and the entire world as it would be anomalous if the war in Rwanda is "the only war in history where only one of the protagonists has committed crimes during the war." What would have served the ICTR, if that UN institution for Rwanda, unique in its methods, failed to reject "the erected judicial impunity"? Nevertheless, the international community will never say that it was not aware since the investigations gathered "testimonials and concrete evidences."

The attitude of the Rwandan Catholic Church deserves special attention. While it is the first to be concerned with the Gakurazo case, because of the rank of the majority of the victims in the hierarchy, the Rwandan Church has opted for the full and therefore complacent silence. Certainly, the political context is difficult. However, an official statement from the Episcopal Conference giving the position and expectations of the Church on the Gakurazo drama would have served as a reference and testimony. Yet it has been 20 years that the victims of Gakurazo are waiting for a decent burial that any human deserves and in particular that two bishops should be buried in their respective cathedrals as the tradition states. Where are the preparations? Will not be the risk that the collective memory and Rwandan history hold that when courage and tenacity were needed, the Church rather preferred the comfort or even the ease towards the government in place?

It is very urgent that all remember that the only master of our conscience is the Truth, and that the worst enemy in any case for Rwanda, is one who, wherever he comes from and whoever he is, tries to appropriate consciences and enslaves them.

The history retains only those who, even in pain and misunderstanding, make the right choice to serve only the Truth.

1. Introduction

I am the sole survivor of a tragedy in which three bishops, 9 priests, a religious and two young people including a seven year old child were murdered. It was on Sunday, June 5, 1994, in Gakurazo, commune Mukingi, Gitarama prefecture [4] in a religious community. The murder was carried out by the RPF soldiers [5]. It was very quickly presented as an isolated act of some unidentified elements of the army.

Few people are, until now, aware of the facts that I have witnessed and I want to make them public.

What really happened?

2. Influx of war displaced people in Kabgayi on Friday, April 7, 1994.

In April 1994: I had spent 9 months exercising my ministry as a priest at the cathedral/ parish of Kabgayi (Gitarama prefecture), living with other priests).

The Parish/Cathedral of Kabgayi. Source: Cath-ne.ch

On Friday afternoon, April 7, 1994, the day after the assassination of President Juvenal Habyarimana, we were surprised by the arrival of fugitives, mostly women and children. They said that they were fleeing the capital Kigali because of the massacres that were taking place. They stayed in the playground of the primary school, opposite the Cathedral. Some of the fugitives said that they needed an accommodation for the night before continuing their journey the next day to their home prefectures (Butare, Cyangugu and Kibuye). Other bluntly asked to be accommodated for longer. These included first of all Tutsi who were afraid of going home. There was also Hutu from Byumba who could not go to their homes because of the fighting taking place.

Vehicles carrying families of senior military and civil dignitaries started to arrive too.

In very few weeks, all the space of the Parish/cathedral and schools were full to the brim with refugees. Fugitives were no longer coming from Kigali but also from the communes of Gitarama and other prefectures especially Kibuye and Kibungo. In early June, Kabgayi accommodated about thirty thousand refugees.

How do they live?

3. The diocese is mobilized to care for the displaced.

On Saturday, April 9, the day after the arrival of the refugees in Kabgayi, Father Rwabalinda JMV, vicar general of the Diocese and Bishop Thaddeus Nsengiyumva, convened a meeting. attended by among others, the priests of the Kabgayi cathedral/ parish to which I belonged and heads of instititions which were under the direct or indirect authority of the Diocese, namely the Major and Minor seminaries religious communities, the hospital and the secondary schools in the area.

The aim of the meeting: was to discuss ways of helping refugees as soon as possible? The most urgent task was to find food for children, especially that we could not figure out how and when outside aid could come in.

The bursars of the different establishments were requested to give out their food stock in order to provide for the fugitives.

We were each allocated tasks that responded to the needs identified at the meeting. Thus Fr. Alfred Kayibanda was given the role of looking after the security of refugees while Dr. Oswald, Director of ESI [6] A3, was in charge of taking care of the sick. Fr r Vjecko Curic Croatian Franciscan missionary, priest in Kivumu parish, even though not present at the meeting, was entrusted with the task of looking for food aid from wherever possible

The role of government was also discussed. It was obvious that the Church could not alone address the problems of the moment. It was necessary for the governments to play its role particularly in providing security to the people and passes (laissez passer) to people working with refugees. Rev Fr JMV Rwabalinda was given the role of being an interface between the religious officials and government officials of the prefecture. We agreed to meet again at some point.soon.

It was under those circumstances that, from that day what came to be called “welcome Committee for the war displaced of Kabgayi" was born. This committee will play, thereafter a crucial role as interface with NGOs such as WFP (World Food Programme) and CRS (Catholic Relief Services) when they came to Kabgayi to help refugees. The committee was chosen by these NGOs as their favoured interlocutor. The prefectural government officials eventually decided to work with this Committee with regard to all matters concerning aid to refugees. This happened when Byumba refugees were forced to leave Nyacyonga near Kigali, to be installed in Kamonyi, Taba commune and later moved to the new stadium Gahogo in Nyamabuye commune.

The following days, food aid and medicine and equipment arrived at Kabgayi thanks to Fr Vjecko who brought them from Bujumbura (Burundi). It was at this time that Fr Francis Muligo, parish priest of the cathedral/parish of Kabgayi was given responsibility to escort trucks from Akanyaru border between Rwanda and Burundi) to Kabgayi. I was responsible for taking stock of the aid at Kabgayi and at Kivumu Parish. The aid was granted by WFP (World Food Programme) Bujumbura. The aid increased slowly though it still remained limited due to the increase in numbers of those who needed help. The growing numbers made the distribution difficult because heads of sections in the refugee camps could hardly cope.

Insecurity, however, was the biggest problem. Interahamwe [7] especially coming from Kigali and some politicians who passed through Kabgayi considered the support given to these refugees by the Church. In Kabgayi as totally absurd, deemed the place of refuge as a stronghold of enemies and traitors. I must admit that, even if the Interahamwe did dare not openly attack the city of Kabgayi, men and teenagers disappeared. Father Alfred Kayibanda, with extraordinary courage, was able to save lives, but not all

Rise in the psychosis as a result of the war.

Since April 11, the transitional government was forced to relocate from the Capital Kigali to Gitarama and this gave us hope that its presence capital Kigali would push the fighting of the region. However towards the end of May certain signs, pointed to the fact that the future was rather uncertain

Indeed, while RTLM (Radio Television Mille Collines) manipulates the population into believing that the FAR (Rwandan Armed Forces) had the situation in hand, a massive wave of refugees were coming to us in Kabgayi. People were fleeing this time the fighting taking place in the centre of the capital and waves refugees were streaming along Kigali - Butare road. Many made a stopover in Kabgayi. All these people claimed that Kanombe airport and even some parts of the city, including Kacyiru, have fallen into the hands of Inkotanyi. [8] Those, in Kabgayi who captured foreign radio stations and Radio Muhabura of Inkotanyi reported that the entire region of Kibungo, east of the country, as well as the Bugesera, Kigali south, are no longer under the control of FAR (Rwandan Armed Forces). According to them, the Inkotanyi would also aiming to push on towards the centre of the country, thus invading Kabgayi and Gitarama, through the town of Ruhango (Tambwe commune). Ruhango is only 15 Kms from where we were.

From May 30th, several events ensued quickly:

Ruhango had just fallen into the hands of the Inkotanyi. The news had been confirmed by several truck drivers who had been away to load food at the Akanyaru River and had just come back home. The Highway Kigali-Butare through Ruhango was impassable.

We are cut off from everything: the food shortage was taking place. Every day it was more difficult to manage food stocks due to lack of supplies.

4. The capture of Kabgayi by the RPF, Thursday, June 2nd.

Three days later, at dawn on Thursday, June 2nd, I was awakened by a terrible noise: it seemed that heavy weapons could be heard near Kabgayi.

About 10am, the situation became alarming. Although the heavy guns were silent, small weapons took over and their crackling intensified. Such noises made us fear the worst: we thought about the massacre of refugees. For a while, in fact, there were rumors orchestrated by the Interahamwe saying that it was not normal for Kabgayi to become a stronghold of Tutsi while elsewhere we have "worked"." This terminology was in vogue and meant ransack and pillage of the belongings of the Batutsi and the Bahutu who were mostly regarded as traitors and were therefore doomed to death. In addition, according to the same rumors, we had also heard that Kabgayi would be reduced in ruins if the Inkotanyi continued their attacks. That’s why we thought that the massacred of refugees was taking place.

It was not the massacres of refugees. The fights had just closed in on us.

Indeed, at about 11am, while I was in the courtyard of the bishopric with other people, we saw soldiers on the opposite hill nearby, the hill of Gihuma, above the largest refugee camp at Saint Kagwa Center. We thought that they were soldiers of the Rwandan regular army but weirdly the guards (soldiers) who were at the entrance of the bishopric as well as other people who had been housed at the bishopric suddenly disappeared. The flight of these soldiers revealed us that there was something abnormal, which, incidentally, caused a panic among the people who were at the bishopric.

At the same time, we hear an intense clamor from the refugee camp at Saint Kagwa Center. A sudden fear invaded me: it was not the soldiers of the Rwandan regular army that we saw on the hill of Gihuma but the Inkotanyi who had already begun to surround Kabgayi.

At the bishopric we were no longer numerous. Many people were gone. There were only us priests, employees and some refugees including Bishops Vincent Nsengiyumva and Joseph Ruzindana. These two Bishops, Vincent Nsegiyumva (Kigali) and Joseph Ruzindana (Byumba) had arrived in Kabgayi in mid-May. Like many other people, they had fled the capital Kigali where the fighting had intensified. While in transit to Rome for the Synod of African bishops, Bishop Joseph Ruzindana had been stuck in the capital Kigali since the terrorist act of April 6th against the plane of president Juvenal Habyalimana.

At the bishopric, one can also see some members of the family of Bishop Thaddée Nsengiyumva. For several months, they had been welcomed to Kabgayi after having been driven out from Byumba because the 1990war.

The Bishop Thaddée Nsengiyumva advised all of us to leave and that he will leave the last. Quickly, the people who were in charge of taking care of the children refugees from Byumba began to put them in the diocese vehicles that were parked at the commissary. As for us, the priests, we rushed at the treasury officer, the Priest Sylvestre Ndaberetse, to ask for some cash. The Priest Emmanuel Uwimana, Rector of the Lower Seminary had just convinced me that I should temporarily go with him at his home in Kayenzi and stay there until that the situation becomes clear in Kabgayi.

Everyone was busy. While some people were rushing to the reserves of gasoline, others were making their suitcases. I myself went to look for the gasoline and I was fortunate to get it among the first ones. My only remaining task was to quickly make my suitcase and join, as agreed, my colleague Emmanuel at the Seminary. But suddenly the parish employees exclaim and called me: "They are breaking the windows of your vehicle".

I went outside and looked through the gate and exactly saw a band of people who had surrounded my car and were claiming: "the owner of this vehicle must give us the ignition key." I quickly realized that these were refugees from the camps, which was revealed to me by the words some people were telling others: "Hey! Do not touch that vehicle, it belongs to a priest. "I had just begun to open the gate so that I may stop them, when my colleague Alfred who had followed the whole scene from an upstairs window called me and advised me not to take that risk. I saw my car departing and right away forgot my departure with Emmanuel.

A few minutes later, we witnessed surprising event. In front of us, at the entrance of of an elementary school, a long column of refugees, led by soldiers, was walking slowly, silently, and was heading towards the main road.

After that departure, the whole Kabgayi fell into silence. Nothing was moving. It felt as if we were on a deserted Earth. However, we could see circulating some individuals in military uniforms. There was no doubt that these were the Inkotanyi because these individuals were tall in stature and thin. They were in uniform and could be easily mistaken for soldiers of the regular army, but one could quickly realize that they were not because of their particular clothing: light berets and caps, boots or sneakers.

It was from a window on our floor that I and Alfred were following all of this.

At around 1pm, we saw arriving three Inkotanyi who stopped at the stands at the entrance of the Basilica, in front of us. They began to call by his first name the priest Fidèle Gahonzire (the Chaplain of the hospital whose apartment was in the presbytery). They asked him to come and go with them. They called several times without a response. They went and knocked strongly at the gate but no one opened. They insisted, telling us not to be afraid of approaching them and asked that we open the gate.

But suddenly a man introduced to us by the door that led to the bishopric. It was unclear how he was able to access it. As soon as I saw him, I recognized him because he was part of a group of refugees who used to help us at the general commissary [9]. He suspiciously stared at us and asked who we were. We, the priests, said nothing. One of the three girls were were present immediately spoke and explained who we were. The Inkotanyi was not listening. He continued his journey passing through the front door of the presbytery and went to open the gate to the other three Inkotanyi.

There, in front of the square of the Basilica, there were three Inkotanyi. I and Alfred Kayibanda decided to take the lead, go in front of them and greet them, not without suspicion. They asked us a few questions about our profession. But I made a u-turn and quickly went to notify the people who were at the bishopric. I found everyone outside in the courtyard.

A few minutes later, we were joined by all of the people that I had left behind me. The Inkotanyi asked us who we were. That’s how they learned about the presence of three bishops among us: Vincent Nsengiyumva (Kigali), Joseph Ruzindana (Byumba) and Thaddeus Nsengiyunva (Kabgayi).

There are also priests. First, two older ones, namely Denys Mutabazi injured during the war and who had come from Nyundo to seek treatment, and Vincent Gasabwoya, former vicar general of Bishop André Perraudin, bishop emeritus of Kabgayi, then two younger ones, Bernard Ntamugabumwe and JMV Rwabalinda.

But it's not just the clergy. Most of the bishopric employees of whom the Franciscan sisters involved in stewardship are still there. We also see some of those refugees who came from Byumba.

It must be said that there remained nobody but practically the sole inhabitants of the house when the Inkotanyi entered the bishopric. Refugees who had been housed there for a few weeks, almost all had had time to flee.

5. We are held prisoners on Thursday, June 2.

So we are all here, in the courtyard of the bishopric, in front of the offices of the bishop. The Inkotanyis ask us to leave the diocese. Through the door of the parsonage, we arrive, led by the Inkotanyis at the basilica. They stop us before the printing house. A few moments later, other people of whom the Josephites brothers [10] and the nuns living in Kabgayi join us. We are a group of about one hundred people.

We are here waiting for the decision of our new masters, and now the bishops are separated from us. We see them talking with the Inkotanyi and getting away with them as for a walk. JMV Rwabalinda François Muligo, Innocent Gasabwoya Denys Mutabazi and Jean-Baptiste Nsinga (superior general of the Josephites) follow them. They take the road along the house of the Josephites Brothers to reach the main road. They then take the direction to the nursing school.

As for us, while waiting for orders from Inkotanyi, we remain on site. Nobody said a word, our faces betray our apprehension. Inkotanyi wander around us, they stare at us curiously. Among them, there is a young boy of about 14 who looks down on us.

My focus is on the soldiers, Inkotanyi, which I have long heard of. I realize that they are human beings like us and speak our language. However, I can not shake away the memory of the warnings by Radio Rwanda that chill me with fear: are these men really great villains who savagely murder those they catch? At the same time, the presence of those still with me gives me comfort.

Some time later, one of the Inkotanyis tells us to leave and go to areas where there 's no more fighting either Byimana or Ruhango. Father Gahonzire goes to see him and asks him if they can let us go pack first.

Once permission is granted, we return to the rectory where we find our apartment ransacked. Inkotanyis are feasting with our reserves of food and drink.

But we have no more heart to eat. We hasten to pack our luggage under the greedy eye of the Inkotanyi who control everything. There is no more privacy. Wherever you go, they follow you and see everything you take with you. Once the bags are removed and placed in the yard, they make us reopen them.

Before leaving, we await the return of the bishops and priests who are not back yet. The presence of François Muligo is in any case necessary to us: it is he who has the ignition key of a van parked in the courtyard of the presbytery and we intend to put our belongings in it. Other people of whom religious fellows and Father Bernard Ntamugabumwe of the bishopric have meanwhile joined us and we expect to leave together. But then our wait lasts all afternoon until the Inkotanyis announce that the departure was postponed to the next day.

Some of us are starting to get their luggage when suddenly we hear the whistle of a bomb which at the same time, crashes not far from where we are. The terrible noise causes panic: they hustle on doors, each wanting to camouflage. At least three times bombs fall on Kabgayi. We do not know who sends them but there is no doubt it is the nation’s army that takes its revenge. We all cram ourselves in different rooms of the presbytery. No one talks; we wait in fear that a bomb falls on our heads.

6. Driven to an unknown destination, the night of June 2.

So we are about fifty to cram ourselves in the hallway and in other rooms of the presbytery.

19:00 h, we hear the front door of the rectory opening, footsteps and low voices. These are the Inkotanyis that bring bishops and priests. As they kick people lying on the floor in the hallway, one of the Inkotanyis yells: "Who's there? “ We reply that we are mostly priests and nuns and we sought cover here from fear of bombs.

The Inkotanyi then demand that all priests present follow the bishops. The nuns, in a unanimous cry, lament our departure. The Inkotanyi immediately reassures them by saying that for them too, the departure will be soon.

Fidèle, Bernard, Alfred and I, take our luggage and go outside to wait for the bishops in front of the basilica. They are in their homes. They were instructed to make their suitcases quickly and be ready for departure. They return immediately frugally loaded: Mgr Thaddeus chose to take only one briefcase and a halogen lamp while François Muligo preferred to come only with a bed cover.

If this departure only concerns the clergy, other people have absolutely wanted to join us, posing for employees that carry our luggage. These are Twahirwa Stanislas, a young refugee from Byumba and three girls, Christine Mukankubito worked at the bishopric gas station, Drocella was employed at the school of Gahogo founded by Father Alfred Kayibanda, Joselyne Uwurukundo originating from Musumbira had narrowly escaped the massacre of his family.

These three girls are among those hosted by the parish. All other people, especially that morning, even as early as two days before, had chosen to leave. These three Batutsi girls, them have no reason to flee the arrival of the RPF.

The Inkotanyi align us and take us away. We go past the church, take the street through the large plot of beans Father François Muligo had planted and access the main road to the taxi stand. Here we come across a troop of Inkotanyi soldiers resting, visibly exhausted. Many of them are lying on the ground, others, much fewer, are seated around a map of the regions of Rwanda they carefully scrutinize in the light of flashlights. One can see a little farther away, weapons of all kinds that other soldiers have dismantled and are busy cleaning.

The Inkotanyis make us take the road, that 400m farther, leads to the nursing school. We will not go any farther since, just 100m down the road, they stop us in front of one of the houses that, down the road, line up along the road. These are the homes of the school's teachers. They tell us to stay in front of the front porch and wait for a vehicle. The bishops tell us that it was the very same place where they had spent the whole afternoon. As for Emmanuel Uwimana, he has joined them later, brought in by the Inkotanyis from the junior seminary. And if we saw them all back to the bishopric, it was because the Inkotanyi came to tell them that the decision had been made to evacuate them, the time for the region to calm down.

Our wait lasts for hours, prompting some of us to get bed covers out of their luggage and go to sleep. The Inkotanyis who are there to watch over us don’t say a word to us. But one of them has, meanwhile, approached the girls and wanted to know why they had put themselves in the group of priests when they are not even religious personnel. They respond that if they are still alive, it is thanks to those priests and that they will follow them wherever they go. The Inkotanyi retorted that they have no reason to stick to the clergy; that he is then going to take them back with other girls. But they beg him not to separate them from us. As he refuses, they begin to cry and the Inkotanyi relents.

About one o'clock in the morning comes in an Inkotanyi those talks to the bishops and two elderly priests asking them to follow him to board a vehicle waiting for them. As to us he tells us to wait for our turn. The bishops and two elderly priests, Innocent Gasabwoya and Denys Mutabazi accompanied by JMV Rwabalinda leave us. The vehicle that takes them away we see it leaving from the taxi stop, a few meters from where we are.

Two hours later, Inkotanyis.come around. One of them tells us that a vehicle is waiting for us. We are eleven: three girls and one boy, brother Jean-Baptiste Nsinga, Fathers François Muligo, Alfred Kayibanda, Emmanuel Uwimana Bernard Ntamugabumwe, Fidèle Gahonzire and myself. Our luggage in hand, we follow the Inkotanyis. At the taxi stand on the Kigali-Butare road, we find two pickup trucks waiting. One of the pickup trucks was no other than that which they had stolen from me one day before. Dozens of other vehicles are parked all along the road. Majority of them come from the bishopric which housed many vehicles left by those whom the war forced to leave the country, including many religious missionaries.

We take the direction of Butare. We sit at the front of the vehicle while the rear is crowded with Inkotanyi. The night was very quiet. From the Karama hill up to Ntenyo the road is littered with tree and sorghum leaves still green, a sign of fierce fighting that took place there the day before. As we arrived at "Mugina w'imvuzo", a town located between Byimana and Ruhango the Inkotanyis get off and stop at a barrier at the entrance to the city. We continue the road. At Ruhango, about 15 km from Kabgayi, the driver leaves the main road and takes, on the left, the road to the Tambwe commune office, 600m away. There, on the left, 200m away, in front of the dwelling house of the mayor, it stops. The first vehicle that brought in our companions is already parked there. The Inkotanysi take us in on foot. We go through a street which, along the burgomaster's house overlooks a secluded house on top of the hill. Outside, two guards watch. We are taken inside and a kerosene lamp lightens up. The Inkotanyis tell us that this is our lodging. Those that have blankets take them out; others lay over a couch that is in this living room. It was around three o’clock in the morning and soon it will be daylight.

7. Tambwe, our jail on Friday, June 3.

I was awaken since dawn by a soldier who, from the next room, took out a person whose arms were tied behind. It is also in this same house, although we did not know it, that the bishops and the priests that came with them had spent the night. One room was used to house the Bishops and JMV Rwabalinda while the two elderly priests had spent the night in another room.

We were all up at 8:00 am. They serve us a tea for breakfast. Sitting on the porch, we enjoy it with biscuits (compact food) of which I had been able to take some packets with me at our departure from Kabgayi. Then the Inkotanyi that has been watching over us since the morning asks us the list of our names. It is I who does it. All in all, we are seventeen people including three bishops, nine priests, one religious aide, three girls and one boy. I learn that in the meantime this later has been interrogated to find out his true identity.

We're there idle. They give us no instruction. In fact we realize that our situation has something ambiguous in it. Alfred Kayibanda, Emmanuel Uwimana and myself , try to understand the reason why. In order to provisionally evacuate us as they had told us, the Inkotanyis have chosen to isolate us in this hidden place instead of bringing us in inhabited place prepared to welcome people such as the nearby parish of Ruhango or that of Nyanza a little bit farther away.

All this feels fuzzy to me. Even though I realize that we are well taken care of. Alfred and Emmanuel are more positive. To Alfred, if they chose to put us away, in an unknown place, it is because they want to trigger reactions from those whom our disappearance will worry. Emmanuel is, as to him, convinced that our return to Kabgayi is a matter of days, the time for calm to be restored there. His argument is founded on the promise made by the Inkotanyis to us at our departure from Kabgayi. It is true that these later had in fact described their actions as a humanitarian gesture.

To all of us one thing seems, in any case obvious. Our stay in this place may have to last a little bit longer. That’s why we begin to wonder about Eucharistic celebrations. Bishop Thaddeus Nsengiyumva Writes A Letter to Father Stany Urbaniak, a Polish priest, pastor of the parish of Ruhango asking him to send us the kit for mass. The letter is handed over to the soldier who was watching over us.
The day feels too long. Some of us cannot stand staying idly sitting there doing nothing. So this is why Francis and JMV start to clean the yard of the house that seems to have become our new home. Drawing our attention to the fact that the sorghum and the bananas are ripe, , JMV relaxes our face promising us to soon have us taste sorghum beer and banana wine. But for that to happen we must in turn learn to "kubohoza" (help ouserlves).

It was with the advent of political parties three years ago that the expression "kubohoza" was born. The followers of opposition parties used it any time they successfully managed to draw someone out of the MRND (the unique party in power). That’s when they indeed said; "twamubohoje" (We have liberated him). There was however a slipping in the meaning with April 1994 events. The term was reused whenever it came to looting with the meaning of taking by force, to take ownership of someone else’s belongings. It however did not lose its humoristic side and was used in colloquial language. Very fashionable, it could be used anytime to mean to self-appropriate anything one way or the other. It is in that last sense that JMV uses the expression.

The girls start to wash down the house because there is dried blood on the floor. According to the photos in the album in the living room, the house belongs to Athanasius whom I know since we come from the same region [13]. Brand new, tiled and plastered with red cement it is a three-bedroom house with a large living room.

Around 15:00 hour they serve us lunch. We are very hungry and for a reason! For most of us, except for the tea we had in the morning, this has been two days that we haven’t put anything in our mouths. The dish is composed of rice, meat, with a little sauce. After the meal, some of us go for a nap. Late in the afternoon, we the priests, except for the two elderly, play cards we had found on site. After dinner we say our prayer together. This is a memory recitation of evening Christians’ prayers that father Dionysius take charge to begin. In fact it is not possible for us to use the breviaries because the light is not enough for reading. We then go to sleep and there is this time a few mattresses brought to us by the Inkotanyis.

8. A new life suffered and accepted, Saturday, June 4.

Saturday, June 4, is our second day at Tambwe and we begin to get used to our new condition. So this morning, everyone is concerned about his grooming. The bishops rely on us to provide them with all of what they need. They even begin to relax, to feel at ease, when at the beginning they looked bothered to share these abnormal conditions with us, especially in the presence of the young girls. But look now, they get used to it, especially after they realize that instead, the girls are here to help us. So this Saturday, they do laundry for those who had an urgent need to get their clothes washed, especially those who had brought along only one outfit with them.

After this grooming session, we gather to pay lauds, then, a tea breakfast.

The morning goes on and as the day before, they serve us lunch at 15:00 hour. But This time there are two additions; green vegetable are also offered, "imbwija" picked on site and a shake of soft sorghum grain. The girls had prepared them in a pot. We stayed there all afternoon.

The evening prayer, the vespers, we say it before nightfall so we can use our breviaries. After dinner, we resume the card games. What is special this time is that there are two opposing teams, the bishopric against the parish. The successive defeats of the bishop's makes the evening very cheerful and the high note is that at the last game the team of bishops is pitifully beaten up. We go to bed in a very joyful atmosphere.

9. Driven to Gakurazo, Sunday, June 5.

We're already up and just said the lauds when the Inkotanyi comes in and makes an announcement that surprises us. He informs us that it was decided that we leave Tambwe to be brought to Gakurazo in the Mukingi commune at the Josephites brothers’, a homegrown congregation. He asks us to get ready quickly because the departure is imminent. This news delights us. From my own end I do not believe it. While I thought we were held hostages at Tambwe, now look we can live with others. We are, in any case, sure that at Gakurazo and Byimana two nearby hills, we shall see the religious personel we had left at Kabgayi. We know that they were ordered to go to Byimana. We do not conceal our joy at the news that we will finally live again.

We drink tea in the morning and I think about the Israelites during the Exodus. Then we do our luggage over, then, around 8:00 am, the Inkotanyi comes to us and tells us to go and join the vehicles waiting. A minibus and a pickup truck were parked where we got off when we arrived. We therefore join and leave. Another vehicle carrying Inkotanyis follows us behind. One can recognize among them leaders and subordinates who watched over us since our arrival.

We arrive at the Josephites’ in Gakurazo, 10 km from Tambwe, at 10:00 o'clock. The house is home to nearly 100 people. We see the brothers, usual residents of the house, and find that their colleagues from other communities have joined them. There are also religious personel.

These come from different religious congregations: The Hospitality Sisters of St. Martha Kabgayi more numerous and accompanied by Sister Marie-Louise, the mistress of the novices of Swiss origin. The girls from the Charity Foyer of Remera-Ruhondo. Two Franciscan Sisters of Christ's Reign, Epiphany working for the diocese of Kabgayi, the others having left for Ruhango, two Dominicans, all others having remained in Gihara, the Runda commune of Gitarama.

We also find there father Sylvester Ndaberetse, refugee and Burundian Hutu Treasurer General of the diocese of Kabgayi. But the house did not welcome only religious personel because one can see there other refugees where women and children are the majority. What is impressive is especially the large number of soldiers present at the time of our arrival and that walk around the enclosure.

Our arrival amazes especially nuns, who as they see us, express their emotions with cries of joy. The Josephites brothers welcome us to the dining hall with a hot tea, the atmosphere is festive. Then begin preparations for a Mass that has just been decided and scheduled for 11:00 am hour. That Sunday, was the feast of the Holly Sacrament. The head of the house, Brother Ntibagendeza Balthazar, of Burundian origin and master of novices, struggles to prepare housing, knowing that the bishops had already had theirs.

So we are there in the yard, talking with those we have joined. We listen to Fr. Sylvestre Ndaberetse who tells us his misadventures: the sease of Kabgayi took place when he was in his office at the commissary. He hid over there and did not get to know what had happened to us. He stayed in there until, tormented by hunger, the next day he came out and went up to the kitchen of the bishopric to seek sustenance. But there are Inkotanyi who challenge him and learn that he is the treasurer. They ask for foreign currencies but he cannot satisfy their request. They order him to leave, while allowing him to take his car and head towards Ruhango. When he arrives at Karama Shyogwe 5 km away, other Inkotanyis confiscate his car and take everything he had on him, except the chapel suitcase. They take with them a million Rwandan francs, about ± 25 000FF. The other million of foreign currency remained hidden in one of the toilets at the bishopric. They take him in another vehicle to Tambwe, at the communal office. He is locked in a room with other people who, like him, had been captured. And then, look that in this morning (Sunday) he founds himself brought to Gakurazo and that by chance we meet him there at the same time.

At 11:00 am o'clock we went to the chapel of the brothers for a Eucharistic celebration. It is presided by Archbishop Vincent Nsengiyumva looking very tired. After Mass we wait for a short while before returning around 12: 30 pm, in the dining hall for lunch. The brothers have prepared a hearty meal since they offer chicken from their chicken coop. After lunch, it's siesta time for those who were able to find rooms. As for us, we are waiting for the rooms to be ready. In reality they are only lacking mattresses. The brothers ended up going to fetch them from some abandoned houses nearby.

We stay there all afternoon. Most of my friends went to play cards or table tennis in rooms designed for that purpose. As for me, I stayed there in the yard talking with other people

10. The walk of Providence, around 17:00 h.

Around 17:00 h, Sister Liberata Muragijemariya, a nun of Sainte Marthe Hospitallers of Kabgayi comes to me and tells me she finds me too quiet and suggests I go for a walk with her to help me discover the house she already knows. She plans to show me the barn and the cows of the community. I accept the proposal and we go through the dining hall. From this one, we access the kitchen and a door opens to a courtyard where the barn is built. The sister was right; all these places are new to me. I’m discovering them all at this time. Unfortunately, the cows are not in the stable but in the meadow. We stay here talking and killing time. At dusk we return to the community.

I shall soon realize that this walk did not happen by chance

11. The call for a death meeting, around 19h 00.

It is now night, those who were playing in recreation rooms came out because of the lack of light. In times of war, there is no more electrical power. So, most of us, are there on the porch, waiting for mealtime.

It is around 19:00 hour and we are told that the Inkotanyi is convening a meeting for the whole group of those who, on this Sunday, arrived from Tambwe. However, the purpose of the meeting is not specified to us. We are asked to pass along the information among us and to immediately convene in the dining hall. The information passes around quickly as desired by the Inkotanyi, and a few moments later, here we are in the refectory. This building is a large room of about 300 seats. Facing the courtyard on its ends, two doors provide access to the court. We go through the south gate that leads to the "living room." In front of us from the living room to the door leading to the kitchen, two rows of long rectangular tables line up along the whole length of the room.

The space provided for the meeting is already set up when we enter. Armchairs and regular chairs form a large circle around a small coffee table. A group of about eight Inkotanyis is already in the room, sitting remotely at one of the sidelines’ row of tables. The room is lit by an oil lamp and Bishop Thaddeus Nsengiyumva is also with his halogen lamp.

The Inkotanyi [15] who obviously will chair the meeting, receives us politely with a smile and we sit down. The bishops occupy the south side armchairs, near the living room wall. Next to them on one side; Innocent Gasabwoya and Denys Mutabazi, on the other side; JMV Rwabalinda. Facing the the bishops, in the same circle, sits the Inkotanyi who will chair the meeting and his body-guard. The three girls are not sitting in the circle but behind the Inkotanyi. The group of eight Inkotanyis sits behind me beside the girls. Richard Sheja [16], a little boy of about 7 years, also joined us and is in the arms of Innocent Gasabwoya.

The Inkotanyi begins to introduce himself. But we recognize his face since it is the same person who, upon our arrival in Tambwe, was watching upon us. He is about 25 years old and limps a little bit. He does not ask us to introduce ourselves, but goes on to speak of the purpose of the meeting. Its purpose is to foster mutual knowledge and be informed on our responsibility and mode of conduct in this Welcome Center. He warned that because of insecurity, nobody should leave the house without informing the military and unaccompanied. This is because, he says, the enemy is still lurking everywhere. He added that we should not worry about our safety because the primary objective of the RPF is to ensure the protection of all citizens.

But he started to look among us and, suddenly, he seemed very surprised by noticing that some people who were missing: a bishop whom he does not know if he is either from Kigali or Kabgayi and a priest he thinks to be the Vicar General of the Bishop of Kabgayi. We actually noticed that Vincent Nsengiyumva, Bishop of Kigali, and Sylvestre Ndaberetse, Treasurer General of Kabgayi, are not among us. But JMV Rwabalinda remembers that a few minutes before we were summoned to the meeting, he saw Archbishop Vincent praying in the Chapel; he was therefore unaware of the meeting. With regard to Sylvestre, no one knew where he was, but we believed he might be in his housing. Someone went out to look for them.

The Inkotanyi restarts the meeting and allows time for questions. Bishop Thaddee spoke first and speak on behalf of those who, when leaving Kabgayi did not have enough time to prepare their suitcases. According to the promise that was made to them, the next day, a vehicle was supposed to go back to Kabgayi to recover all of their belongings. The bishop noted that this could not be done and asked what the Inkotanyis were planning to about that. The Inkotanyi said that everything would depend on the development in Kabgayi.

He had not done speaking when, having moved away and was now near the door, one of the eight Inkotanyis speaks. Tall, 1m85cm height, the man was in his thirty’s, thin and with lighter skin. He was in uniform, but without his cap. I do not understand, he said, people who do not want the unity of Rwandans. If the situation in the country is catastrophic, he added, is because of them and that's why the RPF was given the mission to fight them wherever they are. [17]

Nobody reacts nor has time to do so because upon saying that the Inkotanyi went out immediately.

I did not follow the rest of the discussion, because, when the Inkotanyi left, Brother Balthazar entered and quietly, asked me, Emmanuel Uwimana and Fidele Gahonzire, to go out with him. When we went out, I realized that all of the Inkotanyis who were sitting behind us t the beginning were all gone. The Brother said he called upon us to give us the rooms, which were finally available. He leads us to the nearby building, where the rooms were. Hardly had he begun to assign us the rooms, the young Stanislas (of our group) came to us to tell us that the Inkotanyi who is chairing the meeting wants us to return quickly to the dining hall, because he does not want anybody to leave before the end of the meeting. Immediately, we went back to the meeting room.

We met at the door, Brother Jean-Baptiste Nsinga (of our group) who entered with us. This one has just arrived for the meeting. Although he did not attend the meeting at the beginning, no one noticed his absence. The Inkotanyi did not, in any case, mentioned him among those who had absolutely to be present.

I was the only one not to be able to retake my previous sitting place in the circle. Brother Jean-Baptiste Nsinga has just taken my place. I sat right behind him, in one of the eight chairs, which were previously occupied by the Inkotanyis before leaving. We are all there, in full. Mgr Vincent and Father Sylvestre have already arrived.

Suddenly, while I just sat down, the door through which we entered opens abruptly and the noise surprises us. I saw 4 Inkotanyi soldiers, who suddenly entered, aiming machine-guns as if they were responding to an attack. With a strange screaming, shouting incomprehensible words, the directly took position behind the Inkotanyis who were with us and immediately opened fire.

Right away, the fear that went over me is indescribable. I just understood that we were all in danger of death.

Next to me, one of the girls stood up, hands in the air and shouted imploring the killers to stop. JMV Rwabalinda before me, has also stood up, I saw and heard him screaming and begging for mercy.

But suddenly, everything happened in seconds. Like a voice that spoke to me in an urgent inspiration, clear and precise, I remembered where, hours before, I was with the religious Sister and felt in me some thing that told me to go hide myself there. Immediately I threw myself to the ground, by crawling I bypass the chair on which I was sitting and got to the wall that I pass along still crawl, passing through the empty space between the wall and the row of tables. I clearly felt the imperative of getting to the inside door of the refectory, which I couldn’t see at that time but which I clearly remembered for having been there a few moments ago with the religious Sister. In my flight, I heard the loud noise of machine guns and thought that someone was following me and sometimes I though I was dead. I made a few more meters before reaching that door. Luckily, I found it open and made it to the kitchen, still crawling. I come across religious Sisters, huddled on the ground, under the influence of fear. Among these religious Sisters, there was Donata Nyirahabyarimana of the Foyer of Charity "Virgin of the Poor" of Remera-Ruhondo, and Sisters Marie-Louise (originally from Switzerland), Liberata Muragijemariya Didacienne all of which were from the Hospitable Community of St. Martha of Kabgayi.

I passed them and reached the door that led to the courtyard, where there was there a barn. The fear that was in me did not allow me to approach the barn which I was seeing further. I chose to stop there near to a nearby building on my right. I lied down against the wall.

A few seconds later, I saw arriving the youngest of the girls who were with us in the meeting room. She was breathing with difficulty and was scared. Realizing that it was I, she fell on me and said: "turashize!" "We're going to die! ". We stayed there for a while. The shooting continued in the refectory. It was not however nourished but discontinuous, one by one.

It's clear with the moonlight. The girl pointed out that the place where I was hiding was not a hideout at all. She saw, beside us, a small house that once was used as a barn. We headed there and stayed next to a pillar that served as our hiding place.

This is where I began to rethink everything that just happened. I feared something terrible might have happened to my companions and thought at worst, death for some, but whom? I tried to convince myself that there are survivors and wanted to know whom?

As for me, I still see the whole scene and am aware that I nearly died. I conclude that all lives hang to a thread. I, who in my life, has never had any accident, nor, in any case, a serious illness that could make me think of death, I still feel how much such a scene is scary and unspeakable.

I saw all of the events that preceded it: my walk with the religious Sister, my going out during the meeting, the late arrival of that Brother and the change of my sitting spot. All these events reminded me of the presence of an Invisible Hand. The certainty that God has decided to save me and that he was not going to allow me to die, strengthened me and helped me regain my senses very quickly. The fear that had invaded me gradually disappeared. I began, however, to wonder about the meaning and the reason for such a scene. I however had no answer. All of this meditation led me, in any way, to a balance sheet of a spiritual life that was not very glorious. This is why I spontaneously started to pray for pardon and thanksgiving. This experience reminds me, however, what I used to forgot very often, the fragility of the human condition and of my personal life.

Sister Liberata Muragijemariya, the messenger of the Providence.

The shooting has stopped. Nothing moves in the house. It reigns a dead silence. But suddenly, I hear and see people arriving with flashlights, apparently in search of people.I can watch through a hole in a wooden door near where we are. These are Inkotanyi.I recognize them not only by their height, tall and thin, but also by their shoes, sneakers that the FAR (Rwandan Armed Forces) never wore.

Fear came over me again and my heart starts pounding. I begin to think that they are looking for me and others, perhaps, like me, who may have run away.I see them coming toward us by pointing their flashlights but miss and continue their move to the barn next to us. Suddenly, I hear the Inkotanyi talking to people who are in the barn.I must say that for a long time I hear the mooing of the cows that betray the presence of a foreign element.Those in the barn raise their voices imploring: "We are brothers, have mercy! “ Turi abafurere nimutubabarire”. Inkotanyi tell them not to be afraid and to get out of the barn.Suspicious, the brothers continue to beg for mercy.But they end up getting out on the order of Inkotanyi.I see them all leaving with the Inkotanyi, joined by another brother who followed the whole scene outside the court. [18].

Everything becomes silent again. A relatively long time elapses without any living soul. Occasionally, a flashlight will light indicating the presence of an Inkotanyi stayed there to monitor the situation.I'm still in my hiding and my plan is to wait for the right moment to escape towards Ruhango, my home region. So I stay up and the night seems endless. I fall asleep time to time, but the sense of danger wakes me forthwith.

12. Sketch related to the assassination of Gakurazo

Sketch related to the assassination of Gakurazo by the RPF. It shows in detail the buildings complex of the Community of the Josephites Brothers where the massacre took place. It shows, in particular, the location of each of the killers and the victims during the assault.

13. My hiding place is uncovered.

It is about 11 p.m. when I see a column of about twenty soldiers approaching, raking the scene with the help of flashlights.

Again, a great fear came over me: I have the feeling that I am wanted. They pass in front of the barn and found no one.They then head towards us and are about to pass without seeing us when one of the last two points with insistence his flashlight to where I am and he spots us. He questioned us sternly: "Who are you, Brothers or who else?".In dismay, but holding my emotion, I answer quickly: "I am a priest, she is my sister."

There is no family relationship between me and this young lady. When we entered the hiding, she was one who suggested to me, that in case we would be caught, to protect myself by saying that I am his brother. I laughed at this idea because there is no resemblance between her and me. However, I am the first to use it.

The Inkotanyi ordered us out of the hiding place. I obeyed while being convinced that my end has arrived. But he commands me back to my room. So I walked up to the dormitory, the Inkotanyi behind me.

Although I expect imminent death, I have no more fear. Once in my room, I sit on the bed. The Inkotanyi remains in the doorway. It was at that moment that I recognize the very one who presided over the alleged meeting, always accompanied by his bodyguard. The inkotanyi starts talking to me. I realize that fortunately his voice is serene.

He delivers me his version of what happened by exonerating himself: "According to the investigation that has been carried out, what just happened is the work of few individuals in RPF from Gitarama and Butare who have not supported the massacre of their relatives in Kabgayi. One of those soldiers died in the fightings that took place in the wake of this tragedy [20], two others managed to escape, but we are looking for them. We apologize for this incident. "The offense of one individual should not tarnish the entire organization (aba Umukobwa Umwe agatukisha bose)" [21]. The family of the RPF can not tolerate such act, all who are responsible will be prosecuted. "

These words, including the "we're sorry" comfort me. I begin to hope that maybe he does not intend to kill me. I begin, however, to realize the seriousness of the situation. This leads me to ask him how are my companions doing. I still hope that there are survivors. The Inkotanyi replied evasively that he does not know and he walks out immediately.

I remain like glued on the bed, immerse myself in thoughts full of grief because of a disaster that I sense but I refuse to accept. About five minutes later, I see the Inkotanyi back and he asks me to join the others. My mistrust wakes up but I can do not nothing else but to obey it. We leave the dorm and when we come out, I effectively do see in the distance, near the main entrance, a group of people. It's all the refugee group and the Josephites brothers. They are there, grouped and saying nothing. The women have covered their faces with scarves.

Once I got to them, there were sighs of surprise and joy.

The Inkotanyi quickly orders everybody to shut up and he starts to explain what happened. He repeats exactly what he told me a few minutes before. "According to the investigation that has been done, the drama that has just occurred is the work of few RPF individuals originating from Gitarama and Butare, who did not support the killing of their relatives in Kabgayi. One of those soldiers died in the fightings that took place in the wake of this tragedy, but two others managed to escape, but we are looking for them. We apologize for this incident, "the fault of one should not tarnish the entire organization (aba Umukobwa Umwe agatukisha bose)." The family of the RPF can not tolerate such act, all who are responsible will be prosecuted. "He concluded by saying: "Let's go to see what happened."

As soon as we enter the dining hall, we are almost suffocated by a strong smell of butchery. What we see as we approach is terrifying: lifeless bodies lying on the ground in rivers of blood. Some women do not support the spectacle then they veil their faces with their hands. Other utter desolation whooping and begin to cry. As for me, I am stunned, my whole being is like paralyzed, within the scope of the indignation: my companions, among of them friends, I see them all dead. I can not come to the evidence or accept that they are dead. Gradually, as I look around, my soul is immersed in a great sorrow.

They all lie on the floor but one, Bishop Thaddeus Nsengiyumva who, killed sitting in his chair and cheek resting on his hand, gives the impression of someone who is resting. His body is externally intact except for a bullet hole in his foot. All others are on the ground, lying in their blood. Vincent Nsengiyumva and J.M.V Rwabalinda and Fidele Gahonzire have their heads torn. Sylvestre Ndaberetse was shot at the door trying to escape. François Muligo and Alfred Kayibanda fell face against the ground while Innocent Gasabwoya collapsed to the ground with the child named Richard he still hold in his arms.

We do not stay long because a few minutes later, the Inkotanyi orders us to go out. Everyone goes to bed and I dare not return to the room prepared for me, my emotion is so intense. I follow the refugees, including the nuns, in the room that was reserved for them as a dwelling. But I will, first, take the necessary for the night in the room where our luggage were deposited when we arrived.

Suddenly, when walking out of the room, I see a Inkotanyi soldier coming toward me. Once in front of me, I do not believe my eyes: he is one of those who shot at us. I was stunned.

In fact, when the soldiers broke into the dining hall, I was able to identify this young black man around 25 years old. It is him, the smallness of his mouth, tattoos (imyotso) on his forehead and his yellow beret are all distinctive signs that I remember well.

When our eyes meet, fear grips me but I succeed to control myself. The Inkotanyi greets me and asks me to lend him one of the covers being in the room. All baggage of most of my companions are still there. I agree of course. So I gave him one of the covers. He thanks me and leaves.

Despite the beautiful speech to explain the massacre, I have to come to the evidence: all this is a set up. They lied to us.

I go to bed.

14. The list of 15 victims:

Richard Sheja, Mututsi child of about 7 years old who died in the arms of Innocent Gasabwoya. With her mother, they were hosted by Josephites Brothers during the massacres. His father Cyprian Gasana, from Kizibere-Tambwe and deputy prefect in Gitarama, was killed a few weeks before.
Stanislas Twahirwa, a young Muhutu of about 20 years old . He is one of war refugees from Byumba who since 1992 had been welcomed by the Bishop of Kabgayi
Brother Jean-Baptiste Nsinga, Mututsi, 48, superior general of the Josephites
Abbé Fidele Gahonzire, Mututsi, 28, ordered the 8/15/1992, from the Cyeza parish, municipality of Rutobwe (Gitarama). Housed in the rectory of Kabgayi, he was chaplain of the Kabgayi hospital.
Abbé Emmanuel Uwimana, Muhutu, 31, a native of Kayenzi parish, town Taba (Gitarama). He was rector of the Petit seminary of Kabgayi.
Abbé Bernard Ntamugabumwe, Muhutu, 32, a native of Kibangu parish, municipality of Nyakabanda (Gitarama). He was prefecture representative of Catholic schools in the diocese.
Abbé JMV Rwabalinda (with title of Bishop) Muhutu-Tutsi, 33, a native of Karambi parish, municipality of Masango (Gitarama). He was vicar general of Bishop Thaddeus Nsengiyumva, Bishop of Kabgayi.
Abbé François Muligo, Muhutu, 39, a native of Byimana parish, municipality Mukingi (Gitarama). He was pastor of the cathedral parish of Kabgayi.
Abbé Alfred Kayibanda Muhutu, 45, a native of the parish of Gihara, municipality of Taba (Gitarama). He was vicar in the cathedral parish of Kabgayi
Abbé Sylvestre Ndaberetse, Burundian refugee, Muhutu 45 years. He was Treasurer General of the Diocese of Kabgayi
Mgr Thaddeus Nsengiyumva, Muhutu, 45, a native of the parish of Bungwe, municipality of Kivuye (Byumba), consecrated bishop of Kabgayi on 31/1/1987 and President of the Episcopal Conference.
Mgr Joseph Ruzindana Muhutu, 51, a native of the parish of Busogo, Mukingo commune (Ruhengeri), consecrated bishop of Byumba on 17/01/1982.
Mgr Vincent Nsengiyumva, Muhutu, 58, a native of the parish of Rwaza, municipality of Ruhondo (Ruhengeli) consecrated bishop of Nyundo on 02.06.1974 and on 05.03.1976 as the Archbishop of Kigali.
Abbé Innocent Gasabwoya (with title of Bishop), Mututsi, 74, a native of the parish of Save, municipality of Shyanda (?) (Butare). Former vicar general of Bishop André Perraudin, Bishop Emeritus of Kabgayi.
Abbé Denys Mutabazi, Mututsi, 79, a native of the parish of Save, municipality of Shyanda (Butare) (?) incardinated in the diocese of Nyundo.

15. A parody of prayer, the morning of Monday, June 6th.

The next morning, Monday, June 6, we just finished the morning prayer of 7:00. For the most part, we are in the yard waiting for breakfast. Suddenly, we see a troop of soldiers inkotanyi enter through the front door.The composition of the group shows that it is probably high-ranking military officers because they are accompanied with bodyguards. One of the soldiers says that he has to talk to us and asks that we group together.In a short period of time all the inhabitants of the house are there together. The Inkotanyi -they are really strong in manipulations - requests that before he spoke, one of us says a prayer. Thus a religious intones the "Our Father". After the prayer, the Inkotanyi took the floor and said he just came to explain the circumstances of the tragedy but I'm struck by the fact that he repeats word for word the same speech that the other held the day before: "According to the investigation that was done, we learned that the drama that took place was made by RPF soldiers originating from Gitarama and Butare prefectures that have not supported the massacre of theirs in Kabgayi: One of these military personel, authors of the horror committed suicide [22] that night because he knew about the harsh punishment waiting for him.Version here that differs from that of the first speaker who said that the killer was killed in the fighting that took place after the massacre. He continued his speech: As you know the family of the RPF can not tolerate such an act. The other two managed to escape but a search has begun and we assure you that severe action will be taken against them. I ask you to be strong, know that your pain is ours, the fault of one should not tarnish the entire organization (aba Umukobwa Umwe agatukisha bose) "

16. Preparation of the funerals, Monday, June 6th.

After his message, the Inkotanyi concludes by raising the issue of the funerals. He said that with the help of all, everything will be done to all those who have died get honorable funeral. After these words the Inkotanyi got prolonged applause by most of the people who, at that moment, start relaxing and begin to break the silence and talk.

After breakfast, another one of those Inkotanyi , accompanied with Brother Balthazar, in charge of the house, come to me and ask me to help them to prepare the funeral. I agree and a few moments later, another Inkotanyi [23] with a clearer complexion and medium size with lots of tattoos (imyotso) on both cheeks approaches me and asks me to give him suggestions for burial . In my reply, I said to him that, in accordance with the Church usages, every bishop should be buried in his cathedral. Then I gave him my opinion on the burial by proposing that all bodies are brought to Kabgayi that bishops are buried in the cathedral and the others in the cemetery of the diocese. He agrees and promises to put at my disposal a vehicle that would help me to move around.

It is then that begin the preparations for the funerals. The most urgent need is to find coffins and prepare the bodies of victims who are still at the scene of the massacre. It is the religious who are icharged to toilet the deads. They carry them with the help of the brothers into the quiet room. On my part, I leave to Kabgayi in the hope of finding the coffins to the diocesan carpentry. I am accompanied by the Inkotanyi who chaired the alleged meeting the day before.

On the way, I asked to go first to the parish of Byimana ± 3 km from Gakurazo where I hoped to find priests.

My goal is to, first, inform them of what happened to us and then involve them in the preparations. At Byimana parish, I find the abbots Joseph Ndagijimana (priest), Jean Nsengimana (Vicar) and Michel BISENGIMANA (elderly retired priest). In addition to these priests attached to the parish, there are other people who are staying there after leaving Kabgayi. This is the major seminarian, Sylvain Ndayambaje and Jeanne, the archivist to the bishopric of Kabgayi. There is also abbots Venuste Linguyeneza, Rector of the Grand Seminary of Kabgayi and vicar general of Bishop Jean-Baptiste Gahamanyi (Butare) and Benoît Karango, professor at the Grand Seminary of Kabgayi.

Joseph Ndagijimana comes with me at Kabgayi. At the diocesan carpentry we find only one coffin but we decided to take planks and some tools with us to make enough coffins once back to Gakurazo.

Kabgayi has the appearance of a dead place and it is scary. The dead silence that reigns there is, from time to time disturbed by the sound of gunfire. There is no bystanders on the premises except some Inkotanyi. The buildings of the diocese in which all the doors were forced open are not yet looted, at least in part. Everything, however, is messy and all vehicles have been stolen.

We leave immediately to Gakurazo. Here, the funeral preparations are advanced. We are going to recollect ourselves before the remains that have been brougth into the waiting room. The nuns were able to make the toilet of all the dead and change the clothes of some. All are covered with linen and arranged so that we can identify them. The priest who accompanies me, Joseph Ndagijimana, can take a picture.

The boards we brougth are insufficient for the required number of coffins. It was decided to make only four coffins, for the two bishops, Father JMV Rwabalinda and brother Jean-Baptiste Nsinga. Brothers with carpentry skills start working immediately. As for digging a mass grave, some brothers have already started since the morning.

Around 15:00 hours, three Inkotanyi [24] arrive. Clearly they are senior officers, when considering the fact that they have bodyguards around them. They call for a meeting, they say, of all persons who are responsible for preparing the funerals. It was in a room near the chapel that the meeting is held. Inkotanyi are four in number, the three newcomers and one who presided over the alleged Sunday night's meeting. From our side, we are five. Apart Brother Balthazar and myself there are also other abbots who all came from the Byimana parish, namely Joseph Ndagijimana, Vénuste Linguyeneza, Jean Nsengimana and Benoît Karango.

One among the Inkotanyi is not unknown to me. I saw him for the first time on Sunday morning, June 5 in Tambwe. He was among the soldiers who led us to Gakurazo. Aged about thirty years, he is of tall, 1m 80, black with big red eyes. He is the one who speaks to us and tells us that the purpose of the meeting is to exchange ideas about the burial ceremony. But he tells us immediately that the place and date of burial are changed. On the place of the funerals, he said that because of the intensified fighting, all bodies must be buried at Gakurazo and not at Kabgayi.

Father Vénuste Linguyeneza immediately takes the floor and responds by pointing out that it would be abnormal and therefore incomprehensible that funerals are done in this way, then that, according to the rule of the Church, every bishop should be buried in his Cathedral. He continues by stating that it is for Inkotanyi to do what is possible so that each bishop be brought and buried in its respective cathedral, with all the honors due to him. If necessary, he added, negotiations should be initiated between the conflicting parties for the funeral convoys to access the regions not controlled by the FPR. Father Joseph Ndagijimana also takes the floor and supports the idea of Vénuste saying that the active participation of the RPF would show joins the Church in that sorrow. The Inkotanyi rejects Vénuste’s proposal. He explains that no question of negotiating with the other party because every minute lost in the war has unfortunate consequences. He adds that even if these negotiations would take place, the RPF would not trust its opponent.

I take the floor to insist on the promise that the Inkotanyi made me in the morning. I note that if the idea of bringing the bodies in Byumba and Kigali is not retained, the burial of the bodies in Kabgayi is quite possible since the region is fully controlled by the RPF. I therefore propose that the bishops are buried in the cathedral and the others to be at the cemetery of the diocese. Another Inkotanyis responds by asking how, in times of insecurity, how one can have the ability to dig graves. He explained that the military can not be responsible to make war and at the same time to ensure the safety of people who would be in cemeteries. The discussion continues and Inkotanyis stand on their position to bury the bodies in Gakurazo. They consider and present theiridea as a temporary burial as they say that the bodies will be exhumed and taken home, once the calm has been settled in the country. At one point, I take the floor and make another proposal in relation to the choice of the place of burial. I note that the problem of personal safety arises outside and not for the interior of the cathedral. If it is because of the insecurity of the people that the bodies can not be buried in the cemetery of the diocese, this problem does not arise, however, for the funerals inside the cathedral. Here, there will be no need for the military to provide security for those who will be digging the graves. I therefore propose that consideration be given to the idea of burial the bishops in the cathedral and other bodies remain in Gakurazo. My proposal is accepted by the Inkotanyi.

The question of who is doing of labor and the time of the funeral have to be resolved. Inkotanyi found that it is the Father Joseph Ndagijimana, parish priest, to take care of looking for people to dig graves in the Cathedral of Kabgayi. They base their argument on the fact that as a responsible, he is best placed to know the people of his parish. Joseph refused this task, arguing that the majority of parishioners fled and others are hiding in their houses, he therefore has no power to impose anything to passersby. He concluded by saying that the work is up to Inkotanyis since they have authority over the citizens. Inkotanyi eventually find a compromise. The priest, and the Inkotanyi, each to his own, they will, in the same evening, trying to find people. They will gather all people found in the morning and they will be driven to Kabgaye to dig graves. As for work at Gakurazo, Inkotanyi specify that it was assigned to the brothers and their aides.

As for the date and time of the funerals, the Inkotanyis fix the ceremony the next day at 14:00 hours

17. Funeral ceremony on Tuesday, June 7th.

On Tuesday, June 7th, from the morning, the funeral preparations continued. The four expected coffins were ready the day before. Digging graves remained the great concern of the day. In Kabgaye nothing was done yet, while in Gakurazo they only have to complete the work they started the day before. Joseph Ndagijimana, Jean Nsengimana and myself, took care of the work of Kabgayi. A vehicle took us to Kabgayi and on the way also took some peasants that the Inkotanyi had gathered. The work began at around 10am. Two graves were prepared in the Basilica, near the altar on the floor in fired bricks. The one for Thaddee Nsengiyumva was placed just outside of the sacristy door. Another one, broader, scheduled to host Vincent Nsengiyumva and Joseph Ruzindana, was dug just behind the altar. For the latter two Bishops, we expected that one day, they will sent to their respective cathedrals.

The inside setting of the Kabgayi Cathedral. The altar is just behind the three people in the picture. The sacristy door is on the left of the altar.

When we returned to Gakurazo, I learned that the digging a mass grave has since the morning mobilized Inkotanyis who joined the Brothers.

Everything was done at 2pm. Chaired by Vénuste Linguyeneza, the Mass began at 3pm. We were in the courtyard of the community of brothers, near the room where the bodies were deposited. Some of the bodies for which the coffins are provided, have been brought outside and we were surrounding them. Present at the ceremony were all the inhabitants of the house who were joined by those of the Byimana presbytery. Present were also see some Inkotanyis. Of these, I could see the one who chaired the alleged meeting in the evening of Sunday, June 5th. I could also see the one who, the previous day in the morning, contacted me for my opinion on the location of the graves. He who chaired the meeting of Monday, June 6th, afternoon, on the preparations for the funeral was present too. The identities of these Inkotanyis have been described in previous pages.

In a short but startling homily and straightforward, Vénuste Linguyeneza expresses the pain of the Church. He said that the tragedy that has shaken the Church is unprecedented in history: three bishops murdered at the same time and buried without the knowledge of the Pope. Concerning the assassination itself, he said that it shows how far human blindness and gratitude can go. He affirmed that many of these victims have tirelessly risked their lives for the cause of refugees in Kabgayi. He attested that he as personally witnessed the personal involvement of the Bishop Thaddee Nsengiyumva (Kabgayi). His efforts through letters and negotiations with political authorities for the protection of refugees. He said that only God knows how to give due credit to everyone and will surely give a true reward.

Before the end of the mass, the brother Frédéric Sezikeye, deputy of late the Head of the Josephites Brothers, delivered condolences. One of the Inkotanyis that were present asked if he could also speak. He sympathized with everyone but stressed that they were in search of the perpetrators and that crime and that such culprits will severely be punished.

The funeral ceremony continued after the mass. For the funeral of the Bishops in Kabgayi, a delegation comprising members of each religious community was made and accompanied the funeral procession. All others people remained on site around Father Jean Nsengimana pursuing the funeral ceremony for other victims.

I was among those who went to Kabgayi. Two vehicles, one for the bodies of the victims and another one carrying participants went there. Inside the cathedral where we arrived late in the afternoon, around 6pm, we needed candlelight to continue and finish the ceremony. Here too, the Inkotanyis were actively hard working. Indeed, they were the ones who, in addition of having carried the coffins from the vehicle to the destination, used hoes and shovels to fill up the graves after the ceremony. One can see some journalists of European style. Where did they come from? Who were they?

We left the scene at around 7pm. When we got to Gakurazo, the ceremony was over. I learned at the same time, that the task was especially hard for the Inkotanyis. They not only had to carry from inside to outside of the courtyard, the 12 decaying bodies but also fill up with whatever means they had, the huge mass grave. According to the same witness, a religious Sister who was there, the Inkotanyis seemed, in the end, exhausted.

18. The RPF Intelligence Services on high alert.

The day after the funeral, Wednesday, June 8th, I realized that the Inkotanyi troops that were present in Gakurazo had been completely reshuffled. These were all brand new faces. Never would I have the opportunity to cross the former soldiers seen in Tambwe or Gakurazo.

I gradually got used to accept the four walls of the community of brothers, which seemed to me as a prison. Although I had the chance to get my own individual room, I would not dare to spend there one single night. The fear of being alone was still very strong. I cannot either set foot in the refectory. The smell of blood, which would not leave the house, made my memories unbearable every time I passed near the place. At meal times that always took place in this refectory, I had to take refuge in a room next to the kitchen, where two nuns decided to keep me company.

During the same week I was subjected to two interrogations. “Come to see me”, told me at first, a man in his 50s, who was dressed in plain clothes and was speaking in a Ugandan Kinyarwanda accent. We sat in the parlor next to the chapel. The man, surrounded by his guards, introduced himself saying that he works at the RPF intelligence office. He told me that he learned that I am a survivor of the massacre and that would like me to tell him what happened. Despite my suspicion, I began to give him a summary of what happened to us since Kabgayi to Gakurazo, how we have been led to Tambwe before being taken to Gakurazo where in the evening the assassins fired on us. As I spoke, he took notes. As soon as I finished, he asked me if I was able to identify the killers, a question to which I answered negatively. Upon having read to me the minutes, he asked me to affix a signature, which I did.

Next come another person, a young gentleman, who said that he is in charge of the information section within the RPF. He told me to wanted to learn about what happened. I told him what I told to the first one. He asked me, too, if I could identify the perpetrators of the crime. Like the first time, I answered in the negative. Unlike the previous one, he did not ask me to sign what I said.

19. The three girls finally talk.

In the meantime the three girls who were part of our group make an account of how they survived the massacre. They reveal to me that in actual facts they were not invited to attend the meeting. They responded to the call to attend the meeting like anybody else. But, upon reaching the entrance door, they were stopped by one Inkotanyi who suggested they didn’t need to attend as their attendance was not that important. The girls refused to obey and eventually got into the meeting room. During the attack, the killers took position right near the girls and at one point during the shooting, one of the killers cast a glance at them angrily and pushed them saying: “Just get lost! What are you doing here stupid girls? (ariko ibi bikobwa birakora iki aha?). The girls are thrown behind the tables where they take refuge. It is from there that the two oldest girls witness the horror unfolding until the end. The youngest one fled the scene and I saw her near the stable where I had just arrived.

20. Escape Plan

It becomes a trying experience for most us, especially for me who don’t see what the future has in store for me. I am going to find a place which is not under Inkotanyi control. I spend my nights devising my escape plans, which I keep on postponing each morning. It was too risky to venture.

Nevertheless, life continues at Gakurazo guest house. The major tasks during day time are dominated by preparing food. While some deal with cooking, others walk a distance of about 2 km to fetch water. Brother Balthazar, myself and some nuns do occasionally travel as far as Kabgayi to look for food stuffs from the cathedral stocks, the Josephite Brothers or the nun convent.

The site of Kabgayi has become a deathly hush. From time to time you see unknown group of people passing by going or coming from looting properties. The stench is sickening. There are decomposing bodies even in front of the gate of the cathedral. You find them especially at the hospital and alongside the roads.

Even though we were eager to leave the site of Kabgayi, wherever we pass we witness disastrous scenes. Villages are deserted and there are signs suggesting that terror and fear have taken over. For example, at the centre of Byimana, right near the Health centre, each time we pass by, we always find Hutus among whom young children, adolescents as well as adults that Inkotanyi have rounded up from Mukingi villages. Seated in groups, you find some with hoes, a sign that they were taken from the fields. All wait anxiously for an unknown destination.

21. Surprise visit of Father Vjecko, Wednesday, 22nd June.

On Wednesday, 22nd June, two weeks after the massacre, at about 10:00am, comes Father Vjecko who was stuck in Burundi since the fall of Kabgayi. He comes from Bujumbura and informs us that he is sent by church authorities on a mission to prepare the visit of the French Cardinal Etchegaray. The latter will come to convey his message of condolence from Pope Jean-Paul II to the Rwandan church. He informs us that the cardinal will celebrate a mass in Kabgayi cathedral and that in agreement with Inkotanyi, we will go to welcome him together with other people from in Ruhango.

Before leaving, Father Vjecko requests to speak to me. It is for me an opportunity to make a full account of what has happened. But the Inkotanyi want to be present as I meet him. Of course Father Vjecko refuses and requests them to provide the reason why they wouldn’t respect some body’s privacy. The exchange between him and Inkotati becomes so tense that the Father threatens to leave immediately. Inkotanyi finally give in and we can now talk as we please from the visiting room. By and large, he is the first person I make a full account of my testimony. We seize that opportunity to talk about my evacuation. He begins by applying for a passport at the Rwandan Embassy in Bujumbura (Burundi). In the process, he shoots a passport photo on the spot. I hope to take advantage of the cardinal visit to leave the country with him.

22. The order to leave Gakurazo, Thursday, 23rd June.

It is Thursday, 23rd June, one day after Father Vejcko visit. There is rumour circulating during the afternoon that we need to get ready to leave. On the morning of Friday, 24^th June after the mass, we were summoned by Inkotanyi to meet in the refectory.

A bulky man with light complexion addresses us in a rather severe tone. He says that he has decided that we should all leave Gakurazo, heading south, to Rwabusoro (in Bugesara). He states that the reason for leaving is due to an imminent attack by the French army on Rwanda. He added that the RPF is ready to teach the French a lesson. He scornfully suggests that those among us who side with the French, they are free to stay in Gakurazo. He concludes his announcement by saying that we only have a few minutes to get ready. No one dares say a word even though the announcement comes as a surprise to people like me, who (were impatiently waiting for the visit of Cardinal Etchegaray.

Once this Inkotanyi element has finished talking, we hurry to get ourselves ready, putting together our belongings. The atmosphere is not a happy one however. It is about 10H00 that we leave Gakurazo. We walk towards Bugesera. The mother of Richard Sheja, the murdered child has the privilege to be driven in a car. This is when we lose trace of a certain number of young Josephite Brothers who we would learn later that they were enrolled in the RPF army.

On our way, we come across a crowd of people who are forced out their houses. Once in “Mugina w’imvuzo”, a trading centre between Gakurazo and Ruhango, I part from the group that takes the direction of Mayaga via Kizibere. Tempted by the proximity of my home village that I can see within 5 km as the crow flies, I decide to go and see the members of my family whose fate was so far unknown to me. I am not alone because a nun of the Hospitalieres de Sainte Marthe de Kabgayi, Sister Liberata Muragijemariya, is keen to accompany me. When I reach home, I was surprised by the fact that my parents opted to stay even though the majority of their neighbours had fled war. It is a great joy to meet again especially that I think this is a farewell encounter.

At about 15H00, after this warm welcome, we resume our journey for Rwabusoro via Ruhango, within 7 km. We walk under a scorching sun. Wherever we pass, it is death silence. The country offers a lifeless landscape. We reach those hills that we descend without any hurry.

I stop from time to time to look at these fields of ripe sorghum that lay across the valleys and on hill flanks, visited by numerous birds, as there are no harvesters.

At Ruhango parish where we reach towards 17H00, there are still some people, at the school, the nun convent as well as the presbytery. Most of them, like nuns came from Kabgayi. Others, among whom my younger brother have escaped from the rounding up carried out by Inkotanyi, are parishioners who, unable to stay at their homes and unwilling to take the flight, have found shelter at the mission. They hope to find more security there. There are also Inkotanyi bristling all over. I am going to see Father Stany Urbaniak, the parish priest. He is originally from Poland and belongs to the congregation of Pallotins. This priest is among the few expatriates who didn’t want to run away for his life and chose to stay with the population. His presence has allowed many refugees to escape from the massacres. I chat to the priest who asks me to stay for some days, the time to wait for the visit of the cardinal. I accept the offer. This is handy because of my project to leave the country. I go to ask for accommodation at the Pallotin Sisters. Their community is not far from the parish. Sister Marietta, the head of the house receives me very warmly.

It is worth stating that during that time, the sister and I shared a secret concerning a young girl, Pelagie Mukazitoni that we were able to save in extremis. A teacher at the secondary school founded by Father Alfred Kayibanda, one of the victims of Gakurazo, this girl was part of the refugees we had taken in at the parish. Her life was particularly at risk because she was on a list of people believed to be accomplices of RPF, a fact she did not deny. She was able to escape death thanks to the intervention of a high ranking officer, Colonel Muremyangango, who, passing by our presbytery in Kabgayi, accepted my request to take her secretly into his vehicle. He left her in custody of the Pallotin Sisters of Ruhango where the Sister in charge, Sister Marieta, kept her safely for some weeks. I would come across this girl in company of the military during my peregrinations.

23. From Ruhango to Rwabusoro (Bugesera), Saturday, 25th June.

Friday, 24^th June, one day after my arrival at the Pallotin Sisters, we learn that Inkotaki have intimated an order to leave the place the following day heading to Bugesera. I got the information from Sister Marietta. We then leave Ruhango the day after, Saturday, 25^th June. I and Sister Liberata Muragijemariya, the nun who accompanied me from Gakurazo, have the privilege to be offered a ride in a vehicle. This vehicle carries a priest who needs to be evacuated urgently as he was suffering from malaria. It is Alexandre Ngeze from Kigali diocese. This priest who is first accommodated at the Lycee de Bukomero (Byimana), has been admitted in Intensive Care Unit of Ruhango Health Centre following his illness. During this time of war, the same health centre also treats Inkotanyi injured soldiers.

We take the route going through Kinazi towards Rwabusoro. We come across lines of people who, like us were forced out their houses to go towards the southern part of the country at Rwabusoro. Many of them carry heavy loads while others move along with their livestock.

I and the nun are dropped off at Rwabusoro before the vehicle continues towards Rilima Health Centre. I would learn that the priest eventually passed upon reaching there.

Rwabusoro, this small market town situated along Akanyaru river, South East of the country, has become a massive refugee camp. We find thousands of people already there as we arrive. Other flock mostly from the central region, Gitarama prefecture. From Gakurazo group, we are the first to arrive, others having chosen to stay at Kinazi parish, a few kilometres before reaching Rwabusoro. We join the group of Byimana which has already arrived before us among whom were Fathers Joseph Ndagijimana, Benoit Karango, Jean Nsengimana and Venuste Linguyeneza. The living conditions are tough due to promiscuity, lack of potable water and disheartening filth.

24. Inkotanyi come to look for me, the night of Monday 27th June.

It is during the night of Monday 27^th June, a day after our arrival in Rwabusoro. Our group is busy sorting out makeshift beds amid a crowd of refugees when Inkotanyi come inquiring who Father Emmanuel was. Struck with fear, I introduced myself. One of the Inkotanyi says that he learned that I was a vicar at Kabgayi cathedral and that I should know where to find the keys of the church. He tells me that due to the mass that the cardinal would celebrate the following day in the cathedral, my presence would be necessary to open the church and prepare it in readiness for the mass. This is how during that night Inkotanyi took me in their vehicle. We have however to pass via Kinazi parish where I have to collect the keys in question. The briefcase containing the keys is in the hands of one person from our group who had stayed in Kinazi.

The Inkotanyi who takes me must belong to the leadership as he has body guards. He is courteous with me and chats to me gently. For example, he boasts of having been part of the first contingent that attacked Rwanda from Uganda with Fred Rwigema.

Our detour to Kinazi allows me to meet once again our companions from Gakurazo who were exhausted by the long walk. One part occupies the presbytery, the two priests having been killed [25]. The other group is accommodated by the “Bizeramariya” Sisters, a local congregation whose name means: “those who have faith in Mary”.

We resume our journey and reach Ruhango at around midnight where we spend the night before heading to Kabgayi the following day. As far as accommodation is concerned, the Inkotanyi makes sure I was not left alone. We share the same room in a house situated down the road that leads to the sous-prefecture.

25. Cardinal Etchegaray visit at Kabgayi, Tuesday, 28th June.

We arrive at Kabgayi the following day, Tuesday, 28^th June at about 10H00. I was surprised to find that the doors of the church were forced open. One cannot recognize the sacristy, which like other pieces have been ransacked.

It is at about 11H00 that the cardinal arrives. He is accompanied by Bishop Pierre Nguyen Van Tot, the Secretary of the apostolic nuncio in Rwanda. Bishop Frederick Rubwejanga of Kibungo as well as Father Vjecko were also present. Other religious people including Benebikira nuns [26], a native congregation from Rwamagana were among the delegation. The mass then commences, celebrated by the cardinal in the basilica. It is a mass poorly attended. Among the participants are Inkotanyi soldiers among whom one is visibly the overall commandander of the entire Gitarama military sector. He is bulky and aged 34 years maximum, he is flanked by many body guards who are constantly around him. It is him who has welcomed the cardinal upon his arrival. Apart from the military, there are also some civilians among whom RPF dignitaries. Among them, I can recognize Mr. Rutaremara Tito, a founding member of the RPF. I recognize him from the photos in newspapers when RPF attacked Rwanda in 1990. A tall man, about 1m80, he is dark by complexion in his sixties.

In his homely, the cardinal preaches essentially about peace and national reconciliation that he exhorts all Rwandans to become the first actors. He refrains from pointing an accusing finger at any particular group. When the mass ended, there is a get together in the newly renovated main meeting room at the cathedral. Addressing RPF military and civilian authorities, the cardinal conveys the message of peace from the pope.

Before leaving, the cardinal visits the bishopric. Looted and ransacked, all the buildings are in a deplorable state. The secretary of the nuncio collects some important documents found in the bishop office and the stewardship in order to keep them safely. The cardinal asks the RPF authorities present to please assure the protection of the bishopric as well as confidential documents of the bishop. The latter promise to take care of them without delay.

After Kabgayi, everybody goes to Gakurazo. The cardinal goes to visit the scene of the massacre. I am in the same vehicle as the cardinal and I make sure to give my witness testimony about the dramatic event as we drive to Gakurazo. Once in Gakurazo, all the delegation heads to the refectory, the crime scene. Bullet impact is still visible on the walls and Bishop Pierre Van Tot takes photos. We go to the mass grave where other victims are buried to pay our respect. The dignitaries, i.e. RPF cadres and precisely Tito Rutaremara and the military commander in charge of Gitarama sector I mentioned earlier on promise to the cardinal to take care of this site very soon.

Gakurazo is the last episode of the cardinal visit. We drive to Ruhango town where Inkotanyi have prepared an accommodation for the cardinal and his delegation. A light diner is first served. All this takes place in a building that belongs to a private individual, located down the road, right before Kigoma power station. It is about 23H00 that we disperse to go to sleep.

On the morning of the following day, the cardinal finishes his visit in Rwanda and leaves for Burundi. Unfortunately, I cannot leave with him as it has been my wish because Father Vjecko was unable to bring my passport. I have however the promise that in a few days, this problem to get that indispensable document will be solved. I therefore return to Rwabusoro to join my companions.

26. From Rwabusoro to Rwamagana (Kibungo)

The living conditions at Rwabusoro are very deplorable. In this promiscuity of thousands of refugees where risks of getting exposed to diseases are inevitable, we have no hope to cope for a long time. Bishop Frederic Rubwejanga, who passes by Rwabusoro while escorting the cardinal, remains sensible to the situation faced by his fellow priests. He promises that he would send transport to take us out that place as soon as he reaches Kibungo.

Two days later, in the afternoon, two vehicles come to collect us for Rwamagana where we reach late during the night. The presbytery, the community of “Benebikira” and that of the Beranardines share out the task of accommodating us. Three priests including myself, some Fransiscaines sisters as well as my younger brother are taken in by the Bernardines. Those priests are Venuste Linguyeneza and Benoit Karango. However, we are not the only ones to lodge there as other priests from Kibungo are already staying at that place. These are Father Kizito Bahujimihigo (future bishop of Ruhengeri), Philippe Rukamba (future bishop of Butare), Pierre-Claver Nkusi and the old priest Aimable Kazubwenge.

Rwamagana gives an impression of a quiet area. It is worth mentioning that this place has been under the control of Inkotanyi since a few weeks ago. Business has resumed at the trading centre of Rwamagana. People move about freely. It is a mix of people going or coming from Uganda, Burundi and Tanzania as well those coming from zones that RPF has captured. Among them are priests lecturing at the Senior Seminary of Nyakibanda such as Smaragde Mbonyintege. We receive other priests who come under military escort. These priests have become RPF cadres. These are Luc Bucyana of Kibungo diocese and Butera Eustache of Kigali. It seems these priests work for RPF and live in military barracks and as a result no longer receive orders from their superior bosses in the church hierarchy.

27. Sad news of the assassination of Brother Balthasar Ntibagendeza and members of his community.

During our stay in Rwamagana, we would receive regular visits of priests and nuns who come for short calls. I would have the pleasure to receive some of our companions from Gakurazo who remained in Kinazi among whom Sister Marie-Louise from Switzerland [27], the Sister in charge of Novices at “les Hospitalieres de Sainte Marthe de Kabgayi”. It is the latter who breaks the sad news of a selective elimination of members of the Josephite Brothers Community. She gives me a detailed account as she has been an eye witness about how a few days after their arrival in Kinazi, the RPF took advantage of Gakurazo evacuation to make a triage and assassinate members of the Josephite Community. This is how I learn the assassination of Brother Balthazar Ntibagendeza and Vivens as well as Hutu workers of the community. According to the witness, Brothers Balthazar and Vivens were assassinated by Inkotanyi on 23^rd July 1994 in Kinazi. The workers would die in the same circumstances two days later, 25^th July. Sister Didacienne [28] and Felicula Nambajemariya of the Hospitalieres de Sainte Marthe de Kabgayi could also testify about the same as they were present in Kinazi when these people were being killed. Brother Balthazar Ntibagendeza, a Hutu refugee from Burundi was in charge of the novices and it is him who looked after us since our arrival in their community in Gakurazo on Sunday 5^th June. It is him who, unknowingly has contributed towards my survival when he came to fetch me from the room of the so called meeting to allocate a room to me. Father Vivens was originally from Gitisi-Ruhango, Gitarama prefecture.

Our stay in Rwamagana is provisional. But for how long? It is a great joy for me when some days later, Father Vjecko brings my passport from the Rwandan embassy in Bujumbura. It is now only a matter of getting an opportunity to get out the country.

Father Vjecko was assassinated by Inkotanyi on 31^st January 1998 in Kigali. This Franciscan from Croatia had lived 17 years in Rwanda in Kivumu parish where he had managed to fully integrate thanks to his knowledge of Kinyarwanda.

Father Vjecko

At the time of his death, Father Vjecko was ECONOME GENERAL of Kabgayi diocese.

28. Escape via Burundi, 30th July.

My escape project is fulfilled thanks to the help of Father Philippe Rukamba. It has been a long time that he has been waiting for an opportunity to have his holiday abroad and visit members of his family. He plans boarding his plane from Bujumbura (Burundi). In the meantime he is awaiting for a friend who promised to come and pick him up in a car. He knows my project and has promised to help out.

The opportunity shows up on 30^th July 1994 and we both set out for Burundi early in the morning. The friend of Philippe Rukamba who drives us, according to his demeanour is a business man, member of RPF who was born in Burundi. He is courteous towards me. He is always at ease even when discussing sensitive issues. This is how I learn that he’s been gathering intelligence in Rwanda in relation with the infiltration and RPF war.

We pass through the capital city Kigali, a ghost town where a new wave of population of old refugees from Burundi and Uganda start settling in. The town of Butare where we arrive in the afternoon is also empty. It is late in the afternoon when we reach the border of Rwanda-Burundi at Akanyaru. At the customs office on the Rwandan side, there is an influx of old case Rwandan refugees busy filling out paper work to return home. Despite my fear, I present myself to the immigration office and I introduce myself as a priest going for holidays. I don’t experience any difficult getting an exit visa. We carry on to the other side at the Burundi Customs office. Despite not having an entry visa for Burundi, the Inkotanyi who is driving us manages to successfully take us on the Burundi territory as he seems to be well acquainted with officials at the border.

It is too late to press on with the journey. There is in the neighbourhood a nun convent of “Benetereziya[29]”, a local congregation of sisters. This is where the Inkotanyi takes us to spend the night. We resume our journey the following morning on Sunday to reach Bujumbura at 10 AM. The Inkotanyi offers to take me to the nuncio. I am received by Father Hozer of the Pallotins community, who stands in for the apostolic nuncio of Kigali. Father Hozer is already aware of the hardships I have experienced.

29. Stay at the Bujumbura Senior Seminary.

Father Hozer drives me to the Bujumbura Senior Seminary where I get an accommodation on the same day. This Seminary has become a guest house for many clergy men from Rwanda, who, many of them are in transit to other places. It is worth noting that during this Rwandan crisis, Burundi has become an unavoidable passage without which Rwandans who need to sort out their administrative papers at the Rwandan embassy in Bujumbura would otherwise experience difficulties. The majority of the clergy men accommodated at the Seminary come from Nyundo diocese and are making a stopover heading to Europe for holidays. These are namely Fathers Jean Baptiste Hategeka, Jean Baptiste Tuyishime, Jean Damascene Bimenyimana, future bishop of Cyangugu. But there are another two priests from Kabgayi, Felix Ntagara and Kibanuka, originary from Uganda. They wouldn’t be recognizable when we meet for a chat. In their euphoria thanks for the victory of RPF, they talk to me sniggering. I am particularly shocked by their attitude towards the news about the assassination of their bishop Thaddee Nsingiyumva, which they treat with contempt. This is despite the fact that it is him they owe their lives as he allowed them to sneak out the country hurriedly. This was in the wake of the shooting down of president Juvenal Habyarimana plane on the 6^th April.

All these people leave one week after my arrival. It is Father Aphrodis Kaberuka from Cyangugu who stays behind. More people would join us later, like Father Emmanuel Rukundo from Kabgayi diocese, the seminarian Jean Louis Ngabonzima from Kigali and my younger brother I finally manager to take out Rwanda thanks to the help of Father Andre Sibomana and Sister Marie Paule of Auxiliatrices congregation.

Our stay at the Seminary is serein. The nunciature pays for our stays and wages to priests. We are quickly integrated within the team of priests living at the seminary whom we share meals and other activities. We can give a hand in saying masses in various parishes across the capital and at the seminary. My major activity is however linked with Caritas Rwanda, which was temporarily relocated to Bujumbura. I am in charge of the section created by the nunciature for the Rwandan church in distress. Occasional aid, individual or collective is offered to members of the clergy and religious communities who introduce a request for it.

Apart those diverse activities, it is from Bujumbura that I start putting together my testimony in writing.

30. Insecurity in Burundi and “sans-echec”, Tutsi militia ambush.

Life in Burundi is however difficult. Despite the short period I have spent here, I come to learn the extent of the gravity of the situation. The ethnic demon is almost the same in the two neighbouring countries and makes political life more and more of a concern given the increasing assassinations that take place on a daily basis. Myself, I cheat death when the militia called “sans-echec”, a militia of Tutsi youth which was created in the wake of the victory of president Melchior Ndadaye attempt to kill me without success.

It is on a Sunday afternoon. I am walking alone along Avenue de la Cathedrale Regina Mundi. A young boy of approximately 12 years stops in front of me and asks for money. We exchange a few words and I end up giving him some cash. He just goes away. I was unaware the boy was linked to a much older gang who speaks to him once he has left me. I suspect they are talking about me because they are all staring at me. I have a certain reflex which takes me to the other side of the road. But the group is pressing on to attack me, shouting: “ni igiterahamwe sha!”, “the Interahamwe idiot is there!” which would mean: “don’t miss him! It is a Muhutu from Rwanda”. I quickly figure out that during my dialogue with the young boy, my Rwandan accent has betrayed me and I am now in real danger. I try to hurry up while they are running to stop me shouting as if they had found a criminal. I start running for my life, trying to pass near Christians heading for the mass. None of the pass byers dares to come to my rescue. They chase me for about on km to no avail. I take a short cut behind the cathedral through the bush to the Seminary. The assailants stop the chasing once they spot a group of seminarians. Since then, I never venture alone in the streets of Bujumbura.

Even though I had made a request to stay temporarily in Burundi until the situation in Rwanda stabilizes, I come to reconsider my decision and wish no more to stay longer.

In fact, upon my arrival, Father Hozer starts looking how I should be relocated to either Rome or Yaoundé. It becomes evident however that this move wouldn’t take less than one year, hence extending my stay in Burundi was the only option. Luckily, an opportunity for France shows up. Father Jean Marie Fromentin is a childhood friend as he has lived a long time in my home parish. He got echo of my predicament and he now writes a letter to inform me that he and his bishop Rene Picandet, have undertaken administrative technicalities to join them in Orleans diocese.

31. Evacuation and arrival in France, 8^th December.

The arrangements to fish me out of Burundi don’t take long as only four months later, 30th November 1994, I was pleased to learn my visa was granted.

I board my plane on the evening of 7^th December from Bujumbura airport heading to Roissy airport in Paris where I arrive on the morning of 8^th December 1994. Father Francois Maupu, "Vicaire General" of Orleans Bishop has come to welcome me and to drive me to Sully-sur-Loire where Father Jean-Marie Fromentin is waiting for me. I stay with him for one month to get acquainted with winter(!) before my appointment at Saint Paterne (Orleans) parish where I would settle.

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32. Appendix: Some Geographical and historical landmarks.

For the reader who is uninformed on Rwanda, please find hereafter some geographical and historical landmarks aimed at helping you understand better the facts narrated above.

Geographical elements.

Small country of 26,338 km2 (nearly 4 times the Loiret Department in France), Rwanda is a Country located in East Africa, between the huge Zaire now renamed Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi. Particularly of mountainous terrain (with an average altitude of 1500m), Rwanda is considered the "Switzerland of Africa".

Refreshed by the altitude, the climate is of tropical trend but not very rainy. With a total population of 7,5 million people (according to the 1981 census), Rwanda is the most densely populated countries in Africa (285 inhabitants/ Km2). Three ethnic groups inhabit the country. Sharing the same culture and the same language, the Kinyarwanda, the Hutu (84%), the Tutsi (15%) and the Batwa (1%) live together and do not need ID cards to distinguish each other. The Batwa, for example, have a special accent that characterizes them.

Poor in natural resources, Rwanda subsists mainly on agriculture. The land is generous and sorghum, maize, bananas, beans, sweet potatoes, potatoes represent the bulk of food crops. Cattle (formerly a Tutsi prerogative), sheep, goats and pigs provide meat and allow the fertilization of homestead lands. Coffee represents between 60 and 80% of export revenues.

In this country where conflicts between Hutu and Tutsi have always been violent, the control of power accompanied by the trivialization of life and the displacement of populations outside of the country's borders, up to date, sustainable and collective development is difficult not to say impossible.

Some history

The history of Rwanda seems to begin with the colonization in the early 20th century. The earlier period is poorly understood and often limited to Tutsi dynasties.

1. Settlement

Research studies from some historians, including those of Alex Kagame [30] allow us to realize that the settlement in Rwanda is a succession of ethnic invasions.

The Batwa are the original inhabitants. This term encompasses on the one hand the pygmies (of small stature, living on hunting and gathering) that are still scattered in the forests of the Great Lakes region and are known in Rwanda as the Impunyu. On the other hand, there are ceramists (of normal stature, 1% of the Rwandan population) who live among other Rwandan populations. Despite the efforts of the authorities, the Batwa ceramists (second group), with few exceptions, remain marginal, refuse schooling and mainly make a living on pottery.

The Hutus appeared second in Rwanda. It is believed that it was between the 7th and the 10th century. They belong to the Bantu group of South Africa, Zaire, Congo, Central African Republic, etc. They are primarily farmers who clear forests. The social organization is made up of clans around a patriarch called "Umwami", the King. The latter had authority only on those people with whom he shared blood relationship. He was the ultimate owner of the lands of his people. From the beginning, the Hutus form the overwhelming majority of the population. They represent nearly 90% of the Rwandan population.

Between the 14^th and 15^th century came then the Tutsis, nomadic pastoralists (they belong to the family of Hamitic people who currently live in Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea, and Kenya). Also organized in family groups, these pastors gradually and peacefully penetrated the farmers' lands. Beyond being spatial, the penetration was cultural. The Tutsis borrow feudal structures, ritual ceremonies and the language of the Hutus.

The cow was the tool of seduction, which gradually became a weapon of domination. It created client networks by livestock contracts (Ubuhake). Alex Kagame explains how such a system, which was dismantled 40 years ago, used to work: “Cattle owners used to granted to whoever was in need one or more cows. Customers were getting these deals in usufruct and the boss could get back his cows anytime and without notice should the servant fail to give him total satisfaction in accordance with the Article on benefits, which was attached to the contract ... "[31].

However, such a pastoral serf system does not explain alone any later feudal domination that continues to feed the supremacy complex, which has become almost obsessive in some Tutsis today. At a period not very precise, in the 16th century according to authors, the Tutsis manage to impose their hegemony by warfare conquests. The "Militia" once organized primarily for the protection of their family clans annexed territories of Hamitic rivals and Hutu farmers, while extending their pastoral serf networks. In such a process of warfare conquest the pastoral serfdom became a very powerful weapon, which was maliciously exploited by the Tutsi warlords to annex other territories, which belonged to Hutu farmers: the peasants who were bound to their bosses by bondage contracts enjoyed protection against the Tutsi’s raids but in return had to facilitate and help the Tutsi penetrate the Hutu kingdoms that ought to be conquered. In the 19th century, on the eve of the European infiltration in Rwanda, although some of the Hutu kingdoms (especially in the North of the current Rwanda) managed to resist and keep their autonomy, the Tutsi domination got strengthened and centralized around the King "Mwami" and his court, mostly owing to a monarchical system, which was protected by the doctrine of an esoteric code (ubiquity). [32]

2. The colonial period (1893-1961)

1894 (May): A German, Count Von Goetzen entered and passed through Rwanda with a force of 6,000 men, meeting no resistance, and is received at the Royal Court of Kigeli IV. Even though conquerors, the Germans did not depose the king.
1899: Creation by the Germans of the Rwanda-Burundi region and establishment of a protectorate with indirect rule: They retained the feudal structures to control the country.
1900 (February 2): Beginning of evangelization: The first White Fathers led by Bishop John Joseph Hirth arrived in Nyanza at the Royal Court of King Yuhi Musinga. Bishop Classe whom Pope Pius IX entrusted the Church of Rwanda (1922). He took very clear positions to support the supremacy of the Tutsi ethnic group.
1923: After the end of the 1st World War, the League of Nations formally entrusted the protectorate of Rwanda-Burundi to Belgium. Belgium organized the country into districts, chiefdoms, sub chiefdoms and entrusted them to the Tutsi aristocracy.
1943 (October 17): Baptism of King Mutara III Rudahigwa after a long catechumenate of 14 years. His baptism had a "tornado” effect on conversions of the population to Christianity".
1946: The UN assembly replaced the protectorate by the Belgian trusteeship agreement on the Rwanda-Burundi.
1952: The Belgian colonial power took various measures to reduce inequalities between Tutsi and Hutu.
In 1956: Relations became stretched between the Belgian trusteeship and the Mwami (king) who hoped to get independence while maintaining the traditional monarchy. The Hutu, organized into political parties, increasingly contested the Tutsi hegemony.
March 25: The Father André Perraudin was consecrated bishop of Kabgayi. For the first time, a church authority dared to speak out against inequalities based on ethnicity “.... the wealth on the one hand and political power on the other, are actually concentrated in the hands of people of the same race ....”[33]. Calling for more "social charity and justice," he recommended to those concerned to promote "fundamental human rights" for all Rwandan citizens.
In 1957, nine Hutu intellectuals including Kayibanda published the “Hutu Manifesto”. Increasingly Belgian colonial administration became favorable to the Hutu cause while the Mwami (king) strengthened his opposition to reforms.
1959 (July 25): Death of King Mutara III Rudahigwa in Bujumbura (Burundi) and rumors created confusion in the country.

In a highly charged atmosphere, Rwanda is divided into various political with different political programmes.

A conservative monarchist trend (the Rwandan National Union, UNAR): it supported the king and the Tutsi aristocracy and was calling for national independence from the colonial power, while retaining the monarchy.
A revolutionary trend (PARMEHUTU: Movement Party for the Emancipation of Hutu): it enjoyed support from the majority Hutu, the Church and the Belgian alliances and campaigned for the end the Tutsi monopoly of power, and to establish the Republican form of government before attaining independence.

1 November: At the end of a Mass of All Saints Day, a Hutu political leader is molested by Tutsi at Byimana (Gitarama). The incident causes revolts which spread all over the country and claimed hundreds of victims; burning of houses and looting marked the confrontation between the Hutu and Tutsi. A big number of Tutsi fled to Burundi and neighbouring countries including Uganda. The Belgian authorities imposed a military regime.
1960 (November): At the General Assembly of the United Nations, the supporters and opponents of the monarchy argued against each other, some denouncing the Belgian colonization and the other attacking the feudal system. The UN recommended the rehabilitation of the Mwami and supervised parliamentary elections.
1961 (January 28): the UN was overtaken by events. All the elected mayors and councilors met in Gitarama and proclaimed the end of the monarchy and the founding of the Republic: They elected a president, members of the legislature and the Supreme Court. They approved the founding principles of the new regime and formed a government soon recognized by the Belgian trusteeship. Faced with this situation, the UN sent a Commission to Rwanda to prepare for the elections and the referendum.
1961 (September 25): The referendum marks the victory of PARMEHUTU (77.7%) at the expense of monarchist party UNAR, the rejection of feudalism and the non-return to power of Umwami-King (80% against).
1961 (October 4): The legislature officially proclaimed the Republic of Rwanda and Kayibanda was elected as President on 26 October.

3. The First Republic (1962-1973)

1962 (July 1): Rwanda becomes independent. The National Assembly writes the Constitution, promotes the electoral system, reorganized the territory into 10 prefectures and 143 communes that replace the feudal and colonial administrative structures. In 1965, Kigali becomes the official capital of Rwanda.
1963 (December): The young Republic faced several armed incursions by supporters of the monarchy who had taken refuge in Burundi and Uganda. Arrests and executions against leaders and members of the Tutsi aristocracy take place in many parts of the country.

Everything needs to be done for this small nation emerging from feudalism and colonial rule. The country makes the first steps in terms of development and managing her independence. But regional rivalries, personal feuds gradually divided the MDR PARMEHUTU in power.

1972: unrest broke out in Burundi that involved the political elimination of Hutu and caused waves of Hutu refugees to Rwanda and elsewhere. This reinforced the unrest that started gaining ground in Rwanda for months.
1973: New offensive outside Batutsi: anti-Tutsi persecution.

4. Second Republic (1973-1994)

1973 (July 5): The Chief of Staff of the Army Juvenal Habyarimana, made a coup. Suspended political parties, dissolved the National Assembly. Mass arrest and imprisonment of politicians.
Almost all of them perished murdered in prison. President Kayibanda deposed, dies a few years later, under house arrest in his own residence.
1975 (July 5): Creation of the MRND (National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development), the only party allowed to operate. It aimed at bringing together all Rwandans irrespective of ethnicity, religion, gender or origin.

With an obvious charisma to govern, President Juvenal Habyarimana gained a good reputation in international public opinion for his country's development efforts. But this popularity masked growing injustices along regional lines. He was native to the northern region (Rukiga). While citizens of other regions, mainly in the center and south of the country were systematically denied their right to work and education, a circle of friends and relatives of the ruling family gained wealth and power. "They included members of the military and civilian elite mainly from Karago Giciye communes. Members of this network did not only constitute an unofficial power structure within the Army, party and administration but also constituted a parasitic group in the economic and financial system of the country ". [34]

1979 In Kenya, the creation of the Rwandese Alliance for National Unity (RANU) by Tutsi Rwandan refugees. It will later become the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). The latter was born in Uganda in 1987 formed by groups of refugees in Uganda and Kenya. It gradually got members from Zaire, Burundi, and Tanzania and from inside Rwanda. The RPF also recruited many Hutu, particularly those opposed to the regime including former dignitaries who had fallen out with President Habyarimana ie, Kanyarengwe Alex, Seth Sendashonga and Pasteur Bizimungu. Later, when the RPF came to power, all these will be eliminated physically and/or politically.

1986: Emergence in Rwanda of political leaders opposed to the MRND regime. In Uganda, Museveni ally of Rwandan Tutsi refugees, takes power in Uganda by force.
1990 (1 October) The RPF, supported by Museveni attacked Rwanda.
1991 (July): Multiparty officially recognised in Rwanda. In the period between 1991-1994 there are 18 officially recognized political parties. The RPF is not included because of its military wing. Political parties may be roughly grouped into three main "alliances”.

1 / ADR, Alliance for Strengthening Democracy (MRND, CDR, CEEC, PARERWA, PADER)

MRND National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development, replacing the National Revolutionary Movement for development, one party from 1975 to 1991 (Chair: Mathieu NGIRUMPATSE, Hutu, Kigali) authorised in July 1991).
CDR Coalition for the Defense of the Republic and Democracy (23/3/1992). Chair: Martin BUCYANA, Hutu, Cyangugu, murdered in Butare ( 23^rd February 1993) replaced by Theoneste NAHIMANA, Hutu, Gisenyi.

Both political parties maintain militias, respectively Interahamwe (those who work together), Impuzamugambi (those with the same purpose)

PECO, Green Party (11/30/1991)
PARERWA, Republican Party of Rwanda (20/01/1992)
PADER, Rwandan Democratic Party (20/01/1992)
MFBP, Movement for Women and of the Poor (31/12/1991)
PDI, Party of Islamic Democracy (30/11/1991)
PRD, the Party for Democratic Renewal (18/7/1992)

These three parties did not belong to the ARD but served the the MRND ideological trend .

2 / Consultation Committee: MDR, PSD, PL, PDC, PSR

MDR, Republican Democratic Movement (July 1991) Chairman: Faustin Twagiramungu, !st Vice President: Dismas Nsengiyaremye.

PSD, Social Democratic Party (July 1991) (Chairman: Frédéric NZAMURAMBAHO, Hutu, Gikongoro).

PL, the Liberal Party (July 1991), President: Justin Mugenzi (Muhutu, Kibungo), First Deputy Speaker: Landouald NDASINGWA (Mututsi, Kigali).

PDC Christian Democratic Party (July 1991) President: Jean Népomuscène Nayinzira, Hutu, Gisenyi

PSR, Rwandan Socialist Party (18.08.1991) President: Médard RUTIJANWA, Mututsi, Kigali

3 / Independent parties: Democratic Party, PPJR-RAMA RWANDA, RTD, UDPR

PD, Democratic Party (07/03/1992)
PPJR-RAMA RWANDA, Progressive Party of the Rwandan Youth 01/1992)
RTD, Labor Rally for Democracy (07/11/1991)
UDPR, Democratic Union of the Rwandan peopl

4/ RPF Rwandan Patriotic Front.

Founders: Fred RWIGEMA, Mututsi, Gitarama, former chief of staff of the Ugandan army and Deputy Minister of Defense of Uganda (killed at the beginning of the RPF attack). Paul Kagame (RPF commander, Mututsi, Gitarama, former deputy security chief of the Ugandan army). [35]

Rwanda is in a social crisis without precedent:

The life of the country between the anvil and the hammer: On the one hand, serious violations of human rights (massacres, assassinations) attributed to the RPF and the MRND party, and on the other opportunism that characterizes some political opposition leaders who used the population and their political parties to achieve personal ambitions. The crisis in the MDR (Democratic Republican Movement), the main opposition party engaged in Arusha Peace negotiations is one example among many. Arusha agreements provided for the appointment of the Prime Minister before signing them. Dismas Nsengiyaremye, Vice president of the MDR and Prime Minister since 1992 expected to be appointed in this positon but had a competitor for the same position, Faustin Twagiramungu, MDR Party President. The latter succeeded with the support of the MRND and the RPF to oust Dismas Nsengiyaremye and to present himself, in his capacity of Party President as a nominee to head the "transitional government" under the Arusha peace agreements. He was expelled from the MDR Party on July 23, 1993 but continued to be actively supported by the RPF. The MDR party split into two factions based on the two men and the cleavages were exploited by all those who wanted the failure of peace agreement. The ambiguity of politicians, especially those of the democratic opposition, put the country in the hands of all types of extremist groups.

1993 (June): In Burundi, for the first time in its history, a Hutu Melchior Ndadaye, was elected to the highest offfice in the country as President
1993 (August): Signing of the Arusha Peace Agreements (Tanzania) which provide for the sharing of power between the MRND, the democratic opposition and the RPF.
1993 (October): In Burundi, assassination of President Melchior by the Tutsi army.
1994 (January): Blocking of the Arusha Agreement, due to the refusal of the presidential faction to set up a transitional government expanded the RPF.
1994 (April 6): Attack against the plane bringing the Presidents Juvenal Habyarimama of Rwanda and Cyprien Ntaryamira of Burundi. They were returning from Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) in a regional peace summit. The massacres began in Kigali against the Tutsi and Hutu opposition leaders. The tragedy extends rapidly throughout the country. A government called "transition" is formed.
1994 (June 5): The RPF assassinated in Gakurazo (Gitarama) 15 people, including three bishops, priests 9, 1 religious and 2 young people including a 7 year old boy.
1994 (23 June): The French forces entered in Rwanda as part of the Turquoise humanitarian intervention force authorized by Resolution No. 929 of the Security Council.
1994 (July 4): The RPF seized Kigali. Mass exodus of Hutus towards Zaire. Hundreds of thousands of them perish killed (in 1997) by the RPF aided by Banyamurenge (Tutsi militia Zaire) and the Burundian Tutsi army.

We are in 2000. The power is now in the hands of the RPF. The country faces the enormous problems mainly related to non-respect of fundamental freedoms and poverty. No freedom of speech. All media are pro government. Person (even foreign nationals including missionaries) cannot dare speak out loud what they observes for fear of losing their lives. From the economic point of view, the situation is extremely bad because the country is faced with two worrying developments. On the one hand, a minority that controls all power structure, mostly living in big cities amassing wealth as at breakneck

speed and on the other, the rest of the population, including civil servants who are becoming poorer and poorer.

Orleans, June 05, 2000.
Emmanuel DUKUZEMUNGU

[1] Human Rights Watch Letter to the Prosecutor of the ICTR issued on 1 June 2009, http: //www.hrw/node/83538

[2] Prof. Peter Erlinder, International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda: a model for international justice or judicial impunity for the winner?
http://www.rwandadocumentsproject.net/gsdl/collect/comment/index/assoc/HASH1757.dir/erlinder-ictr-paris-fre.pdf

[3] Mukashema Hope is the mother of Richard Sheja, the little 8 year old child killed by the RPF on June 5, 1994 with religious leaders in Gakurazo. She was present in Gakurazo at the time of the incident. The witness said that after the murders of Gakurazo assassinations continued elsewhere to eliminate potential witnesses. This is consistent with the statements of another witness who speaks of the murder of Tatiani, brother of Bishop Thaddeus Nsengiyumva. When t Kabgayi was taken by the RPF on June 2, 1994, the witness and Tatiani were among those hosted by the ICRC. The International Committee of the Red Cross was based in the Nursing School of Kabagayi. A few days later, they were all taken to the south of the country Lilima. There, the RPF separated the Hutu Tutsi. Packed im trucks at night, the Hutu group, men and women, was put in prison in Kigali. Embarrassed by the pressure of the ICRC regarding the pligh of thiese people, the RPF freed all the people but Tatiani the brother of Bishop Thaddeus Nsengiyumva who had been assassinated.

[4] The national territory until 1994, was divided into 11 prefectures and 143 communes including 17 communes in Gitarama. Each commune, whose leader, the mayor was appointed by the state, a commune was also divided into sectors run by "councilor" elected by the people. The sectors were divided into "cells", made up of around a hundred families. The lowest administrative unit (cell) was established by the regime of the MRND single party from 1975 to 1991.

The pattern of settlement in Rwanda is different from the generally known in Europe. For example there are no village. The houses are scattered over the hills, each family having a lot of land which it farms and the householder will later share it with male children, once they have reached the age to start a family. The overpopulation increases from year to year issues compounding the problem of inheritance over a small land, i.e. dividing land between the ever growing numbers of claimants to it. It appears that as from 2000 a villagisation policy has started to be initiated in some areas of the country/

[5] The RPF (Rwandan Patriotic Front) is the politico-military organization born in Uganda in 1987 and organized around groups of Tutsi refugees in Uganda and Kenya, which have gradually included others from Zaire, Burundi , Tanzania and within Rwanda. The organisations attacked Rwanda on 1^st of October 1990. Paul Kagame, its military leader (now president of the country), brought to power following its military victory in July 1994.

[6] ESI A3, School of Nursing. It was a private school in the diocese of Kabgayi providing training for health workers.

[7] Youth Organization of the MRND (National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development, ex-National Revolutionary Movement for Development), the "Interahamwe" ("those who work together") are born with the introduction of a multiparty system in Rwanda in 1991. They changed very rapidly into a militia, with paramilitary methods, spreading terror throughout the country. Its brutality and barbarism reach their peak with the massacre of 1994. Hundreds of thousands of victims include Cyprian Rugamba (poet), Rodrigue Karemera (musician), André Sebanani (actor) and Abbot Gakuba Tharcise, my friend.

[8]"Inkotanyi" ("those who fight hard") is a “nom de guerre” that the RPF fighters (Rwandan Patriotic Front) gave themselves. The history of the Rwandan Batutsi kings recounts that the army of conqueror king Kigeli Rwabugili was called "Inkotanyi". Following the attack in October 1990, the Inkotanyi will stop at nothing to gain power: lies, trickery and manipulation of information that blind naive (Rwandan or foreign) and barbarism that does not even spare anyone, not even pregnant women. From hundreds of thousands of victims I see Gatorano, uncle, and brothers and friends of my age: Reverend Fathers Mulinda Faustin Mulindwa and François Twagilimana.

[9] The influx of aid had, in fact, required the mobilization of some refugees (able bodied men) for loading or unloading of vehicles. This person was therefore part of that group and has obviously been able to complete his mission of espionage.

[10] Indigenous congregation founded by Bishop Hirth in 1912 and whose name literally means "the son of Joseph."

[11]

[12] With the introduction of political parties, 1991 that the idea of "kubohoza" was born. The followers of the opposition parties used the term to define the act of getting a former political activists of the ruling MRND to leave the former single party to join the opposition.

They would then say “we have freed him (twamubohoje). The meaning changed during the troubles of 1994 when it was used to mean to loot, that is getting things by force, taking over someone else’s property. However, it did not lose his humorous side and has entered in the familiar language. It became very fashionable. It could be used when it came to mean getting oneself something in one way or another. It is in this latter sense that the term was used by JMV.

[13] Son of Karemera (from Ntinyishi) (Buhoro Sector), Athanasius was an employee of the municipality Tambwe as a driver.

[14]

[15] I have learned, in the meantime, that his name is Fred Tuvugimana.

[16] Richard Sheja is the son of a Mututsi lady who was hosted and hidden by the Religious Brothers during the massacres.

[17] Personally, I did not immediately get the meaning of these words. In any case this kind of reaction called to mind the words of Inkotanyi in the morning after our arrival in Gakurazo before Mass. A group of Inkotanyi had approached priests who included Alfred Kayibanda and François Muligo and had engaged in a discussion that focused on the role of the Church in Rwandan society. I unfortunately was not able to follow this discussion, I was busy with the preparation of the Mass. However, in passing by them, I could perceive that the two parties were unable to agree, each criticizing the Church, the other defend it.

[18] The other Religious Brother ran away like the others but was outside of the compound. When the Inkotanyi arrived at the barn the inkotanyi he called out in a loud voice his collleagues if they had been attacked by the "Interahamwe" or if they were with "Izamarere" (another name for the Inkotanyi supporters but equally meaning "brave fighters"). I almost burst Into laughter: it felt like he had a tip that the “enemies Interahamwe" could attack and was waiting a signal to flee immediately. He was persuaded to enter after being reassured by the people who were inside. Members of the congregation of Josephite brothers are with rare exceptions exclusively Tutsi. The brother in question here is, in any case, Mututsi. What he said proved it. The presence of Inkotanyi, Tutsi, did not worry. Instead, he was scared of the hutu Interahamwe.

[19]

[20] Shortly after the massacre, the Inkotanyi seem to have decided to go to show to a group of people among the refugees, a dead person dressed in military uniform lying near the outside the compound. This corpse, according to these Inkotanyi would be identified as the body of a killer.

[21] Literally: The mistake of one girl unfortunately tarnishes the image of the whole group.

[23] It was to be the area of RPF commander.

[24] I have learned (without being able to verify) that one of these Inkotanyi was a certain Frank Mugambage who was given a very senior post in the Home Affairs Ministry

[25] Rev Father Alphonse MBUGUJE, pastor, was killed by the Interahamwe in Cyangugu in May 1994. Father François Twagilimana, vicar, was killed by the Inkotanyi in Muyunzwe with Rev. Father JMVianney Rusingizandekwe in July 1994.

[26] Benebikira: "Daughters of the Virgin Mary."

[27] At the time of the publication of this testimony, June 2014, Sister Marie-Louise had died.

[28] At the time of the publication of this testimony, June 2014, Sister Didacienne died.

[29] Benetereziya: "Daughters of St. Teresa."

[30] Kagame (A) An abstract of the ethno-history of Rwanda, Butare, Ed. University of Rwanda, 1972, 286 pp

[31] Kagame (A), op. cit, p28-29.

[32] On the death of the king, the holders of the esoteric code (abiru) would choose the successor in the dynastic lines. The queen mother who has significant power was also chosen from the major clans and helps to regulate the transfer of between Tutsi dynasties vying for co power. The life at the royal court and of all the vassals was marked by intrigue, murder and revenge, raids and war expeditions. King Kigeli Rwabugili IV (1853-1895), the last king before European arrival in Rwanda was known with his Inkotanyi army, for his pedantic and methodical cruelty.

[33] Pastoral Letter of Bishop Perraudin, Apostolic Vicar of Kabgayi for Lent 1959, p3

[34] Source: French National Assembly report entitled "Fact Finding Mission on Rwanda".

[35] Source: French National Assembly report entitled "Fact Finding Mission on Rwanda"

vendredi 10 avril 2015

RWANDA: Murder in Gakurazo 15 civilians, including 13 clerics and two young men.