On Tuesday 25^th April 2016, the Institute of Legal Practice and Development’s employees visited the Bisesero Genocide Memorial Site in Karongi District, Western Province. This site is famously known as the hill of serious resistance during the Genocide against Tutsi in 1994 but unfortunately over 50,000 Tutsi   were killed in this particular place. The visit was in the spirit of joining the country during 22^nd Genocide commemoration period with a theme of “Fighting against Genocide Ideology”.

The Genocide Memorial site representative Mr. Mathias MUCYO begun by providing a brief history of events that led to Bisesero being a pillar of serious resistance during the Genocide against Tutsi in 1994.

Mr. Mathias MUCYO narrated that during the month of May, 1994 all residents of neighboring nine sectors flocked to Bisesero to take refuge. As interahamwe increased mass killings on a daily basis, people started trekking for miles to seek refuge at Bisesero as a pillar of solid resistance. Bisesero residents organized and put up stiff resistance against the interahamwe extremists. May 13^th 1994 was the peak of resistance which involved many well-armed interahamwe, armed forces and Hutu civilians descend on Bisesero to finish off the Tutsi whom they claimed to be well armed inyenzi.

Bisesero became a battle of all sorts were over 50,000  Tutsis  had gathered on top of Muyira hill only armed with stones and spears ready to defend themselves. Unfortunately, over 50,000 Tutsis were brutally killed in the process of defending themselves by well-armed interahamwe, armed forces and Hutu civilians who utilized heavy military weaponry stationed on neighboring hills. However, some survived until June 13^th 1994, when the French invaded Bisesero through their operation Turquoise. Unfortunately, many Tutsis left their hiding places thinking that the French will save them only to be informed that they will return in three days to rescue them. This gave an opportunity the well-armed interahamwe, armed forces and Hutu civilians to kill all the remaining survivors at that time. This time they came will full force to kill all survivors during the day and night before the French returned in the promised three days.

The Rector of ILPD Mr. Aimable HAVUGIYAREMYE, exulted the courage and the heroic spirit of victims of Genocide on this site and encouraged everyone to take this as a life lesson to fight against Genocide ideology and be ready to fight any thing that can destroy what Rwandans have reconstructed so far.  To support Bisesero Genocide Memorial Site activities, ILPD made a contribution (cheque) of 500,000 Frw.

<link>ahirwa@ilpd.ac.rw