Bosogo: GAERG commemorates the extinct families due to the 1994 genocide

Yesterday, the GAERG  (association of the former university students  survivors of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis) commemorated the extinct families of Tutsis killed in 1994 genocide. The commemoration took place at Busogo in the Northern Province at the University of Rwanda, Busogo campus stadium.

The 1994 genocide has taken lives of over 1 million Tutsis and some families were extinct. This is why the genocide survivors had set up a special commemoration event for these extinct families.

The commemoration event held at UR( Busogo Campus) was  attended by numerous authorities in charge of defending the interests of the survivors among among which were the IBUKA, Ministry of youth and sports, GAERG and the Northern Province officials.

Before the commemoration, the participants took a Walk to Remember that started from the Busogo sector towards a memorial site where 450 bodies of the Tutsis are buried.

The participants have put the wreaths of flowers to the memorial site to honor the innocent Tutsis.

The coordinator of the GAERG, Mr HABONIMANA Charles, told the participants that commemorating the Tutsis killed in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi is an imperative to ti the survivors .

He added that commemorating the extinct families is a special duty to the GEARG members particularly.

He told the gathering that GAERG has listed over 461 extinct families of Tutsis killed in 1994 genocide from the Rulindo, Gakenke and Gicumbi districts.

These families were composed of 1895 members and listing process continues, he said.

Dr. Bideri Diogene, who was one of the participants, narrated the history of genocide in the former Ruhengeri where Tutsis were hated and hunted to be exterminated by extremist Hutu even before the 1994 genocide started.

The CEO of IBUKA, Prof. Dusingizemungu Jean Pierre urged the genocide survivors in the GAERG to remain firm and strong as to achieve higher in all that they pursue as a carrier.

For him, the knowledge of the educated Rwandan survivors is a good tool to strive for the interest of the survivors and to make the past unforgotten.

The governor of the Northern Province Bosenibamwe Aimé expressed his discontentment about the fact tha the foreign powerful nations did not intervene to stop the genocide.

He condemned their absence during the genocide but is now coming to Rwanda to learn on how the devastated country during the genocide has recovered at a tremendous extent.

The Guest of Honor, Minister Mitali Protais thanked the  GAERG for their role in commemorating activities.

He condemned the ICTR court that releases the genocide perpetrators, claiming that they have been found not guilty.

Minister Mitali confirmed the collaboration the Government through  the Ministry  and GAERG  to sustain the activities of listing the extinct families.

The GAERG association of the university students who survived the genocide was inaugurated in 2003.

It is an association of the former AERG students who graduated and it is currently composed of 1100 members both in Rwanda and from abroad.

Those students are grouped in 45 families among which 5 are made up by members living in foreign countries.

UM– USEKE.RW