Thèoneste remained alone

Theoneste Uwarurema survived the genocide against the Tutsi after hiding in the dead bodies including the ones of his family members. He was one of five children having a father and a mother in the former Mugina Commune, current Kamonyi district.

He told UM– USEKE that he survived in very sad and complicate circumstances.

When we were hiding in the Mugina parish, we thought we would be safe due to the holiness of this Catholic Church parish.

We have been surprised and terrorized to see the Interahamwe throwing grenades upon us. One of the grenades killed my mother immediately and at my sight, he said .

Some of the Interahamwe called unpin his father and Uwarurema with brothers.

When we arrived outside they started beating us with machetes. They killed my brothers and sisters and wounded me seriously, he told UM– USEKE.

Afterwards, I woke up and tried to see whether some of my relatives are still alive but saw them dead.

My brother who was hiding with me was seen by Interahamwe and was immediately killed just nearby, he said.

Thèoneste said that in evening hours, he tried to walk around so to see whether some of his relatives were still alive. He saw that none survived.

He remained in the church for a week until the Red Cross volunteers came and rescued him and brought him to Kabgayi where he remained until the genocide ended.

After the genocide, life was hard for someone who had a family and who saw all of them being killed.

He was raised in an orphanage where he left after some of his family members took him back home.

He attended primary and secondary studies due to the financial support of FARG.

He said that FARG built a house for him and says he started to work and be self made after all of these tragic experiences he underwent.

Even though Thèoneste has studied, he wishes to continue his studies at University level. He said that one of his inner wishes is to have a family that will repare the loss of his beloved family members.

However, life is not easy for him but he hopes he will overcome the hard living conditions which resulted from the Genocide.

UM– USEKE.RW