Reconciliation in Rwanda - Stories of Rescue

How a Congolese couple rescued young children.
 
Mu rwego rwo gukunda igihugu na bagituye mugihe u Rwanda rwari mu bihe bibi  byʼubwicanyi bwa jenoside ubwo abari abahutu bicaga abatutsi hari bamwe bashoboye guhisha abaturanyi babo bahigwaga.
Ni muri urwo rwego umwe mu bari abo bashoboye guhisha abahigwaga ni murugwego uwitwaga Mukaneza Adeliana n'umugabo we w'umunyenkongo bari batuye mu murenge wa Gikondo yagaragaje uburyo yabikoze nk'uko bisangwa hari uwo Mukaneza Adeliana ubu afite imyaka 62 yʼamavuko, ngo ubwicanyi butangira mu 1994 yari afite umugabo wʼumuzayirwa.
Kubera umugabowe utari umunyarwanda bizwi , niyo mpamvu bashoboye kubifatanya nʼumutima wa kimuntu bari bafite bityo bashobora gushaka uburyo bahisha bamwe mu baturanyi bahigwaga nʼinterahamwe.
 Ubwo  ngo nabo bari bikingiranye mu nzu kubera ubwicanyi bwarimo kuba, ngo babonye abana bʼumuturanyi babirukankana kubica bashakisha uko babakiza. Umwana umwe wʼumuturanyi yirukanse agana aho bari bihishe, umugabo we akinguye idirishya abona interahamwe imuri nyuma nʼumupanga ihita imufata imutwara aho yari yarambitse abana benshi bategereje kwicwa.
   Nyuma, abo bana baje gutemwa ariko uwo mwana wʼumuturanyi nʼabandi bake ntibashoboye gupfa. Ibyo byatumye we nʼumugabo we bagenda bafata uwo mwana nʼabandi,bahita bafatahamwe inzira bajya gushaka aho bahungira.
   
Bageze mu kiyovu, interahamwe zabajije umugabo we impamvu atica umugore we kuko ngo yari umututsi, ariko arokorwa nʼuko umugabo we yari yaramushakiye irangamuntu yʼabahutu.
   Nyuma yo kubahagarika mu kiyovu nʼabo bana bari bashatse kurokora, ngo bemerewe gukomeza nʼurubyaro rwabo, ariko ngo bageze mu gakinjiro barongera basubizwa inyuma bajyanwa aho bitaga kwa padiri ari naho bavuye basubira imuhira.
   
Umugabo we hamwe nʼumwana we umwe ariko ngo ntibashoboye kurokora. Umugabo we bahunze yibuka iradiyo yasize mu rugo ashaka gusubirayo.
Umugabo we yaranze asubirayo kuzana iradiyo ye barategereza baraheba yarishwe,naho umwana we wʼumuhungu wari wagiye gushaka se na we ngo kugeza ubu ntibazi irengero rye.
Uwo mwana bashoboye kurokora wʼumuturanyi ise baramwishe, nyina baramwica atwite, umwana wabo mukuru  wari mu mwaka wa kane w'amashuri abanza  baramwica na barumunabe babiri (2) bandi barabica babatemaguye.
   Mu byo yavuze byatumye batamwica kandi yari umututsikazi, ngo ni uko yari yarashatswe nʼumunyamahanga, kandi ngo aho agiye akamufata akaboko nʼabana be ariko ngo baramuhigaga.
Ikindi ngo umugabo we yari yaramushakiye irangamuntu yʼabahutu kugira ngo atazajya ahura nʼibibazo.
     Yashoje avuga ko guhisha abantu byari inshingano zabo interahamwe zari za bamaze kandi nʼaho kubahisha hose zihazi kandi zihagera kandi imana niyo yabikoze kuko ntibyari byoroshye nagato.

 

ku bijyanye na Gacaca, yavuze ko ari uburyo bwiza bwo kurenganura no gushyira ahagaragara ibyakozwe mu gihe cy'intambara ndetse n'ababikoze bakagaragara abo bihamye bakabihanirwa abo bidahamye bagahanagurwaho ibyaha.

 

Ibikorwa  bya Gacaca bikorwa ngo neza, ariko kandi ngo hariho bamwe bakibihohoterwamo kubera ubuhamya batanga, ariko ngo Leta igakomeza kubishyiramo ingufu ibirwanya ngo bitaba nko mu bihe byashize by'ubwicanyi.

Nifuje nanjye kubaha ubuhamya bw’ibyo nashoboye gukora
mu gihe cy’amarorerwa yagwiririye igihugu cyacu muri mata
1994. Icyo gihe nari mfite imyaka 21 nkaba nari mu kiruhuko
cya Pasika, kuko nigaga mu ishuri rya ETO KIBUNGO. Ibihe
byari bimeze nabi kandi natwe mu rugo twari tumaze iminsi
mike dupfushije umubyeyi wacu twari dusigaranye  ku buryo
abana hafi ya bose bo mu muryango wacu bari mu rugo baraje
kudusura ngo twifatanye mu kababaro. Kandi hafi ya bose bari
bafite ababyeyi badahuje ubwoko, mbese umubyeyi umwe ari
umuhutu undi ari umututsi. Ku masura rero hafi ya bose basaga
nk’abatutsi ukurikije uko babyigishaga mu mashuri.

Nta papa twari tugifite, mbese twese twari
abana, umuhungu mukuru wari uri mo yitwaga jye
abandi ari bato rwose. Ubwo twabaga turi kumwe n’abandi
bana bo mu y’indi miryango kugeza ubwo indege yahanuwe
kuri 6/4/1994. Ariko twe kubera nta wari wabyitayeho
bwarinze bucya tutazi ibyabaye. Mu gitondo nibwo
umuturanyi yampamagaye arambwira ngo Habyarimana
bamuhanuye mu ndege. Ubwo nahise mbwira abana. Nagiye
kugura amabuye dutangira gukurikira radio. Ndibuka uwo naguriye
amabuye yarambwiye ngo « yajyane ku buntu n’ubundi turicwa. »
Narayajyanye twumva radio, bahamagariraga abantu kwica abatutsi,
byari biteye agahinda. Hashize nk’iminsi ibiri abantu bahise
batangira guhungira kuri biro ya komini yari itwegereye ariyo
Birenga ku buryo twabonyemo inshuti zacu natwe dushaka kugenda
ariko tuba turetse.

Ubwo hagati aho hari udutsiko tw’abantu twari twatangiye gusahura
no gusenya amazu y’abantu bahungaga bagatwara ibyabo byose.
Twari dutuye ku muhanda ku buryo banyuragaho tubareba. Ubwo
hanatangiye ubwicanyi, ariko ubwo jye nanyuzagamo nkajya kuri
komini gusura abana bari inshuti zanjye tukanaganira nkababwira
uko inyuma bimeze.

Nyuma habaye ibintu bibi cyane. Interahamwe zigaba igitero kuri
komini hari ku gicamunsi ndabyibuka nari ndyamye nduhutse
abana barambyutsa ngo interahamwe zirateye bakata ahari
igiturusi muri kilometero ebyiri uvuye kuri komini zijijisha
zisubirayo mu mamodoka  mu kanya gato dutangira kumva
amasasu aturika tuti abantu barashize. Nta kindi umuntu yari bukore.

Mu gitondo cya kare nka saa kumi n’imwe nibwo numvise
inyuma y’urugo umuntu ampamagara ngo « Claude nkingurira »,
naciye mu muryango w’inyuma njya kureba uwo ariwe nsanga
n’undi mwana twari mu kigero kimwe twakundaga no kuba turi
kumwe witwa Mutesa Emmanuel Zozo, ni imvange y’umudage
n’umunyarwandakazi na we yari ari kuri komini n’umuryango
we ariko yashoboye gucika interahamwe iryo joro ryose agera
mu rugo. Kuko nabonaga ibintu bitoroshye naramubwiye nti
injira mu nzu vuba vuba ahita ajyamo. Noneho mu rugo inzu
yari ifite parafo y’imikenke ku buryo bitashobokaga ko
ayihagararaho yari bugwe ariko na we yahabaye umusore
agerageza guhagarara ku rukuta rwagabanyaga ibyumba ariko
nyine hejuru muri parafo. Twagize amahirwe ntihagira utubona
mbwira abana ngo ntihagire umuntu n’umwe baganirira ko ari
mu rugo, ni jye wamushyiraga ibyo kurya aho muri parafo
nkanamumanurayo kugira ngo ajye hanze gato nijoro.
Wabonaga biteye agahinda kuko hari igihe yamanukaga
ntashobore no kugenda neza kubera kwitunatuna muri
parafo.

Ubwo nanjye murabyumva byabaye ngombwa ko njya
ntembera nkumva uko hanze hahumeka bamwe bakavuga ngo
yapfiriye kuri komini, ubwo nyine harimo abari basahuye
ibintu by’iwabo ndetse n’abazaga kuganirira mu rugo yabaga
abumva kuko yari hejuru ya salon.

Ubwo kandi hari n’undi mugabo witwaga Louis twari duturanye
yazanaga umugore we n’abana ngo babe bari mu rugo kuko
na bo yari afite ubwoba ko bashobora kubica kuko bari abatutsi
ariko we ari umuhutu. Yari afitanye ibibazo n’umwe mu
nterahamwe nyuma numvise ko mu guhunga bose babiciye i
Gisenyi ndetse n’uwo mugabo. Muramu we wari minisitiri
yagerageje kumufasha ariko barabishe, harokotse umwe mu
muryango we. Ngarutse ku byo mu rugo ariko uwo mugore
n’ubwo yabaga ahari nawe ntawigeze amubwira ko Zozo ari
muri parafo n’ibiryo nabimuhaga ari uko umugabo w’uwo
mugore aje kubatwara. Ibyo byamaze nk’icyumweru.

Ku manywa kenshi nagendaga nkahaha mu baturage ibyo
kurya nari mfite mu dufaranga duke mukuru wanjye wakoraga
muri Kuruwaruje (Croix-Rouge) yari yampaye bityo nkaza
nijoro nkabwira Zozo uko bimeze. Umunsi umwe ndibuka ko
namumanuye ku manywa nka saa yine ngo yiyuhagire, mbwira
abana ngo baducungire ko nta muntu uza. Atangiye kwitera
amazi twari kumwe mu cyumba interahamwe zahise zitera
mu rugo. Zikiri ku muhanda umwana umwe yahise aza ati
« baraje ». Zozo ajya munsi y’igitanda nanjye nkuramo
imyenda nk’uri kwiyuhagira ako kanya babaza abana ngo
mu nzu ni bande barimo bababwira ko ari jye, nanjye
ndambyumva nkingura idirishya. Imwe muri zo yitwaga
Kinini ndayimenya mpita mvuga nti ni jye urimo kwiyuhagira
areba mu idirishya koko abona nambaye ubusa, aravuga ngo
« nta barimo twigendere » bahita bagenda. Ubwo ariko twese
umutima wari wadukutse nta muntu wari ugihumeka kuko iyo
binjira bagasaka munsi y’igitanda bakamubona twese
twagombaga guhita twicwa kuko ni ko byari bimeze iyo
bagufatanaga umuntu waramwiyiciraga warangiza na we
bakakwica. Cyane cyane ko natwe nta cyizere twari twifitiye
kuko hari bamwe bifuzaga ko natwe duhunga bakadusahura
cyangwa bakabona impamvu yo kutwica kubera impamvu
navuze nkitangira. Ikindi kandi mu rugo ntibadukundaga
kuko hafi ya twese twigaga mu mashuri yisumbuye abandi
bana bose bo muri karitiye baratsinzwe na byo bigatera
amashyari. Ngarutse gato ubwo zimaze kugenda Zozo
yahise asubira muri parafo aho yari ari, kuva ubwo
ntiyongeye kuvamo kugeza ubwo FPR yageraga i Kibungo.

Muri icyo gihe FPR yari hafi, intambara ikomeye
amasasu ari menshi abantu bose banyuraga
imbere yo mu rugo bahunga kugeza ubwo n’abaturanyi
bazinze ibintu batubwira ngo tugende jye nkibaza ukuntu
turi busige umuntu muri parafo bikanshobera, abantu
bamaze gusa n’abarangira bagenda, naramumanuye muha
ingofero ngo yambare badahita bamumenya dore ko yari
umuzungu duhagarara muri salon amasasu atangiye
kumvikana hafi, abana baragiye nsigarana na we mu nzu
dupanga uko twagenda ariko biranga kuko twabonaga
nasohoka bari buhite bamwica kandi no mu muhanda
harimo bariyeri nyinshi. Na we yarambwiye ati « genda
urebe uko imbere bimeze », nanjye ndasigara hano mu nzu.
Musigira imfunguzo ndagenda ubwo nyine nagerageje
kugaruka biranga kuko abantu benshi bagarukaga hari
abapfaga. Interahamwe zavugaga ko FPR yica, zicaga n’
abasubira inyuma ngo zibakeka ko bagiye gusanga FPR.
Ku bw’amahirwe ubwo ngo na we FPR yahise inyura aho
ku muhanda aritegereza abona ko atari abasirikare basanzwe
arasohoka arabegera baramufata abasobanurira
ibyamubayeho bahita bamutwara mu gisirikare.Ubu
yakivuyemo yubatse urugo.

Mu guhunga twagize ibibazo kuko abana bagenzi banjye
babitaga abatutsi. Jye nari mfite indangamuntu ya hutu,
nari narahawe n’inshuti ariko ntibatwizeraga. Rimwe umwe
mu bo twahunganaga yaradutaye, ibyo byatumye tugira
ibibazo mu nzira kuri za bariyeri. Ubwo twagerageje kugera
ku Kagera ariko interahamwe zanga kutwambutsa, batubaza
« ababyeyi banyu bari he ? Ubwo barabishe muri abatutsi
Murahunze. » Umurundi umwe wigeze gukora mu rugo
yaramenye aratuvugira ko turi abahutu ariko banga kubyemera.
Ubwo yiyemeje kutwambutsa wenyine ariko byari bigoranye
kubera ko mu mazi hari huzuyemo imirambo. Twageze i
Burundi ariko twanga kujya mu nkambi kuko na ho hicirwaga
abatutsi. Twakodesheje inzu, nyuma tuza gufata icyemezo cyo
kujya muri Tanzania kubera ko twumvise ko Kuruwaruje
(Croix-Rouge) yakoragamo mukuru wanjye, yari yagezeyo
kuhakorera. Twaramubonye, ubwo twahise tujya mu nkambi.
Nakoreye LWF nkajya nzana impunzi zitahuka mu Rwanda,
nkabonana n’inshuti zanjye zari ziri mu gisirikare zikambwira
ko nshobora gutaha nta kibazo. Ubwo twahise dutaha.

Nari mfite imyaka makumyabiri n’umunani igihe jenoside yatangiraga, nta
mafaranga nari mfite ubwo nahise niyemeza kujya mu rugo i Gitarama. Ndi
mu nzira ngana i Gitarama twabhuye na bariyeri nyinshi, batubaza impamvu
tugiye aho kujya kurwana na FPR, narababeshye ko twari tugiye gushaka
amafaranga kandi ko twari bugaruke. Ndibuka baraduhagaritse kuri
bariyeri ku Kamonyi ngo duhambe abo bari bamaze kwica, mbibonye nabaye
nk’urimo kurota kubera ko sinkunda kubona amaraso. Twaje gukomeza ngera
mu rugo, hafi y’abantu bose bo mu muryango wanjye bari bahari abandi
baje kudusanga banyuze iya Bugesera bava Kigali.

Hashize iminsi ibiri abatutsi batangiye guhungira mu rugo cyane cyane
abari inshuti z’umuryango wacu, bazaga umwe umwe bavuga ko interahamwe
zica ababo. Twarabakiriye duhisha abagera kuri cumi na batanu. Umuryango
wacu wari wubashwe muri ako gace kubera data kandi akaba yari anafite
abana bize. Iyo niyo mpamvu bataduteraga kenshi n’ubwo hari abavugaga ko
duhishe abatutsi, ibi byatumye batadutera, indi mpamvu ni uko
n’interahamwe nyinshi zari zarakoze mu rugo.

Benshi mu bari mu rugo bari inshuti z’umuryango, inshuti z’inshuti zacu,
ubwo naje kubwirwa n’umugabo umwe ko ku rusengero rw’abaporoso hari
abantu kandi bicwaga mu matsinda, kandi ko abaharokokeye bari bwicwe na
bo, twagiyeyo mu ma saa sita z’ijoro dukwepa bariyeri, turabazana,
tubahisha mu rugo abandi tubashakira aho bihisha mu baturanyi kubera ko
tutashoboraga kubahisha bose. Twarabagaburiga abari ku baturanyi
tukabasura. Iyo interahamwe zazaga twarabimuraga tukabajyana iwacu
cyangwa mu baturanyi bitewe n’aho bari busake, ibyo twabikoze mu gihe
kigera ku mezi atatu. Kubera ibintu byarushaga kuba bibi, twacukuye
imyobo dushyiraho ibiti turenzaho igitaka dutegura ubwihisho bw’abo
bantu bacu.

Rimwe umukozi wo mu rugo yavuze uko bimeze mu rugo, ntituzi niba
yarabivuze abishaka cyangwa yarabaraga inkuru bisanzwe ariko abandi
bantu muri bo baje kutubwira ko bari budutere. Tumaze kubimenya,
twariteguye ku buryo batamenya ko hari umuntu duhishe, hari ubwo
twanahamagaraga interahamwe ngo zize zisake kugira ngo tuvaneho
urwikekwe ariko ntibatwizeraga bahise bongera batangira kuvuga ngo
interahamwe zo mu gace kacu zatwihoreye ko bazazana interahamwe zo mu
Ruhango n’i Gitarama. Barabikoze ariko ntibigeze baza mu rugo sinzi niba
ari uko twari dutuye kure ya kaburimbo.

Imana ishimwe abantu bacu bose bararokotse kugeza ubwo FPR yaziye. Hari
umugabo wari warahungiye i Kabgayi yamenye ko duhishe umugore we ni we
wazanye n’inkotanyi. Byari ibohorwa, inkotanyi zaduhaye amabwiriza
zitwereka inzira, zabohoye abandi bari mu myobo no muri za parafo.
Twagiye i Bugesera nyuma tujya i Kigali. Benshi mu bo tuvukana biberaga
i Kigali, twajyaga mu rugo mu mpera z’icyumweru. Twakijije abantu cumi
na batanu abo twohereje mu baturanyi ni umunani.

Twakijije abo bantu kubera ko mu muryango wacu tudakunda ibintu
by’amacakubiri, nguhaye urugero, iyo abatutsi bahagurutswaga mu ishuri
numvaga ari akarengane. Umuryango wanjye wari ufite inshuti nta vangura,
nta gitekerezo cy’amacakubiri nari mfite na gato n’umuryango wanjye ni
uko. Niba twaragikoze nk’umuryango ni uko twarezwe. Nakundaga kumva
radiyo Muhabura na RTLM, numvaga ukuri aho kuri kandi ndi n’umukirisitu
sinkunda no kubona inyamaswa yicwa ibaze rero kubona ikiremwamuntu
cyicwa, bibi kurusha rero jye nica umuntu.

Kuri Gacaca, ndayizera, ni inzira izatugeza ku kuri. Guverinoma
irababarira ibyaha, ndashaka kureba ejo hazaza, muri make ni byiza ariko
haracyari byinshi byo gukorwa. Ijambo ubwiyunge riragoye urabona abantu
barafungurwa bakongera bagakora bya byaha nyine, ukibaza ese koko
bakwiye imbabazi ?! Abarokotse baracyababara, mu muryango munyarwanda
hari abantu babiri abashaka kubana neza n’intagondwa. Ndumva ubwiyunge
bugenda neza iyo abantu bari mu mashyirahamwe.

Nitwa Bizimungu Mubarak nkaba nzwi ku izina rya Rukushu. Jenoside
yatangiye ndi ku Kicukiro aho nari ntuye. Byari nijoro ubwo natangiye
kumva amasasu ariko sinigeze nsohoka kugeza kare mu museke ubwo
natangiye kurunguruka mu idirishya. Iwanjye habaga umusore witwa Sharile
bakundaga kwita Mututsi, namubajije ibirimo kuba hanze ambwira ko
atabizi ko na we arimo kumva amasasu akabona imodoka za gisirikare

Iruhande y’iwanjye hari kiyosike ubwo nishe urugi ninjyiramo kugira ngo
mpamagare abo mu muryango wanjye numve ko bakiri bazima. Ndi muri iyo
kiyosike nabonye abasirikare bajya ku mugabo witwaga Kanyarwanda no ku
wundi witwaga Inyasi, nari mbazi ko ari abatutsi.

Ako kanya nahise numva amasasu ubwo nibwiye ko barimo kubatera ubwoba
ngo babake amafaranga, sinigeze ntekereza ko babica. Abasirikare bamaze
kugenda nagiye kureba kwa Inyasi ibyabaye. Mana yanjye! Nasanze babishe
amaraso yuzuye hasi, nahise ntaha mpura n’umukozi w’umukobwa wo kwa
Inyasi ari kumwe n’abana batatu atabaza, agerageza kubashakira ubwihisho
mu ngo zo hafi aho ariko ntawamwakiriye ahubwo baramwirukanye.

Aho niho natangiye guhisha abantu, nahise mubwira nti tujyane mu rugo,
hari undi mugabo w’umuturanyi witwaga Inosa wari ufite umugore
w’umututsikazi, batewe n’interahamwe nyuma y’aho gato bashaka umugore
we. Bamusabye amafaranga ariko ntayo yarafite yaje iwanjye muguriza
ibihumbi mirongo ine kugira ngo akize umugore we. Zimaze kugenda yaje
iwanjye ansaba kumuhishira umugore kuko yavugaga ko bari bumwice kandi
nta yandi mafaranga yari afite. Naremeye aramuzana, nyuma y’aho hari
undi mugore wari ufite resitora nakundaga kujyayo nkanabikayo imodoka
yanjye nijoro. Namubonye ari kumwe n’undi mugore n’abana batatu mubwira
kugana iwanye kuko bari abatutsi kandi aho baganaga hari bariyeri
y’interahamwe urambyumva ibyo zari kubakorera. Ubwenge nakoreshaga ni
uko nagendanaga umupanga, interahamwe zabonaga ko turi kumwe nyine mu
kazi kamwe.

Ndibuka rimwe interahamwe imwe yitwa Damiyani cyangwa Benya yambwiye ngo
hari umuryango umwe wo kwa Jerari usigaye ko bagomba kujya kuwica,
naramubwiye nti uravuga umuryango wa Jerari uriya nawutsembye kera,
narababeshyaga. Ubwo nahise nshaka uburyo bwo kujya kubaburira kuko nari
muzi neza yari inshuti yanjye. Ubwo najyanye na Mututsi nigeze kubabwira
tugeze iwe akimbona n’umupanga yarambwiye ati “ndabizi uje kunyica ariko
ubigire vuba mpfe vuba”. Naramuhumurije mubwira ko ntaje kumwica ko ari
inshuti yanjye ahubwo naje kumufasha, ko agomba kuza vuba tukagenda
batahamusanga. Namuhaye igikoti kirekire tujya iwanjye hari hanini
ibyumba byari byinshi, nyuma nagiye gufata abana n’umugore mbajyana
ahantu hatandukanye kugira ngo ntabahisha ahantu hamwe, nabajyanye ku mu
pasiteri witwa Jonata.

Jerari yari mu nzu yanjye namuhaye ibase yo kujya yitumamo kugira ngo
adasohoka, nkajya kumena imyanda nkayigarura. Hari abantu benshi
bageraga no ku ijana, narabagaburiraga ntibyari byoroshye ariko
narabibonaga kubera nakoze muri PAM (Ishami rya Loni rishinzwe ibiribwa)
hari imifuka myinshi y’ibiribwa.

Hageze igihe abayobozi batanga imbunda ku bahutu bo muri ako gace,
nanjye barayimpaye sinarinzi kuyikoresha ariko navuze ko mbizi, kubera
ko akazi kanjye kari ako gutwara imodoka zizana ibicuruzwa biva muri
Kenya biza mu Rwanda. Ibi byose nabikoraga kubera ko numvaga ari
imbaraga z’Imana zinyobora kandi zimpa ingufu. Ibihe byari bibi kandi
ariko ibihe byageze aho ntagishoboye kwakira abandi bantu iwanjye
ntangira kuberekeza aho FPR yari yafashe kugira ngo barokoke kubera ko
aho FPR yari yafashe hatari kure y’aho twari turi ariko nagombaga
gukoresha amayeri kugira ngo abasirikare ba FPR batandasa kubera
narimfite imbunda. Narababwiye ngo bakuremo imyenda yose bagende bambaye
ubusa kandi byaradufashije kubera ko harokotse abantu benshi bagendaga
bakabwira abasirikare ba FPR bakaza kumfasha kubera ko nari mpishe
abantu benshi cyane cyane abatutsi.

Byageze aho interahamwe zankekaga ko mpishe abatutsi, abantu nari mpishe
nabo bararwaraga ariko ntibyari byoroshye kubona imiti. Amahirwe nagize
ni uko iruhande rw’iwanjye hari farumasi na kirinike najyagayo nkazana
imiti n’ibindi bikoreshwa kwa muganga. Narabikoraga n’ubwo ntari muganga
narasomaga nkabyumva nkazanira abarwayi bakanywa.

Kubera ko ndi umuhutu natinyaga FPR kubera ko nibwiraga ko banyica
n’ubwo nabashyiraga abantu nari mpishe. Nafashe icyemezo cyo kugana mu
nterahamwe ariko nza kumenya ko bashakaga kunyica kubera bari bamenye ko
mpishe abatutsi nkaba nkorana na FPR. Mu nterahamwe nari mfite inshuti
yaje kumburira ko bari bunyice ariko nari mfite imbunda kandi benshi
barantinyaga kubera nari umusore ufite imbaraga bigaragara. Natangiye
kugira ubwoba kubera ko ubuzima bwanjye bwari mu kaga. Interahamwe
zaraje zinsaba imbunda ngo zijye kuyikoresha, nta kindi nari bukore
narayitanze, icyari gukurikira cyari ukwicwa ariko Imana ishimwe
inkotanyi zahise zitangira kurasa turatatana ubwo naracitse.

Naje kugera mu mugi mbona imodoka y’umudamu nakoreraga yarambwiye ngo
tugende ku Gisenyi aho nakundaga kujya kuzana ibirayi. Tugeze ku
Gisenyi, umugabo yarankodesheje ngo ngende i Gitarama nzane umuryango we
ku Gisenyi. Nagiye i Gitarama ako kanya ubwo mbwira umuryango w’uwo
mugabo ngo witegure tugende ku Gisenyi ariko iruhande haje abakobwa
b’abatutsikazi banyinginga ngo mbafashe kubera ko bari bwicwe nabanje
kujinjinganya, haje umusaza arambwira ati “bafashe kuko nubasiga
barabica kandi Imana yakwishimira icyo cyiza”, nahise niyemeza kubafasha
ariko umuryango wa wa mugabo nari naje gufata wanze ko mbajyana.
Narawubwiye nti ndabajyana niba mutabishaka muvemo ahubwo ndajyana abo
bakobwa bonyine, bahise babyemera. Tugana ku Gisenyi ariko mu nzira
tugiye kugera mu Ngororero hari ahantu hari bariyeri bari kwica abo
bakobwa babiri. Bwari bwije ubwo nakodesheje inzu icyumweru gahunda yari
iyo gusiga abo bakobwa aho nkagenda ku Gisenyi nkagaruka kubavana aho
ngaho. Maze kugeza wa muryango ku Gisenyi naragarutse mfata ba bakobwa
mbambutsa kuri Goma kubera ko bari bambwiye ko bari bafiteyo
abavandimwe. Mvuye kuri Goma nagiye muri Kenya ngo mbashe gukomeza akazi
kanjye k’ubushoferi, mu gihe ninjiraga muri Uganda inkotanyi zaramfashe
kuko zakoreraga n’i Bugande  banzanye mu Rwanda kuko banketse kugira
uruhare muri jenoside. Narafunzwe bakora iperereza basanga nararokoye
benshi bahita bandekura. Umugore wanjye wari umututsikazi yishwe agana i
Cyangugu abana banjye bo turi kumwe. Nyuma naje gushaka undi mugore.

Gacaca kuri jye no ku bandi banyarwanda ni nziza kandi ifite akamaro
kuko yakemuye ibibazo byinshi abishe bakamenyekana. Jye niyemeje guhamya
ibyo nzi byose kandi nkavuga abakoze amarorerwa bose bakica
inzirakarengane. Ku mutekano wanjye, kenshi nahuye n’abantu bakantera
ubwoba kubera ko navuze abavandimwe babo ariko nababwiye ko nta bwoba
kuko ibyo bakoze bitari ibya kimuntu. Nabimenyesheje abayobozi nizera ko
bazaturinda.

Ku bwiyunge ntibyoroshye ariko urebye aho tugeze, Leta yakoze byinshi
ubu abanyarwanda bahugiye mu majyambere y’igihugu cyabo ntabwo
batekereza kwihorera.

Bizimungu Mubarak yatangaje ko yarokoye abantu barenga mirongo irindwi
kandi benshi bajya babonana.

Navukiye i Rubengera ku Kibuye. Jenoside yatangiye turi mu kiruhuko
nagiye gusura inshuti y’umuryango i Kigali yitwaga Mariya yari
umuhutukazi w’inshuti ya mama. Byatangiye indege ya perezida imaze
guhanurwa nari mpamaze iminsi itatu, ndibuka hari mu gitondo ibintu
byari bitangiye kumera nabi nibwo yambwiye ngo nshake ahandi njya muvire
mu nzu, naratunguwe kubyumva kuko ni we nari naje gusura nta wundi muntu
nari nzi i Kigali uretse we. Sinari nzi n’inzira yamvana mu Rugunga
injyana mu Kiyovu. Naramubajije impamvu anyirukanye aransubiza ko ndi
umututsikazi kandi ko abatutsi bahanuye indege ya Habyarimana, ko
ntashoboraga kuguma iwe. Nari namenye ko Habyarimana yahanuwe ariko
numvaga ntaho mpuriye n’ibyabaye sijye wari wamwishe.

Mbere y’intambara ndibuka najyaga mbaza mama impamvu tudafite sogokuru
mubaza impamvu mu muryango w’iwabo nta basaza bahari, igihe cyose
nabimubazaga nabonaga agize agahinda. Maze kugira imyaka cumi n’ine
yarambwiye ngo “ubu warakuze ngiye kukubwira impamvu ntafite data, muri
1963 abategetsi bakoraga amalisite y’abagabo n’abahungu b’abatutsi
bafite hejuru y’imyaka cumi n’ine, nibwo sogokuru wawe  yajyanywe
akicirwa ahantu tutamenye”. Byarangoye kubyumva kuko siniyumvishaga
ukuntu umuntu yicwa kubera gusa kuba umututsi, nakomeje kumubaza icyo
bakoze nyuma y’ibyo, ansubiza ko ntacyakozwe kubera ko ari ubutegetsi
bwabikoraga ntaho bari kurega.

Tugarutse muri 1994, nahise nibuka ibyo mama yambwiye ubwo uwo mugore
nari nagiye gusura anyirukaniye anziza kuba umututsi. Nta hantu nari
mfite ho kujya, kuri jye ni nk’aho isi yari indangiranye, nkomeza
ndinginga mubaza nti ese ndajya he? Dore nsisa n’abatutsi mfite izuru
rinini kandi bavuga ko abatutsi bafite utuzuru tureture kuki utandeka
ngo ngume hano koko? Yaranze akomeza kunyibutsa ko abatutsi bishe
umubyeyi wabo, ko byiza namuvira mu maso vuba. Nasohotse mu nzu ye njya
muri twareti aho nasanze undi mugore wo mu Rugunga wari wihishemo, yari
afite ubwoba ambaza icyo nari nje gukora, namushubije ko ndimo kwihisha,
arongera ati “ese ntacyo upfana n’uriya mugore, nti ni inshuti ya mama.
Naramubajije nti ese koko baratwica? Yarambwiye ati “ndabona turi bwicwe
ahubwo byiza icuze ibyaha byawe kugira ngo uramutse upfuye Imana
ikwakire mu ijuru”. Yari afite umwana w’umwaka n’igice wariraga buri
kanya agatera urusaku.

Narahavuye nsubira kwa Mariya arongera aranyirukana. Hafi y’iwe hari
undi mugore w’umututsikazi wambwiye ngo ndeke kwitwara nk’umwana dushake
ahandi twihisha ariko kubera nta ho yari afite twajya nisubiriye kwa
Mariya. Yagiye guhamagara interahamwe ngo zintware kunyica kubera ko
zari zimaze kwica abantu benshi. Haje uwitwa Billy ariko abonye ari jye
aratinya kubera yakekaga ko mfitanye isano na Mariya. Yarantegetse ngo
tujyane, yari yambaye intwaro umubiri wose n’amaraso yuzuye ku myenda
ye. Yarambwiye ngo njyane na we kugira ngo anyereke bagenzi be
batazanyica ariko naramubwiye ngo areke nkarabe aze kugaruka tujyane,
arabyemera. Undi mugore witwa Melania na we wari umututsikazi yarambwiye
ngo karatubanye dushake aho twihisha kuko nagaruka ari butwice. Yari
aziranye n’abantu bo muri kariya gace ariko umugore w’umuhutukazi
twagiye kureba ngo aduhishe witwa Tereza twasanze adahari, turicara
inyuma y’urugi dutegereje ariko dufite ubwoba kubera ko interahamwe zari
kwica abatutsi kandi yari ku manywa. Ikibabaje nasubiye kwa Mariya,
yarambwiye ngo njye kwa Dogiteri Jean ndebe niba bakiriho, nahise njyayo
ako kanya ariko ibyo nasanzeyo Mana sinzi! Byari biranze ukwemera
kwanjye. Bari batemaguye Dogiteri Jean wari umuhutu kubera ko
yageragezaga guhisha umugore we wari umututsikazi, abana n’umugore bose
babishe, amaraso atemba mu ruganiriro. Nkiri kwa Dogiteri nakusanyije
amafoto kubera ko hari umwana umwe wari wabashije kubacika, numvaga
nzayamuha nituramuka tubonanye, ibintu byose bari babisahuye. Nasubiye
kwa Mariya mpa amafoto murumuna we mubwira kuyabika neza kubera ko jye
ngiye gupfa, akazayaha wa mukobwa witwa Irene wo kwa Dogiteri.
Yarayafashe tujya mu rutoki turayataba.

Nasubiye kwa Mariya ambwira ngo nshake isuka nicukurire umwobo wo
kwihishamo, naracukuye ariko kubera nta ngufu nari mfite nageze aho
ndahagarika. Mu gihe natekerezaga aho kujya Melania yaragarutse ambwira
ngo dusubire kwa Tereza turebe niba yagarutse. Ariko ibyago twagize
twasanze adahari, numvaga ntishimiye aho hantu kubera numvaga ijwi
rimbwira ko nimpaguma ndibupfe.

Navuye kwa Tereza ngeze mu nzira nahuye n’interahamwe zishoreye abatutsi
nanjye banshyiramo turagenda duhura na Melania na we baramufata. Tugeze
aho bagombaga kutwicira badutondekaga bakurikije ibiro umuntu afite, jye
nari hagati kubera ko imbere hari abana bafite imyaka iri hagati y’ine
n’icumi. Twari abana benshi twariraga, tugasaba imbabazi tuvuga ko
tutazongera kuba abatutsi. Ndibuka umwana umwe yabwiye se ati kuki
utababwira ko tutazongera kuba abatutsi, ariko se ntacyo yamushubije.
Bahise batangira kurasa bahera ku murongo wa mbere, wa kabiri, jye nari
ku wa gatatu ariko kubera ubwoba bwinshi nahise ngwa hasi, imibiri
y’abapfuye ikangwa hejuru. Mana yanjye!! Naryame mu maraso kugera saa
cyenda z’ijoro. Melania yari yarashwe na we ariko akiri muzima, ubwo
yarahamagaraga “Umulisa wapfuye?”, naramushubije nti oya, ariko amaraso
yanyuzuyeho mu matwi, amazuru n’umunwa, numvaga nanjye bandashe kubera
amaraso yari anyuzuyeho. Twarakambakambye tugera mu gishanga tumesa
imyenda kugira ngo amaraso atuveho. Iteka ryose iyo ntanga ubuhamya
bw’ibyambayeho numva ya maraso umubiri wose.

Twaje gusubira kwa Tereza araduhakanira atubwira ko ari bibi kandi
bigoye. Yanze, twagiye mu gashyamba ariko Melania yavaga amaraso,
twarahagumye akanya ariko twari dushonje, dufite n’inyota cyane cyane we
kubera ko yavaga amaraso menshi. Melania yavuze ko tugomba kuva aho
hantu tukajya kwa Helena aho yari yasize imyenda. Tuhageze yaratubwiye
ngo ntaho yaduhisha kubera ko umugabo we na we yicaga, yazanye ivarisi
Melania ambwira ngo nihitiremo imyenda inkwiye. Ndibuka nahisemo umwenda
mwiza, buri gihe iyo mbyibutse ndiseka kubera ko binyibutsa ubutesi nari
mfite. Tumaze kubona imyenda myiza twasubiye mu gashyamba ariko Melania
ntiyari abyishimiye kuhaguma igihe kirekire, yarambwiye ati “mfite
indangamuntu y’abahutu, ngiye kugerageza kugera i Butare”. Naramubujije
kubera uko uteye ntawukwemerera kugenda barahita bakwica. Yarahatirije
yiyemeza kugenda, ni nabwo namubonye bwa nyuma, ashobora kuba yaraguye
mu nzira.

Nasigaye jyenyine mu gashyamba, ndibuka imvura yaragwaga kandi nari
nshonje, mfite n’inyota, nigiriye inama yo gusubira kwa Helena n’ubwo
umugabo we yicaga, mpageze yaratangaye kubona nkiriho angira inama yo
gusubira kwa Mariya nari naje gusura. Nta kindi nari gukora nasubiye kwa
Mariya, na we yaratangaye kubona nkiriho kubera ko abantu benshi bari
barishwe uhereye igihe nahaviriye. Yarambwiye ati “ngufitiye igisubizo;
byiza wajya kwa Sibomana ushinzwe gutanga indangamuntu ukamubwira ko
wayitaye kandi ukamwumvisha ko uri umuhutukazi”, yaranyoboye ariko mfata
indi nzira.

Ibyago nagize ni uko nahuye na bariyeri iriho interahamwe eshanu,
zimbaza aho navaga n’aho najyaga, narabashubije nti ndi uwo kwa Mariya.
Interahamwe imwe yaravuze ngo “kuki ubeshya abantu bose bo kwa Mariya
ndabazi ni gute ntakuzi, ubwo uri inyenzi”, naramushubije nti ntabwo ndi
inyenzi, arongera ati “uri umututsi”, ndavuga nti oya rwose. Yahise
ambaza uko nitwa, nanjye ndamusubiza nti nitwa Umulisa, yarasetse cyane
ambwira ngo nta muhutu witwa iryo zina, ni ukuvuga ngo uri umututsikazi.
Yarambwiye ngo “byiza bivuge hakiri kare kuko nibigaragara ko uri
kubeshya urahita wicwa ako kanya”, antegeka kwicara hasi areba intoki
zanjye n’amano arangije ati “uri umututsi”, nahise nanjye nemera,
banshira ku ruhande hirya ariko muri bo hari umusaza nabonaga asa
n’abatutsi ndamureba ngo ndebe ko yantabara ariko ntacyo yakoze.
Interahamwe yitwa Ruzindana yantunze imbunda igiye kunyica undi
aramubwira ngo ‘wikwicira uwo mukobwa aho ataza kutunukira kandi nta
n’isuka dufite ngo tumuhambe, byiza mureke hari imodoka yagiye kuzana
abandi batutsi na we arajyamo.”

Hashize umwanya indi nterahamwe yaraje irababaza “bite by’uyu mukobwa”,
barasubiza ngo ndi inyenzi, arongera atarabyemera neza ati “koko uyu
mukobwa ni inyenzi?” Ruzindana yaramushubije ati “ntiwumva ibyo nkubwira
uyu mukobwa ni umututsikazi.” Yahise anyegera ambaza aho navaga n’izina
ryanjye, namubwiye amazina kandi ndi uwo ku Kibuye ahitwa Rubengera,
Imana yanjye na we niho yakomokaga atangira kumvugisha neza, ambaza niba
nzi umupasiteri witwa Nzabahimana, ndamubwira nti uyo ni pasiteri wanjye
kandi umugore we ni inshuti ya mama, Imana yanjye uwo mugabo yari afite
isano n’umugore wa pasiteri. Yasubiye muri bagenzi be abasaba
kumbabarira baremera kuko yarabibumvishije, aragaruka arambwira ngo
bakubabariye. Ako kanya ahita ambaza ngo “ugiye kujya he?” Naramushubije
nti nari ngiye kwa Sibomana ngo ampe indangamuntu y’abahutu, yangiriye
inama yo kutajyayo kubera ko uwo mugabo yicaga abatutsi ahita ambwira
ngo twijyanire ariko sinamwizeye n’ubwo yankuye mu bagenzi be nabonaga
ashobora kumfata ku ngufu. Naramubwiye ngo areke nsubire kwa Mariya
mubwire ko nabuze Sibomana ariko muri jye nateguraga kwisubirira mu
gashyamba kuko niho honyine napfaga kubona umutekano.

Nijoro nasubiye kwa Helena arangaburira arambwira ngo ngiye kuguhisha
umunsi umwe ubundi tuzareba ahandi ujya. Yashakaga kumpisha ariko
umugabo we yaricaga kandi ntiyashakaga ko nicirwa iwe. Yaragerageje
gushaka umuntu wampisha ariko hagati aho nsubira mu gashyamba, ubwo niko
nabonaga n’abantu bahita, naje kubona Buhiri murumuna wa Tereza agira
ubwoba anyemerera ko ari bubwire Tereza akampisha, nijoro Helena yaraje
kumfata anjyana kwa Tereza. Ubwo bampaye icyumba iruhande rw’uruganiriro
ariko interahamwe zaranshakaga kubera ngo zitari zabonye umurambo
wanjye. Nagumye kwa Tereza ibyumweru hafi bitatu nari kumwe n’umuhungu
muto witwaga Mishove nafataga nka musaza wanjye. Rimwe yaraje arambwira
ngo “ndumva uyu munsi ndibupfe”, ndamubaza nti ese ni iki kiguteye
kuvuga ibyo aransubiza ngo arambyiyumvamo. Saa sita z’ijoro zigiye
kugera Mishove yarambwiye ngo akumbuye nyina, ngerageza kumubuza kugenda
ariko aranga, yishwe ajya iwabo n’umuryango we wose uretse umuhungu umwe
wasimbutse imodoka yabatwaraga kubica. Nabwiye Helena ko Tereza
yantegetse kugenda nkashaka ahandi, yaratangaye anyemerera ko ari
bunshakire undi mugore umpisha, uwo mugore yari yemeye kumpisha, yabaga
mu Biryogo ariko kugerayo cyari ikibazo kubera bariyeri zari zihari.
Helena yaransobanuriye uko nagerayo ariko kubera ubwoba narahabuze,
nageze kuri bariyeri mpasanga umusaza arambwira ngo uri inyenzi,
ndamusubiza nti oya rwose. Yarantegetse ngo nicare ariko kubera ko yari
ashaje nahise niruka mbona ko atashoboraga kunkurikira. Nagiye ku rugo
ruri hafi yo kwa Mama Sania nakirwa n’umugabo witwa Emmanuel ambaza aho
nari ngiye, naramubwiye ahita ahandangira. Nagezeyo maze kumusuhuza no
kumubwira izina ryanjye namubwiye ikinzanye ahita ambwira ngo “Umulisa
ntabwo nshoboye kuguhisha”. Nahise numva ncitse intege mbaza Imana nti
kuki ntapfa ko mbona abantu bantererana, ndasohoka ndira cyane, ahita
ampamagara ati Umulisa ndi umuyisilamu kandi ntinya Imana, nkuretse
ukagenda bakakwica Imana yazabimbaza, ngaho ngwino mu nzu.

Maze kwinjira mu nzu nahasanze abantu benshi twari dusangiye ibibazo,
harimo abasaza n’umukobwa wari wahuye n’ibibazo bikomeye kuko yari
yahohotewe afatwa ku ngufu ku buryo yavaga amaraso akaba yari yatewe
n’izindi ndwara. Numvise anteye agahinda ntangira kumwitaho kubera ko
Mama Sania yagendaga gushaka abantu bari batemaguwe ariko bataranogoka.
Ndibuka rimwe yazanye umugabo witwa Minani wari wakomeretse anshinga
kumwitaho, nkamwoza n’amazi ashyushye mu bisebe. Uyu mugabo amaze
kugarura agatege yarambajije icyo mpfana na Mama Sania, mubwira ko ari
umuvandimwe, aravuga ngo “ariko ndabona uri umututsi”, ndamubaza nti ese
ni kuki ushaka kumenya ubwoko bwanjye? Arambwira ngo ni umuhutu w’i
Burundi, mubaza uko yageze mu Rwanda, ansubiza ko yari mu nkambi y’i
Bugesera akaba yarakozweho n’intambara imaze kuhagera. Nakomeje
kumwitaho nk’ibisanzwe ntitaye ku bwoko bwe ariko ubuzima bwe
bwakomezaga kuba nabi, yarambwiye ngo “ngiye gupfana icyaha kibi”,
ndamubaza nti kuki? Arambwira ati “nanga abatutsi”, Mana yanjye we!!
Nahise ngira ubwoba ngira impungenge, arambwira ati “umbabarire nasanze
narabazizaga ubusa, nigiye kuri wowe none nsabye Imana imbabarire icyo
cyaha cyo kwanga abatutsi”, mubwira ko namubabariye, duhana amaboko,
anyemerera ko ansabira Imana ngo inkize.

Icyumweru gishize FPR yahise ifata Kigali, babwira abantu bose ngo bave
mu mazu bajye kuri St André. Mama Sania yaratubwiye ngo tujye kuri St
André asigarana na wa mukobwa wari wahohotewe, twagiyeyo tugumayo kugeza
FPR ifashe Kigali, nsubiye ku Kibuye nasanze abanjye barabishe hasigaye
musaza wanjye muto. Mama yari akiriho ariko kubera yari yarakubiswe
cyane, nagerageje kumuvuza biranga, yaje gupfa nyuma gato y’intambara.
Nagiye muri oruferina, nzana na musaza wanjye.

Gacaca ni nziza kuko iyo abishe bemeye icyaha bagasaba imbabazi bituma
abarokotse bamenya aho amagufa y’ababo bakundaga ari, bakabashyingura mu
cyubahiro. Ariko kandi Gacaca intera kurwara umutwe, cyane cyane iyo
abishe bavuga ibyo bakoze bemye ubona ntacyo bibabwiye, bakanarekurwa
badahanwe. Nanga kujya muri Gacaca kuko iyo ngiyeyo mara icyumweru meze
nabi. Ku bwiyunge bakwiye gushaka irindi jambo bakoresha kubera ko kuri
jye, ubwiyunge bivuga gusangira ibitekerezo, amabanga n’ibindi
ukabisangira n’umuntu wakwiciye abawe. Jye birankomereye wenda ku muntu
waba agifite abo muryango we, sinshobora kugirana ubumwe cyangwa
kwiyunga n’umuntu wanyiciye ababyeyi. Ibi ntibizabaho ni nayo mpamvu
nanze Imana uretse ko naje kuyisaba imbabazi. Impamvu nanze Imana ni uko
umwana wayo atigeze ababazwa nk’uko abatutsi babajwe kubera ko yababajwe
iminsi itatu arazuka ariko abatutsi babaye igihe kirekire. Simvuga ko
hagomba kubaho kwihora ku batwiciye imiryango ariko ubwiyunge
ntibisobanutse. Ndasaba Imana ngo abana banjye ntibazahure n’ibyo nahuye
na byo kubera ko ni nko kuramukanya na shitani, kubera ko abatutsi bari
bameze nk’ihene ukurikije uko bishwe kuva 1959 kugera 1994. Mfite abana
babiri umuhungu w’imyaka cumi n’umwe n’umukobwa w’imyaka itanu.
Nishimiye abana banjye, umuhungu wanjye asa n’umugabo wanjye nkunda
cyane kuruta byose ku isi.

Nyuma yo kuganira na we mu 2007, hagaragaye ko ubuhamya bwa Umulisa
Odette bwasohohotse mu gitabo cya Aegis 2006 cyitwa We Survived:
Genocide in Rwanda - 28 Personal Testimonies

Nitwa Ernest, muri 1994 nari mfite imyaka 46 kandi nabaga i Byumba,
mfite umugore n’abana. Umuryango wa Nyangenzi warandokoye mu gihe cya
jenoside. Ku itariki ya 6 mata 1994, navuye mu rugo nza  i Kigali ku
bibazo by’akazi nari mfite. Nageze i Kigali ntinze niyemeza kujya
gucumbika kwa Nyangenzi, yari inshuti yanjye ariko cyane cyane inshuti
ya mukuru wanjye. Namusanze ku kazi ambwira ko yihuta ko turi buhurire
mu rugo. Nagiye mu rugo rwe aranyakira nk’inshuti koko, turasangira
nyuma njya kuryama aho banteganyirije. Mbere yo kuryama narimo kunywa
itabi nibwo twumvise ikintu giturika, umugore yaje yiruka kumbaza ko
nabyumvise, musubiza ko nabyumvise. Kubera ko yari atuye hafi y’ikibuga
cy’indege twibwiye ko ari indege iguye kandi koko byari byo. Twumvise
abantu bagendagenda, abandi biruka amasasu menshi yaravugaga,
abasirikari bahise batangira kwica abatutsi no gutwika amazu yabo. Ubwo
twashashe muri koridoro aba ariho turyama twese n’abana.

Mu gitondo, twumvise itangazo rya Minisiteri y’Ingabo ribuza abantu
gusohoka. Ndibuka icyo gitondo imvura yaragwaga. Haje abasirikare babiri
bakomanga ku rugi ariko Ngangenzi yanze kubakingurira, bamennye
ikirahure cy’idirishya batangira kumutuka. Naramubwiye nti kingura mpfe
nk’intwari. Baketse ko ari uwahoze ari umukozi wabo wabareze ngo kuko
iwe hazaga abatutsi. Yarafunguye barinjira bari babiri badutegeka
kwicara hasi, batangira gusaka mu nzu, batoteza umugore we kuko ngo
babonaga asa n’abatutsi. Umwe muri bo yambajije indangamuntu ndayimuha
arareba, arambwira ati abatutsi akanyu kashobotse murashira kuko mwishe
umubyeyi. Naramushubije nti niba bari bwice abatutsi kubera ihanurwa
ry’indege ntacyo nabikoraho. Babwiye Nyangenzi ko bagomba kunjyana
arabinginga abaha n’amafaranga. Ariko ntibanyuzwe bakomeza bavuga ko
bari bunjyane, yahise abaha radiyo yari yarakuye mu Bubirigi. Bahise
bagenda ariko basiga bamubwiye ko abandi bazatwicana.

Nyuma y’ibyo nafashe icyemezo cyo kugenda nkajya kugwa ku gasozi aho
guteza ibibazo. Nyangenzi yaranyingize. Naramubwiye nti uri umuhutu reka
ngende umuryango wawe wo kubizira, sinashakaga ko umuryango wose ubizira
nashakaga gupfa jyenyine. Narasohotse ndagenda, Nyangenzi yarankurikiye
arambyanga, arambwira ati “niba ari ugupfa reka dupfe twese hamwe”.
Yaranyinginze anyumvisha uko turi bubigenze, naremeye ndasigara.
Umuturanyi we wari umusirikare yaraje akomanga ku rugi twanga gukingura
nka mbere, ariko yaje kwivuga turamukingurira atubwira ko avuye i
Bugesera aho yakoreraga akaba ashaka kujyhana umugore we ku babyeyi be
kubera ko ari umututsikazi.

Muri icyo gitondo nagiye kwihisha mu igaraji, ariko nimugoroba, yaraje
amvanayo arambwira ati “si byiza ko uguma mu igaraji twe turi mu nzu,
nihagira ukomanga uzajya usubirayo ujye kwihisha”. Navuye mu igaraji
ndaza turasangira ku meza. Haje kuza itangazo rihamagarira abantu kujya
ku kibuga cy’indege kugira ngo babarinde. Yarambwiye ngo nsigare
n’umukozi we w’umukobwa kubera ko twari dufite indangamuntu yanditsemo
“Tutsi”. Baragiye turasigara ariko bumaze gucya yaraje avuye ku kibuga
ambwira ko bagiye kuza gusaka mu mazu kubera ko bavugaga ko abatutsi
bose bataricwa. Naramubwiye nti reka njye muri parafo, nahise nurira
nkajya manuka nijoro kuryama.

Nyuma y’iminsi itanu, yaraje ambwira ko noneho bagiye kuza gushakira
muri parafo. Hari umwobo wa metero cumi n’eshesatu (16) wagenewe twareti
wacukurwaga Naramubwiye nti reka njyemo abanza kumpakanya ariko aza
kohereza abana ngo barebe mu baturanyi ko ntabatubona kugira ngo mbashe
kumanukamo. Yoherejemo ingazi ariko zikaba ngufi, niyemeje kumanuka ampa
matera n’uburingiti ndamanuka ngenda numva uko umwuka ugabanuka kugeza
aho ingazi zagarukiraga. Bakoreshaga umugozi kunyohereza amafunguro,
amazi n’icyo kwitumamo. Sinabonaga n’ubu ijisho ryanjye ntiribona neza.
Nakoreshaga intoki kumenya icyo bohereje. Nahamaze igihe kirenze ukwezi,
narazamukaga nkagera aho ingazi zigarukira kugira ngo ndambure amaguru
mfate n’umwuka, nkongera ngasubira hasi. Hari mu bihe by’imvura amazi
yaramanukaga akansanga hasi ku buryo nabaga nicaye mu mazi.

Hashize iminsi numvise Nyangenzi akuraho ibyo yatwikiraga ku mwobo,
arahamagara ngo nzamuke ariko imbaraga zari zanshizemo. Narazamutse
ngera aho ingazi zagarukiraga mbura imbaraga pe, ndamubwira nti ndeka
mpfiremo hano. Yanyohereje umugozi wo kwizirika munda arakurura angeza
hejuru, sinabashaga kureba, nasaga n’inyamaswa abana be bararize. Maze
gusubira ibuntu yarambwiye ati “abantu bose bahunze, abana n’umugore
wanjye bagiye kujya iwabo i Butare”, yanze kujyana nabo avuga ko byaba
ari ubugwari kunsiga. FPR yari hafi irwana n’ingabo za Leta, twasigaye
turi batatu Nyangenzi, umukozi we nanjye.

Twagumye mu nzu twihishe akajya agenda kuri bariyeri kugira ngo babone
ko ari kumwe nabo bataza mu rugo. Kubera ko yararwaye diyabeti
bamubwiraga kuryama ariko ntajye mu rugo. Yatahaga mu gitondo abatuka,
ndibuka rimwe yatahanye inyama bamuhaye azijugunya muri twareti avuga ko
ataziha n’imbwa ye kubera ko bari bashimuse inka z’abatutsi. Hashize
icyumeru kimwe, yaraje ambwira ko FPR iri hafi ko agomba kugenda
hakagira umwe muri twe urokoka. Yarambwiye ngo uzarokoka azarere undi.
Naramwinginze ngo tujyane aranga kuko yari azi uko hameze, hari za
bariyeri nyinshi kandi barebaga indangamuntu. Naramwumviye, musaba
kutuvomera amazi no gufunga inzugi mbere yo kugenda. Yarafunze ubwo
nibwo bwa nyuma namubonye, ndizera ko ari mu ijuru.

Uwo mukobwa twasigaranye yari umututsikazi ariko utapfa kubimenya
shebuja yasize amubwiye ko nihagira ukomanga ari we uzajya yiyerekana
akavuga ko ari wenyine. Uwo mukobwa yaje kurwara, nta biribwa twari
dufite twanywaga amazi kugeza igihe FPR yaziye ikatubohora. FPR yaraje
yumva mu nzu harimo abantu umukobwa agenda kureba ababwira ko ari
wenyine, barinjira bareba hose bagera aho nari nihishe nanga gukingura
kugeza ubwo naje kubakingurira, baranyibwira nanjye mbabwira ibyanjye
n’uwandokoye. Naje kumenya ko Nyangenzi yaguye mu nzira kubera ko yari
anarwaye diyabeti, umuryango we uriho twarabonanye nyuma ya 1994. Uko
niko narokotse nkijijwe n’umuryango ntazigera nibagirwa. Mukuru wanjye
wari inshuti magara ya Nyangenzi yaretse inzoga avuga ko inzoga
zaryohaga ari kumwe na Nyangenzi.

Gacaca ni nziza ni ugusaba imbabazi no kubabarira. Ndizera ko ubumwe
n’ubwiyunge bushoboka. Ndi umwe mu batangije club y’ubumwe n’ubwiyunge.
Nigeze kwandikira Komisiyo y’Ubumwe n’Ubwiyunge ko abicanyi bagomba
gusaba imbabazi, bakabona kubarirwa uko niko tuzagera ku bumwe
n’ubwiyunge.

Mon nom est Valentine, je vivais avec ma famille à Gikondo. C’était pendant les vacances, un certain mercredi du mois d’avril 1994, j’étais avec maman et papa lorsque nous avons entendu que l’avion du président avait été descendu. Par la suite, on entendait des tirs nourris d’armes partout dans la ville de Kigali et on ne pouvait sortir.

Ma sœur et mon frère avaient fui en passant par dessus la clôture. Nous sommes restés moi et maman et avons décidé de prendre refuge à la Croix-Rouge. Arrivées à la porte de la Croix-Rouge on nous a empêché d’entrer nous sommes restées dehors jusqu’au jeudi matin c’était le 8 avril je me souviens. Le matin, les gardes présidentielles et les interahamwes sont venus, ils ont constitué des groupes, moi et maman étions dans le groupe qui devait être tué par les interahamwes. Ils nous ont aligné et ordonné de nous coucher par terre. En nous couchant maman m’a dit de me coucher pour qu’elle puisse me protéger et mourir avant moi. Ils ont commencé à tirer et à jeter des grenades, ma mère est décédée sur le champ, je pouvais voir ses intestins et son crâne fracassé laissait voir le cerveau.

Après les tirs, le sang coulait partout, j’étais entouré de corps, j’ai rampé pour quitter cet endroit et j’ai entendu quelqu’un me demander « tu es vivante ? » et je lui ai répondu : « je suis vivante, mais ma mère a été tuée ». Ils m’ont dit de partir avec eux. C’était un pasteur nommé Bizimungu et sa femme, ils étaient hutus. Je leur ai demandé si nous allions laisser le corps de ma mère là bas et il m’ont répondu que c’était fini pour eux qu’à ce moment il fallait partir. Nous sommes partis chez eux avec d’autres qui avaient survécu. J’ai appris par après que cette famille a des liens avec le premier président après le génocide.

Chaque matin, je voyais le corps de maman, par après ils ont brûlé ces corps ce que je pouvais faire c’était de couvrir le corps de maman, je l’ai couvert de draps, c’était le 15 je me souviens. Ils ont commencé à menacer les hutus qui cachait les tutsis et j’ai décidé de prendre fuite, j’ai vu un camion qui transportait des zaïrois qui partaient chez eux et je suis parti avec eux. Nous avons pris la direction de Kacyiru et à la barrière les interahamwes nous ont fait descendre. Il y avait parmi eux un interahamwe qui me connaissait, sa sœur était une camarade de classe. Les autres lui ont demandé pourquoi il parlait à une tutsie, l’interahamwe qui me connaissait a menti « seulement sa mère est tutsie, son père est hutu ». C’est ainsi que j’ai survécu pour la deuxième fois et ils ne m’ont pas pris avec d’autres qu’ils allaient tuer.

Le même qui a menti pour me sauver a encore dit aux autres interahamwes : « cet enfant si elle continue seule son chemin elle va être tuée ». Ils lui ont dit de m' accompagner, il m’a emmené là où ils protégeaient leurs familles. Comme il leur avait dit que j’étais hutue, je suis restée là bas jusqu'à la prise de la ville de Kigali par les troupes du FPR. Par après, j’ai appris que mon frère était toujours vivant et qu’il était à Goma.

En ce qui concerne les juridictions Gacaca, une chose positive : les innocents sont relâchés.

En 1994, sa famille était bien connue à Gisenyi. Son frère Ngeze Hassan était journaliste et a été accusé de crimes au TPIR. Bazirake a caché des tutsis dans sa maison et les emmenait à Goma pendant ces nuits du génocide. Comme son frère avait la réputation d’être un hutu extrémiste, personne ne le suspectait. Jumaine et les autres de sa famille ont utilisé leur véhicule pick-up pour cacher les tutsis. Ils les mettaient dans des fûts faisant croire que c’était de l’huile, les couvraient de sables laissant un petit trou pour la respiration et les faisaient traverser la frontière vers le Zaïre (Congo actuellement).

Pourquoi a-t-il fait cela, mettant en danger sa famille ? Tout simplement parce que toutes ces personnes qu’il a sauvées étaient des êtres humains. Selon Hadj Bazirake, il y a d’autres qui ont sauvé des vies à Gisenyi, surtout les musulmans mais il ne se souvenait pas de leurs noms.

Gacaca est une bonne solution, nous témoignons, ces juridictions sont très importantes étant donné le nombre élevé des coupables. Ces juridictions vont nous aider dans le processus d’unité et de la réconciliation. Les coupables demanderont pardon et répareront les dommages qu’ils ont causés.

Umuryango wanjye wabaga i Gikondo nari mfite imyaka makumyabiri twari mu kiruhuko. Ndibuka yari ku wa gatatu ndi kumwe na mama na papa nibwo twumvise ko indege y’umukuru w’igihugu bayirashe nijoro. Ubwo twahise twumva amasasu menshi mu mujyi wa Kigali kandi banavuga ko nta muntu wemerewe gusohoka hanze.

Mushiki wanjye na musaza wanjye bahise basimbuka igipangu baragenda, nasigaranye na mama dufata umwanzuro wo guhungira kuri Kuruwaruje (Croix-Rouge) kugira ngo tuticwa.Tugezeyo batubujije kwinjira, ubwo twaheze hanze kugeza ku wa kane tariki ya 8 mata. Muri icyo gitondo twaje kubona abari bashinzwe umutekano wa perezida bari kumwe n’interahamwe. Badutwaye mu matsinda, jye na mama twari mu itsinda ryari kwicwa n’interahamwe. Ubwo nyine zadushize ku murongo zitubwira kuryama hasi, mu kuryama hasi mama yambwiye kuryama mbere maze ajya hejuru yanjye kugira ngo ari we bica mbere. Batangiye kurasa banatera na gerenade, mama yahise apfa amara ye arasohoka, ubwonko bujya hanze.

Ibyo birangiye, amaraso yaratembaga aho hantu hose, ubwo nari nkikijwe n’intumbi. Namaze umwanya ndi mu ntumbi nyuma naje gukambakamba nyura mu ntumbi, ubwo bwari bwije nibwo naje kumva umuntu ambaza ati “uracyariho?” namushubije ngira nti “ndacyariho ariko mama bamwishe”. Bahise bambwira ngo tugende, abantwaye bari abahutu; umupasiteri witwaga Bizimungu n’umugore we. Narababwiye nti “koko dusize intumbi ya mama hano?” Baranshubije ngo “ngwino tugende kuko abo bapfuye byarangiye ibyabo”. Ubwo twahise tugenda hamwe n’abandi barokokeye aho batujyana mu rugo rwabo, naje kumenya ko uwo muryango ufite isano n’uwahoze ari perezida wa repubulika y’u Rwanda jenoside ikirangira.

Ubwo buri gitondo nabonaga umurambo wa mama, nyuma baje kuyitwika icyo nakoze nafashe amashuka ntwikira umurambo wa mama, ndabyibuka yari tariki 15. Ubwo batangiye kuvuga ngo umuhutu bari gusanga ahishe abatutsi bari guhita bamwica. Nanjye ubwo nahise mfata umwanzuro wo guhunga igihe ngeze ku irembo mbona ikamyo yari itwaye abazayirwa iwabo ubwo nahise nyijyamo yanyuraga ku Kacyiru.

Tukigera ku Kacyiru twahasanze bariyeri y’interahamwe zaratubwiye ngo twese tuvemo, imwe muri izo nterahamwe twari tuziranye kuko niganaga na mushiki wayo. Ubwo baramubajije impamvu avugana n’umututsikazi, yahise ababeshya ababwira ko mama ari we mututsikazi papa akaba ari umuhutu. Uko niko narokotse ntibantwaye mu bo bagiye kwica.

Uwo wamvugiye yarongeye arababwira ati “uno mwana nakomeza kugenda wenyine baramwica” bahise bamubwira ngo amperekeze, yanjyanye aho bari barindiye abana bato n’imiryango yabo. Nabaye aho kuko bagenzi be bari bazi ko ndi umuhutu,  Narahagumye iminsi myinshi kugeza igihe ingabo za FPR zafashe Kigali, nyuma naje kumva ko mukuru wanjye yari akiriho i Goma muri Zayire (Kongo y’ubu).  

Uko mbona Gacaca : icyiza cyayo ni kimwe ni uko abarengana barekurwa.

Epimaque afite imyaka mirongo ine n’itanu kandi agaragara ko agikomeye, yaduhaye ubuhamya na we ku bijyanye n’ibyo yakoze mu gihe cya jenoside. Uku ni ko yabivuze.

Mu 1990 nabonaga ibintu birushaho guhinduka cyane cyane kuri jye n’umugore wanjye kuko yari umututsikazi. Icyo gihe interahamwe zakomezaga kuza mu rugo iwanjye zishaka kwica umugore wanjye. Nazihaye amafaranga kugira ngo zimureke ariko nyuma haje kuza izindi ku nshuro ya kabiri na zo nazihaye andi ziragenda. Ibyo nabigendeyeho ariko ntibyatinze, baje kumenya ko umugore wanjye ari umututsikazi
Ubwo nyine batangira kuvuga ko nkorana na FPR kubera umugore wanjye ariko siko byari bimeze sinakoranaga na bo, ahubwo abavandimwe b’umugore wanjye ni bo bazaga iwanjye gufata ibiribwa nijoro. Nahishe abantu mu nzu, mbonye ko interahamwe ziza kabiri ku munsi, ndabimura kubera ko icyo gihe nari naratangiye kubaka umusarani niho nahishe abantu barindwi.

Umugore wanjye yonsaga umwana w’amezi abiri, naramusigaranye nkajya mbwira interahamwe ko umugore wanjye yapfuye. Ibyo byaramfashije igihe gito ariko noneho interahamwe zitangira kubaza igituma nteka ibyo kurya byinshi, cyane ko najyaga mbiteka nijoro ariko nababwiye ko ku manywa tutatekaga kubera ko twabaga twihishe.

Data yaje kumbwira ngo nshakishe ubundi buryo bwo guhisha abantu bari mu musarani. Nibwo nahisemo kubwira abana banjye kujya bituma hejuru no ku ruhande rw’umusarani kugira ngo batazirirwa bacyeka ko harimo abantu kubera umunuko.

Kwica abantu muri kiliziya byari byaratangiye. Hari umusirikare wari umuhutu yambwiye ko atashoboraga kwica umukobwa w’umututsikazi witwaga Mukantabana, byarantunguye kubona umusirikare yaranze kwica uwo mukobwa akamugirira imbabazi. Namuhaye igare ngo amuhungishe, ibyaje kumbabaza cyane ni uko batageze kure, bahuye n’interahamwe zaramumwambuye ziramwica, uwo musirikare we baramuhambiriye na we bashakaga kumwica ariko Imana ye haje uwari ubakuriye arababuza ntibamwica.

                Muri iyo minsi haje igitero simusiga iwanjye, bagose urugo kuko bemezaga ko FPR yampaga amafaranga. Nyuma baje kunsaba kubabwira ukuri ku byerekeye abatutsi nari mfite mu nzu yanjye n’abandi nahishaga. Icyo gihe nagize intege nke kubera ubwoba, nabashubije ko bose babishe. Barongeye barambaza impamvu hari amafunguro menshi mbabwira ko ari ukwitegura guhunga. Muri icyo gihe nari mfite amaradiyo ane mu nzu yanjye, imwe nayikoreshaga kumva Muhabura, indi nayumviragaho radiyo yakoreshwaga n’interahamwe. Naje kumenya ko FPR yari hafi yacu ubwo nakoze ibishoboka kugira ngo abantu nari mpishe mbageze mu gice FPR yagenzuraga kuko bakiraga abantu kugira ngo baticwa n’interahamwe.

Naje kumenya ko bashakaga gutwika inzu yanjye ngira ubwoba, icyo nakoze nagiye mu nzu ku buriri ndasenga, haje abasirikare benshi iwanjye n’interahamwe twari duturanye nzasabaga ko nazereka aho nahishe abatutsi cyangwa zikandasa. Ubwo umwe yarashe mu kirere, nyuma haje undi arambaza ati “si byo pasiteri”. Nahise mvugira hejuru nti “nibyo nibyo”, mbabwira nti ngaho nimushake mu nzu hose kandi nkabumvisha ko umugore wanjye yapfuye, kubera ko hari interahamwe nahaye amafaranga zabwiraga izindi ko nta batutsi nari mpishe.Ubwo izo nterahamwe zarongeye zinsaba andi mafaranga ndazihakanira, ariko nyuma zakomeje kuyanyaka narazihereje ayo nari mfite.
 
Hari undi mugabo w’umusaza waje iwanjye ansaba ko namuhisha na we namweretse aho yanyura kugira ngo agere ku ngabo za FPR. Ubwo naramuherekeje tugenda twihishe mu bihuru tugera aho ingabo za FPR zari ziri, twamanitse amaboko ziratwakira nsangayo abandi benshi nahishe.

Ku byerekeye Gacaca, nyuma ya jenoside abakoze ibyaha baragarutse i Nyamata bamwe muri bo bakabeshya kugira ngo batabafunga no kujijisha, byari bigoye kubana na bo. Byari bibaje, bamwe bavugaga ko twafatanyije kwica ariko abasirikare bari banzi nk’umuntu warokoye abandi baramvugiye, ndokora izina ryanjye. Benshi bari banzi ntibyabashobotse, ibyo bashakaga kugeraho ntibyabahiriye kuko abaturanyi n’abo nakijije baramburaniye. Gacaca ni nk’umuti ariko mbere byari bigoye kuyisobanukirwa imbabazi no kuvuga ukuri biraza, bikazatuma ubwiyunge bushoboka.  

   Silas Ntamfurayishyari ni umugabo munini, uvuga atuje, uri mu kigero cy’imyaka mirongo itatu. Yagenze ku igare ibirometero makumyabiri na bitanu byose nyuma y’uko tumusabye kuganira na we, yemeye ko tumufata amajwi. Yatubwiye abandi bantu bane yakijije babihamya bakanatubwira byinshi birenze ku byo yatubwiye. Yabivuze muri magambo akurikira.

Nagiye mu gisirikare cya Leta muri mata 1990. Icyo gihe nabonaga ibimenyetso byerekanaga ko abatutsi bazatsembwa. Guhera mu 1992 nabonye abatutsi batangiye kubica abandi bagahunga. Jenoside yo muri 1994 byari bikomeye kugira ngo umuntu abone uko yahunga. Ariko jye, nk’umusirikare bampaye amabwiriza yo kugota ingo z’abatutsi ku buryo abagore n’abana bari kuhagwa.  

     Umwe mu nshuti zanjye w’umusirikare akaba n’umukirisitu yambwiye ko bagiye gutera i Nyamata yongeraho ati tugende dusahure. Ubwo twateze imodoka njyana n’undi musirikare w’umukirisitu twerekeza i Nyamata ariko nkaba narashakaga kubwira abaturage ngo bahunge ariko njyayo, navuze ko nashakaga kugura umugati. Icyo gihe nashoboye kubwira abaturage ngo bahunge n’ubwo abasirikare bahise baza mu mugi wa Nyamata kugira ngo batangire kwica abatutsi ariko nakomeje kujya ahegereye umujyi mbaburira kugira ngo bahunge.

Ibi bihe byari bikomeye cyane kuri jye, negereye umusirikare mugenzi wanjye na we wari umuhutu kugira ngo turebe icyo twakora nk’abakirisitu n’ubwo twari abasirikare.  Ubwo twafashe umwanzuro wo guhungisha abatutsi tubavana mu bice bitandukanye by’umujyi wa Nyamata.Twabatwaraga nijoro tukabageza i Burundi, twaje kubona undi mukirisitu witwa Vincent Karemangingo ni we wari waraye irondo atubwira ko hari umupfakazi azi utuye hafi y’umupaka w’i Burundi. Ubwo yaratuyoboye turagenda duhungishije abantu cumi na batatu tubageza ku mupaka w’i Burundi, bucyeye natwaye abandi barindwi na bo mbageza ku mupaka.
 
Bamwe mu basirikare twabanaga baje kumenya ko hari abantu bafasha abatutsi bakabahungisha, ubwo bahise batanga amabwiriza yo kumfata kuko baje kumenya ko ari jye ubikora. Ibyo naje kubimenya ngarutse mvuye i Burundi mpungishije abandi bantu. Ubwo nyine nahise mpamagara kuri telefone uwari ku kazi witwaga Pasikari ambwira gushaka uko nihisha kuko nagombaga kwicwa. Numvise ko ibyo ambwiye ari ukuri, ubwo nahamagaye undi muvandimwe twabanaga na we w’umuhutu yambwiye ko bari bunyice. Nahise nkuramo imyabaro nari nambaye kuko yasaga nabi cyane kubera ijoro nari nagenze, nahise nambara imyenda isazwe, njya mu nkambi ya gisirikare. N’ubwo abayobozi bakuru bari batanze amabwiriza yo kumfata, nashakaga amafaranga yari kuri konti yanjye.

Nahise mpimba icyo nabeshya kugira ngo mbone amafaranga, abakoraga muri banki na bo bari banzi, nababwiye ko murumuna wanjye yari ameze nabi cyane.
Ntibyampiriye kuko abayobozi bacu bari batanze amabwiriza ko nta muntu uwo ariwe wese wemerewe guhabwa amafaranga batamuhaye uruhushya. Uwakoraga muri banki yagiye kubaza niba bamuha uburenganzira bwo kumpa amafaranga, ubwo nahise nsohoka muri banki njya kwihisha mu musarani kuko bari guhita bamfata kubera ko yagiye ajyanye amazina yanjye. Nahise nsimbuka igipangu ngwa inyuma, nambara imyenda, mfata igikapu cyanjye ndagenda kuko nari nzi neza aho bariyeri z’abasirikare zari ziri, nakomeje nca hirya yazo kugeza ubwo nageze i Burundi.

Abasirikare bo ku mupaka w’i Burundi batangiye kunkeka ko ndi umusirikare, nahise mbabwiza ukuri ko ndi we bahise bagira ubwoba nibwo nababwiye byose ntibabyemeye kandi ubwo nari naniwe cyane, mfite inzara, meze nabi cyane. Amahirwe yanjye haje undi musirikare w’umurundi  wari umukirisitu, ubwo nahise mbabwira byose n’ukuntu naje guhigwa n’abasirikare bagenzi banjye kubera ko nahungishaga abatutsi mbakura i Nyamata nkabajyana i Burundi. Baje kubaririza muri bamwe mu mpunzi z’abanyarwanda bemeza ko banzi kandi ko ibyo mvuga ari ukuri. Ubwo banjyanye mu nkambi aho abatutsi benshi bari bari.

Maze kuhagera abantu bose nahungishize bahise bishima cyane n’ubwo abasirikare b’i Burundi bakekaga ko ndi umutasi baramfunze nyuma barandekura. Ubwo abanyamakuru b’i Burundi baje kumbaza ibintu bimwe na bimwe, ntanga n’ikiganiro kuri televiziyo y’icyo gihugu kandi n’abanyarwanda bajyaga bayireba cyane cyane mu nkambi za gisirikare mu Rwanda aho nabaga, amazina yanjye n’amafoto byaranditswe mu binyamakuru byose ubwo baje kumfata nk’intwari kandi na none mba umwanzi w’igisirikare nahozemo.

Icyo gihe FPR yaje kwohereza abasore mu nkambi i Burundi ariko sinari mbazi nibwo baje turaganira bisanzwe bambazaga icyakorwa kugira ngo dukize n’abandi, ubwo baje kumbwira ko ari abasirikare ba FPR banansaba ko nakwinjira igisirikare cya FPR kugira ngo mfatanye na bo guhagarika jenoside y’abatutsi. Nabaye mu gisirikare cya FPR kugeza muri 1998 ubwo nasabye kuruhuka nkaba umusiviri. Ubu nkora akazi gasanzwe k’ubutekinisiye.

Mu rugo twari icyenda abahungu bane n’abakobwa batanu ariko haje gupfa abahungu babiri muri 1999 bishwe n’interahamwe zaturukaga muri Congo.
Ku byo bavuga ngo FPR na yo yishe abantu mu nkambi za Goma siko bimeze ahubwo mu nkambi habagamo interahamwe zicaga, abasirikare ba FPR ubwo na bo ntabwo bari kurebera gusa  birwanyeho barabarasa ariko si abantu bose bari mu nkambi.


Buri gihe ntanga ubuhamya muri gacaca ariko hari abatavugisha ukuri bihishira, abandi bagahunga, kenshi usanga abatera ubwoba cyane cyane iyo bigeze nijoro ariko icyiza cya byose abaturage bakora amarondo kandi bagafatanya kurinda umutekano kandi nizera ko Imana inzandinda. Gacaca ni nziza n’ubwo hari benshi batayitabira abandi ntibavugishe ukuri, abatangabuhamya baricwa hirya no hino ariko hari abavuga ukuri nibyo bituma imbabazi zishoboka.

The genocide started when we were staying in Gikondo but at that time we were not with our father because he was a builder and he was doing construction work somewhere in Ruhengeri. The time came when we realized that we couldn’t stay at home because killings had started so we then took refuge with our neighbor (a Congolese) who tried to hide us for several days. The Interahamwe came to the Congolese family to kill us simply because they had known that we had been hiding with that family. What happened is that my mother gave them money so that they would agree not to kill us but this couldn’t work for very long time simply because my mother had no more money to give them.
   As the killings of Tutsis was being done in all parts of the country the militia came and ordered the Congolese to get out of the house and search for the cockroaches meaning us, the Tutsis; but the Congolese man refused and said we have no Tutsis in our house and on that day they went away. Of course the situation was humiliating but we had no where to go but my mother still had only twenty thousand francs which was good enough, so when they came for the second time that money was given to them and again they disappeared.
After a long period of time when the R.P.F was on the verge of taking power in the area our father came from Ruhengeri up to Gikondo. When he arrived, he ordered us to go to our house and leave the Congolese house where we had stayed for a long time. The Congolese man who had protected us vehemently refused to let us go but our father and mother insisted. They said they appreciated the care and love he had showed us in that time.
   When we reached home then the militia came and demanded national identity cards from my mother and father as well. Immediately they were slaughtered with pangs but for me I had tried to hide myself outside the house while some of my sisters and brothers were asleep and they didn’t know what happened not until the militia entered and then started to slaughter them one by one, saying that if they were to live they will grow and fight us. My older brother tried to escape he was shot and died. Although my sister and brother were slaughtered all over their bodies they didn’t die, so I went again to the Congolese family to inform them what had happened to my family, so they came along with me and tried to help. They carried my sister and brother back and they tried to care for them. Later they did recover.

   We stayed there with the Congolese family until the Rwanda patriotic front (R.P.F) took over power and I appreciate almighty God that these Congolese are still alive and also pray to God so that once I became rich I can try to repay them in appreciation for the love and care they showed us during that terrible situation.

                        Gacaca Courts.
   I always testify in Gacaca simply because I know what happened and I remember having testified about one man who used to pass by our home informing us how we were on the list of the people who were supposed to be killed. While testifying he insisted saying that I was deceiving due to the fact that I was still young and that what I was speaking was nonsense but enough good people knew him very well as the man who initiated the massacre of Tutsis in the area and he was imprisoned because he was found guilty.
   I think that Gacaca is very good and I thank the people in our government who thought of this idea simply because we managed to know where our parents were thrown in the outdoor toilets and in different places. When I testify some people try to intimidate me and tell me that I will be killed but I always tell them that the Lord rescued me during the terrible situation and he will again but I also try to inform the officials about the threats so that they may protect us.
   
                        Reconciliation
   It depends upon one’s heart simply because there are some Hutu who up to now say that they did the genocide but their target was not reached because for them they wanted to kill all Tutsis. That’s why some Tutsis are witnessing what we did in Gacaca and some say that they will kill us again. Some witnesses were killed. But very slowly reconciliation will be reached, although at first we didn’t expect to stay with those who killed our relatives, but at least our government has tried to do all it can to make sure we stay together. I often visit the Congolese man and up to now we are all good friends and we try to share everything.

My name is Bizimungu Mubarak but I was nicknamed Rukushu (Hutu).
The genocide started when I was at Kicukiro at my home place. It was at night when I heard bullets outside but I didn’t go outside to find out what was going on until early in the morning when I tried to look through the windows.
At my home I had a young man by the name of Charles who was nicknamed Mututsi. When I asked him what was happening outside he told me he didn’t know either, only that there was a volley of gunshots and that he saw military vehicles.
   Near my house there was Kiosque and with a telephone booth inside it, so I tried to break into it and started calling my family members in order to know if they were still alive. But in that kiosque I could only see soldiers moving towards a man called Kanyarwanda’s place and also to another place of a man called Inyasi. I knew both were Tutsis.
   Immediately I heard shootings and to me, I thought they were intimidating them so as to get money. But I didn’t think they had killed them. When the soldiers left I went to Nyasi’s place to see what had happened to them. Oh my God, they had killed them and there was a lot of blood flowing on the ground!
   After realizing what was happening  I went back, but before reaching home I found Inyasi’s housegirl with three children asking for help, trying to hide them in some neighboring families homes, but no help was given. Instead she was chased away.
   It’s from this point that I started to hide people. I asked her to go with me to my house. There was another man by the name of Innocent who had a Tutsi wife. They were my neighbors. After few minutes the Interahamwe (militia) came to his place in order to kill his wife and in order not to kill her they demanded money from  Innocent. He couldn’t afford enough at the time so he came to me asking to lend him forty thousand francs. Good enough;  I gave him the money to save his wife.
   Immediately after their departure he came to me again and said please allow me to bring my wife to your family otherwise they will come back and kill her again because I will have no money to give them. I accepted and she stayed with me.
After that, there was another woman called Genevieve who had restaurant where I used to go for food and even park my vehicle at night. I saw her with another woman walking with three children moving towards the roadblock of Interhamwe.  I stopped them and ordered her to go to my home simply because they were going to be killed immediately because they were all Tutsis.
Now the trick I used is that I used to move with my pang and this helped me so much in rescuing people simply because the Interahamwe militia thought I was killing or doing the same job they were doing.
   I remember some Interahamwe known as Damien, Benya, and and others who came and said to me that there’s one family of Gerald which is remaining and they wanted to go and kill them so I told them that” Are you talking of Gerald’s family? I killed them and there’s no need for you to go there because they are dead but in actual sense I was deceiving them and after convincing them I planned how to rescue Gerald because he was a good friend of mine and I knew him very well. So I went to his place with the man I told you about, Charles ( Mututsi) to Gerald’s home and on seeing me with my pang he said that I know you have come to kill me but make sure you do it very fast and I die immediately.
I told him that he was my friend and I did come here to kill you but try to help. I said we had to move from this place otherwise they will come for you. I gave him a long coat and took him to my house, it was big with many rooms and later I went to pick the children and wife and took them to different place, the home of a   pastor’s called Jonathan to avoid hiding them all in one place.

   Gerald was in my house and I provided him with a basin that he used as a toilet simply because he couldn’t move outside and I could take wastes out and then return it to him. Before long there were many almost one hundred of them! I could provide food to all of the people who were in my house. It was not easy but there was enough because I was working with the World Food Program before the genocide and I had sacks of food that were stored there.
   The time came when Hutu leaders distributed guns to Hutus all over the area and I was given one but I didn’t know how to use it. But I pretended as if I had been trained because my job was as a driver transporting goods from Kenya to Rwanda.
   I was doing all this because I believe it was God’s power that was inspiring me and giving me strength. The situation was terrible and humiliating but time came when I could not hide more people in my house but instead I started directing them to where R.P.F had reached so that they could be rescued. This is because they had captured some areas and not far from where we were staying at the time but I had to use tricks so that soldiers on R.P.F side would not shoot them. So I ordered them to remove all their clothes and move naked towards them and rise up their hands and this method helped us because many people were rescued by R.P.F soldiers and those who were being rescued requested the soldiers to come and help me because I had many people in my house especially the Tutsis. By this time the Interahamwe had suspected me of hiding the Tutsis and they were planning to come and kill them and maybe me.
   Many people did fall sick but it was not easy to get medicine for them. The only chance was because near my place there were pharmacies and clinics where I used to get tablets and other medical facilities. I could do that even though I was not a doctor but I could read and understand the instructions and then provide medicine to the sick people.
   Because I am myself a Hutu, I was scared of the R.P.F soldiers and I thought they might kill me even though I had been sending people to the Rwanda Patriotic Front. I decided to move to the Militia but learned they had planned to kill me simply because they had known that I hid the Tutsis and that at the same time collaborating with R.P.F. Among the militia ( Interahamwe) I had a friend who came and informed me what they had planned to do against me. But I had the gun and the majority feared me because I was energetic and strong. Still, I started to panic because my life was in danger. The militia came and requested me to give them my gun so that they could go for operations. I had no alternative, I had to hand it over to them, so the next step was to be killed but due to thank God almighty immediately thereafter, the R.P.F started shooting towards us and we got scattered and then I got away and escaped from them.

   In the process of escaping I managed to get to Kigali city and got a vehicle. Then I went to Gisenyi where I used to get Irish potatoes and moved in with the lady who was the owner of vehicle I was driving. While at Gisenyi, a Hutu man hired my vehicle to go and pick up his people who were in Gitarama and take them to Gisenyi. Immediately I went to Gitarama and told the family to get prepared and we went to Gisenyi but near there I found two beautiful Tutsis girls who requested me to help them simply because they were likely to be killed. I hesitated but as did an old man came near me and said please, you better help them because once you leave them here they will be killed and God would want you to do this. So I decided to make that decision. But then the family that I had came to pick didn’t want me to take them. I told them that please I will take them and if you don’t want to, get out of this vehicle and I will instead take only these two girls. So then they accepted and I took them on the road to Gisenyi. But on our way, close to Ngororero, I knew there was a roadblock and for sure they would be killed. It was dark so I decided to rent a house for one week but my plan was to quickly come and take them away from that place. When we reached Gisenyi I came back for those young girls and took them to Goma simply because they had told me they had relatives who had gone there.
   Then from Goma I went to Kenya to continue with my job for transporting goods, as I was entering Uganda I was captured by some Rwandese soldiers for Rwanda patriotic front (R.P.F) since they had a base in that country so I was brought back to Rwanda due to the fact that they suspected that I had participated in the genocide. I was imprisoned and investigations were done and they realized that I had rescued many people. Immediately I was released.
My wife, who was a Tutsi, was killed on her way to Cyangugu and only my children survived. Much later I remarried another woman..
                                On Gacaca?
   According to me and many other Rwandans, Gacaca is very good and important because it has solved many cases where by those who killed can be easily identified by villagers. For my part I promised to testify about all that I knew had happened and report those who participated in the killing of innocent people.
On the security issue, I have met different people trying to intimidate me, saying that they will kill me because of having reported their relatives. But I have assured them that I will not be intimidated at all due to the fact that what they did was against humanity. But I have tried to inform the authorities about my security situation and I am sure we will be protected.

                        On Reconciliation?.
   It’s not all easy but when you consider where we are today the government has done a lot and Rwandans are looking towards the development of their county rather than getting revenge

According to the researchers, in concluding this interview, Bizimungu Mubarak told them that he has a list of about seventy people who he rescued,  although he claimed that he had rescued even more than seventy.

                    Brief stories gathered in 2007 interviews

                              Victor Munyakanage  
                                 
Victor was a teacher in Rubona, Butare. He was accused of divisionism, but said that in his house he had (and has) two living rooms, one for Tutsis and one for Hutus.
Others wanted to save him by saying that he was their children’s teacher. A minister of Plan Ngirabatnare said that they had to wait until they got more information
Victor recalled that on the 6th of April (94) there were many rumors after Habyarimana’s plane was shot down. In Gisenyi, people started to say that the Tutsis had poisoned the water system. This story was spread by a vehicle with a p.a. speaker. Many fled to Goma, the neighboring city across the border in Congo. The traffic with people trying to flee was very heavy during those days. Victor said “I was helped by the 2 men called Charles and Adois.
(Interview was conducted in Gizenye on 5 March, 2007)

                                        Bystanders and Rescuers

In the aftermath of 20th century genocides, many stories that were told by survivors described “bystanders” and rescuers as well as the perpetrators who tortured and killed helpless victims. The survivors of Rwanda’s 1994 catastrophe likewise identified countless individuals who risked their own lives to save others. Increasingly, the stories of heroic rescuers, including many who died as a result of their courageous efforts, are documented and widely appreciated for their educational and inspirational value.

Some who were bystanders trapped in the maw of murderous activities found themselves participating in the violence, fearing that they or their loved ones would suffer retribution if they did not. At other times they saw opportunities to save others and did so. Thus the categories -- perpetrators, bystanders, and rescuers – were not exclusive and individuals who opposed brutalization of victims from another group did at times actively or passively facilitate the crimes. The behavior of ordinary people was a consequence of their character (or “disposition”) and their situations, which varied considerably. In Rwanda the proportion of (Hutu) civilians who were pressured to participate in the killing of Tutsis was much higher than in most other genocides. To be sure, it took unusual courage for those who did act in opposition to authorities and even their friends, relatives, and neighbors.

Research on the character of the rescuers during the Holocaust suggests that they typically had a sense of universalism, expressing values such as equality, social justice and humanism. For some of the already documented rescuers in Rwanda, religion was clearly a factor in shaping their behavior.

Readers of the stories on this blog who are interested in the research on rescuers in genocides are encouraged to consult some of the sources below.

                                        *******************

Mahmood Mamdani, When Victims Become Killers: Colonialism, Nativism and Genocide in Rwanda, Princeton University, NJ, 2001, especially in the concluding chapter on "political reform after genocide", pp 264-282.

Villia Jefremovas, Acts of Human Kindness: Tutsi, Hutu and the Genocide
Issue: A Journal of Opinion, Vol. 23, No. 2, Rwanda (1995), pp. 28-31
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1166503
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1166503?seq=2
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1166503?seq=3
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1166503?seq=4

Wendy Whitworth, ed. We Survived Genocide in Rwanda: 28 Personal Testimonies (Notinghamshire, UK: Quill Press/Aegis, 2006)

Eugena Zorbas, “Reconciliation in Post-Genocide Rwanda” African Journal of Legal Studies (2004) AJLS 29-52, http://www.africalawinstitute.org/ajls/vol1/no1/zorbas.pdf

TRIBUTE TO COURAGE by Rakiya Omaar of African Rights on those Hutus (and others) who protected Tutsis. “These stories of bravery in the face of huge personal danger re-ignite the appalled emotions felt at the time of the genocide.” (There are stories of 17 rescuers summarized on this weblog.) 

Samuel and Pearl Oliner, The Altruistic Personality: Rescuers of Jews in Nazi Europe
(New York: Free Press, 1988)