As Rwandans, yesterday commemorated women and children that were slain on Kayumba hill of Nyamata sector, Bugesera district, CNLG recalled the violence against women and girls that constituted a tragically widespread component of the genocide and war strategy in 1994.
The 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi had very grave effects on top of the over a million that lost their lives. According to various reports, a number of women contracted the deadly HIV/AIDS due to rape from Genocide perpetrators. This subsequently had serious implications on human health and the Rwandan population in general.
According to the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR)’s survey that was conducted in 2007, a total of 309,368 survived the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi, with 58 % being female.
Although the female population was higher among survivors, Dr Bizimana remarked that it was not out of pity but a well-documented and tragically widespread component of the genocide and war strategy in 1994.
During the genocide, women and girls-predominantly survived or succumbed to extraordinary acts of violence. Many were raped at barriers erected by the interahamwe youth militia and/or held as sexual captives in exchange for temporary protection from interahamwe militia and the military. Their bodies and spirits were mutilated, humiliated and scarred.
“The impact of sexual violence perpetrated during the genocide is critical. Among survivors, 6321 women contracted HIV\AIDS, 10,3 % were left as widows, 21% were left as orphans and 7% were left with permanent disabilities.” Dr Bizimana said
He added that women and girls-predominantly were raped at barriers erected by the interahamwe youth militia, their bodies and spirits mutilated, humiliated and scarred.
Ibuka President in Nyamata sector, Dukuzumuremyi Eugene, said that on tragic memories were left on Kayumba hill, whereby 9000 lives were slain, leaving behind not more than 70 people.
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