Author: Dr. BIZIMANA Jean Damascene

{{1. LIEUTENANT COLONEL Anatole NSENGIYUMVA WAS INSTRUCTED TO SEND TROOPS TO KILL TUTSI IN BESESERO}}

On June 18, 1994, the Minister of interior and Communal Development, Edouard KAREMERA, from Mwendo Commune in Kibuye, wrote a letter explaining how the killing of Tutsi in Bisesero should be carried out.

Minister KAREMERA wrote to the Commandant of army in Gisenyi Prefecture, Lieutenant Colonel Anatole NSENGIYUMVA, informing him of the operation to kill Tutsi in Bisesero in the following words:

«To the Commandant of the army,
I would like to inform you that during the cabinet meeting of this Friday, June 17, 1994, the Government decided to ask the Commandant of Gisenyi operational Sector to support the Gendarmery in Kibuye and the local population in the operation in the Bisesero sector of Gishyita Commune, which had become the RPF haven. The Government requests that this operation be completed by the end of June 20, 1994.
In the absence of the Minister of Defense who is on a mission abroad, the Minister of Interior and Communal Development had been mandated to inform you this decision and to ensure its follow up.

The prefect of the Kibuye Prefecture and the Commandant of Kibuye army Grouping copied in this letter are required to follow up on the pre-requisites to facilitate the implementation of this operation in the prescribed deadlines.

The authorities who received the copy of the letter were the following: The Prime Minister Jean KAMBANDA, Minister of Defense Augustin BIZIMANA, Prefect of Kibuye Dr. Clement KAYISHEMA and Commander of the Gendarmery in Kibuye Major Jean Baptiste JABO.

Let us recall that the Minister of Defense Augustin BIZIMANA was on a mission in Cameroon, and his interim was Colonel Theoneste BAGOSORA who also led the Genocide activities related to the Ministry of Defense.

It means that these authorities have been tasked with implementing the government plan outlined in the KAMBANDA Government’s meeting resolution of 17 June 1994 calling for the killing of Tutsi in Bisesero.

{{2. Edouard KAREMERA’S LETTER IS AN INDICATION OF THE GOVERNMENT ROLE IN THE PREPARATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF GENOCIDE}}

The words used in this letter from Minister KAREMERA are enough to make it clear that the massacre of Tutsi was planned and led by the Government through its forces and authorities at various levels including youth of Interahamwe and Impuzamugambi. It undeniably shows that the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda was a government organized killing. That is why various ministers of the KAMBANDA Government have been arrested and tried by international justice and many of whom have been convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity.

The convicts of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) were as follows:

The Prime Minister Jean KAMBANDA, Minister of Local Government and communal Development Edouard KAREMERA, Minister of Finance Emmanuel NDINDABAHIZI, Minister of Planning Augustin NGIRABATWARE, Minister of Information Eliezer NIYITEGEKA, Minister of higher Education and Research Jean de Dieu KAMUHANDA, Minister of family Pauline NYIRAMASUHUKO, Minister of Youth and Organizations Callixte NZABONIMANA.

As for the Minister Justice, Agnes NTAMABYALIRO was convicted of genocide crime by the justice system in Rwanda.

Others convicted of genocide in the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) as evidence of the government’s role in planning and carrying out the massacre of Tutsi, included the following senior officers: Colonel Theoneste BAGOSORA, Colonel Tharcisse RENZAHO, Colonel Aloys SIMBA, Colonel Ephrem SETAKO, Lieutenant Colonel Anatole NSENGIYUMVA, Lieutenant Colonel Alphonse NTEZIRYAYO, Lieutenant Colonel Tharcisse MUVUNYI, Major Aloys NTABAKUZE, Captain Ildephonse NIZEYIMANA, Lieutenant Ildephonse HATEGEKIMANA, Lieutenant Samuel IMANISHIMWE.

Major Bernard NTUYAHAGA was also convicted of genocide by the Brussels court in Belgium and Captain Pascal SIMBIKANGWA was convicted of genocide crime by the Paris court in France.

Others convicted with genocide crime by the ICTR include senior government officials, including: Callixte KALIMANZIRA, Director General in the Ministry of interior and communal development, Jean Bosco BARAYAGWIZA, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Matthew NGIRUMPATSE, President of the MRND Party at the national level, Francois KARERA the prefect of Kigali Ngali, Sylvain NSABIMANA the prefect of Butare, Clement KAYISHEMA the prefect of Kibuye, Dominique NTAWUKURIRYAYO the sous prefect of Gisagara, SEMANZA Laurent the Bourgmestre of Bicumbi commune, RUGAMBARARA Juvenal who replaced SEMANZA, Paul BISENGIMANA, Bourgmestre of Gikoro, Joseph KANYABASHI Bourgmestre of Ngoma, Elie NDAYAMBAJE Bourgmestre of Muganza, Juvenal KAJELIJELI Bourgmestre of Mukingo, Jean Baptiste GATETE Bourgmestre of Murambi Commune, Sylvestre GACUMBITSI Bourgmestre of Rusumo and Jean Paul AKAYESU, Bourgmestre of Taba.

Ladislas NTAGANZWA, former Bourgmestre of Nyakizu, was transferred by the ICTR to be tried by Rwandan courts and was convicted of genocide crime and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Other convicts of the Genocide by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda include religious people: Father Emmanuel RUKUNDO and Father Athanase SEROMBA who ordered the demolition of the Nyange Church on Tutsi who had taken refuge in the church. These cases clearly show that all administrative levels carried out the genocide, emphasizing that the Genocide against the Tutsi is a crime planned and carried out by the government.

{{Done at Kigali on June 18, 2020

Dr. BIZIMANA Jean Damascène
Executive Secretary
National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG)
}}

The genocidal government, intensified its extermination policy by setting up “crisis committees”, that is to say extermination committees which started to wipe away genocide evidences especially destruction of houses and traces of Tutsi who had just been massacred.

Nyiramasuhuko Pauline played a leading role in putting genocidal policy into practice in the Butare prefecture. She was born in April 1946 in Rugara cell, Ndora sector, Ndora commune, Butare prefecture. During the genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi, she was the Minister of Family and Women Advancement in the Genocidal Government led by Jean Kambanda.

{{1. The Policy of Tutsi extermination called “pacification” by the genocidal government}}

The genocidal government implemented pacification as the policy of exterminating the Tutsi. For the Kambanda government, Pacification meant the elimination of Tutsi. The criminal government sought at all costs to better control the massacres and to ensure that they were perpetrated according to the extermination plan put in place by the same government.

A minister responsible for extermination had been appointed for each prefecture to ensure that the directives and instructions of the genocidal government were implemented. For Butare it was Nyiramasuhuko who had been assigned the task.

Each minister had to make the population understand the measures adopted by the government aimed at the extermination of Tutsi.

The speeches made during the “pacification campaign” in Butare were extermination speeches which were the same across the country.

{{2. The extermination of Tutsi in the Butare prefecture was assigned to Nyaramasuhuko Pauline}}

Nyiramasuhuko participated in all meetings of the genocidal government led by Kambanda Jean, between April 9 and July 14, 1994. On May 7, 1994, in Murambi, Nyiramasuhuko participated in the meeting of ministers dedicated to civil defense. The genocidal government’s “civil defense” program was a component of the genocidal strategy.

Numerous meetings of this government were held in Kigali, Gitarama and Gisenyi and during this period the ministers, including Nyiramasuhuko, were regularly informed of the massacres which were perpetrated against the Tutsi. During these meetings, the ministers demanded that weapons be supplied to them for distribution in their respective prefectures, in order to speed up the massacres against the Tutsi.

During these meetings, the genocidal government adopted directives and gave instructions to the prefects and bourgmestres, which were transmitted to the population and which aimed to continue the genocide throughout the country.

A minister had been appointed for each prefecture, with the mission of overseeing what was then called “pacification”, that is, the extermination of Tutsi. Nyiramasuhuko was one of the most assiduous members of these meetings where extermination decisions were made.

{{3. The extermination agenda in the hands of Nyiramasuhuko Pauline
}}

Nyiramasuhuko had a Tutsi extermination agenda in her bag, which showed the planning of the Tutsi massacres in general and the personal role to play during the implementation. Nyiramasuhuko wrote personal notes at meetings of the genocidal government which she put into practice in Butare prefecture.

The diary presented the scene of the massacres and the central role of the genocidal government. That agenda constitutes a written proof of the planning of the genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi by the MRND, the CDR and the other parties grouped within the Hutu Power.

This diary shows that during the period from April to July 1994, the Kambanda genocidal government had an essential function and was indeed a place where the Tutsi extermination decisions were discussed and where they were taken.

{{Nyiramasuhuko Pauline perpetrated several massacres in the prefecture of Butare}}

{{- Nyiramasuhuko caused death of Tutsi on April 21, 1994 at the IRST}}

Nyiramasuhuko participated in the installation of roadblocks in the city of Butare used to identify the Tutsi, in order to eliminate them. Her son Arsène Shalom Ntahobali toured the Butare prefecture in search of Tutsi. After locating the victims, Nyiramasuhuko and her son captured them and took them to different places to be executed. Nyiramasuhuko ordered the Interahamwe, who controlled the roadblocks to take them to the place where the other Tutsi had been taken to be killed.

{{- Nyiramasuhuko called Tutsi « dirt ».}}

One day, in front of the Butare prefecture headquarters with the prefect Sylvain Nsabimana, she scratched her head and said angrily and aloud: “This place is dirty, this place stinks. There is dirt here. This dirt must be removed; I must not find this dirt again here.” Nyiramasuhuko pointed to the Tutsi refugees who were in the courtyard when she spoke of “dirt”. Nsabimana then asked the Interahamwe and the soldiers to evacuate the refugees and force them to stay in the back of the prefecture office during that day. The refugees who were at the prefecture office were beaten and killed.

{{- Nyiramasuhuko ordered to evacuate and massacre Tutsi refugees}}

Nyiramasuhuko returned to the prefecture office another time. She asked Nsabimana to convene a meeting of the mayors of the prefecture, to ask them to evacuate the refugees to the communes where they belonged to. This order had been carried out, and after the evacuation the Tutsi were killed.

{{-The massacre of Tutsi at the roadblock established by Nyiramasuhuko at the Ihuliro hotel}}

Since April 1994, a roadblock had been established near the Nyiramasuhuko and Ntahobali residence, “the Ihuliro Hotel”. The Ihuliro Hotel also served as a gathering place for planning the genocide. Nyiramasuhuko and the Interahamwe held regular meetings at the Ihuliro hotel during which they discussed the implementation of the genocide in Butare prefecture. Interahamwe and soldiers used this roadblock to identify, kidnap and kill Tutsi. For example, on April 21, 1994, a Tutsi called Léopold Ruvurajabo was killed near the Ihuliro hotel on the instructions of Nyiramasuhuko and Ntahobali.

{{- Nyiramasuhuko ordered the Interahamwe to kidnap Tutsi women, to rape them before killing them.}}

It was at the Ihuliro hotel roadblock that Tutsi girls and women were kidnapped and raped under Nyiramasuhuko’s instructions before killing them. This rape policy had been widely used by Nyiramasuhuko throughout the city of Butare. The rape of Tutsi women was used as a weapon of genocide, which formed part of the general extermination plan. Nyiramasuhuko encouraged the Interahamwe, including her son, to rape Tutsi women.

{{-Nyiramasuhuko ordered the massacre of Tutsi who had taken refuge at the EER}}

After Nyiramasuhuko and Ntahobali attacked the refugees at the Butare prefecture office between April 19 and the end of June 1994, those who survived were taken to various parts of the prefecture to be executed, including in the forest adjoining the EER. There, Tutsi were ill-treated before being exterminated.

Nyiramasuhuko was found guilty of genocide crime and sentenced to life imprisonment at first instance, but the sentence was reduced to 47 years on appeal. Her son Shalom Ntahobali was sentenced to the same 47-year prison term as his mother.

{{CONCLUSION}}

Tutsi massacre continued in the area controlled by the genocidal government, which intensified its extermination policy by setting up “crisis committees”, that is to say extermination committees, and the policy of the civil defense which aimed to leave no Tutsi living in Rwanda. It was that time that the criminal government started to get rid of evidence of the genocide, comprising the destruction of houses and traces of massacred Tutsi.

{{Done at Kigali on June 12, 2020

Dr. BIZIMANA Jean Damascène
Executive Secretary
National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG)}}

{{1. DECISIONS TO INCREASE MILITARY TRAINING FOR YOUTH AND EQUIPPING THEM WITH WEAPONS }}

The meeting convened by the Prime Minister focused on two key issues. The first was to analyse how the KAMBANDA Government and its forces would reposition themselves to ensure that they wouldn’t continue to lose the war against the RPF-INKOTANYI Forces; the second issue was to assess how the Genocide to exterminate the Tutsi could continue and be accelerated as much as possible.

They assessed the situation in the parts controlled by the Government namely Gisenyi, Ruhengeri, Butare and the Western Kigali.

In KAMBANDA’s writings, he says they have found that the “enemy” was more powerful in military matters for a number of reasons. Among the strongest ones they mentioned were the fact that the government soldiers were getting discouraged.

It was agreed that the army chiefs should explain to the military the danger to the people if the whole country would be captured by the RPF. They also highlighted the plight of the increasing number of their burglar soldiers who were especially stealing cars, and the problem of deserters who run away from the battle without being pursued, which further discourages the rest of soldiers.

It was agreed that in the government-controlled areas, they would continue to focus on encouraging young people to join the military, provide them with training and weapons. They gave an example that in Butare and Gikongoro prefectures about two hundred (200) people had started the training.

It was appreciated that the students who had been evacuated from Byumba in the Groupe Scolaire de la Salle, and were lodged in the School of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry (EAVK), had started the military training at the school. The government demanded that it should be done elsewhere to ensure that the youth continue to receive military training and weapons.

The trained and armed young men were mostly used to provide assistance to the Interahamwe in the killings. It is in that way that Hutu students from EAVK killed their fellow Tutsi students after the former Director of the school, Theophile MBARUSHIMANA initiated them to do so.

He was the first to shoot a Tutsi student in an attempt to set a bad example for Hutu students to commit Genocide and they had immediately killed their fellow Tutsi students and Tutsi who were evacuated from Byumba. MBARUSHIMANA Theophile is the son of Joseph HABYARIMANA GITERA who enacted “10 Hutu Laws” in 1959.

The meeting also decided that all banks should be relocated to Gisenyi near the Congolese border, to make it easier for them to immediately transfer public funds to Congo once they lose the war and that is exactly what happened.

As a result, the army chiefs were determined to do everything possible to fight for the Kigali-Ruhengeri-Gisenyi road to prevent RPF INKOTANYI from capturing the area.

{{2. RESOLUTIONS TO ENCOURAGE PREFECTS AND BOURGMESTRES TO REINFORCE THE KILLING }}

Apart from military related measures taken, political measures including to continue encouraging all prefects and bourgmestres to accelerate the “auto-defense civile” program had been taken. This consisted of accelerating the killing of Tutsi, according to the Prime Minister Jean KAMBANDA’s instructions of May 25, 1994 addressed to all the authorities, including the prefects and bourgmestres.

Let us recall that the “auto-defense civile ” directives written by Jean KAMBANDA on May 25, 1994, commanded all prefects to provide the Interahamwe with all the necessary equipment to commit the genocide.

Jean KAMBANDA pleaded guilty to that crime at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and emphasized that, the directives were contained in the document entitled “directive sur la defense civile” of 25 May 1994.

The directives were intended to incite the “Interahamwe to carry out killing against Tutsi civilians in all prefectures; and the government was responsible for the killings by the Interahamwe.”

During the June 5, 1994 meeting between KAMBANDA and the army chiefs, it was agreed that the Government should allocate sufficient budget for “auto-defense civile”, increase the number of people involved in the program and increase the number of weapons and other necessary equipment for them.

In addition, it has also been said that among the educated people (intellectuals), some were ready to assist the government in its endeavour, especially in terms of fighting the media war with the purpose of regaining the good image of the criminal government.

They had found it necessary because the government forces were accused by the international community of committing the killings alone, and that the RPF’s actions were not mentioned.

This misconception was to overlook that there were foreign journalists and staff of rescue organisations in the RPF-INKOTANYI controlled area who would have disclosed the news in case RPF had committed any kind of killing.

They also pointed out that another way to regain the good image of the government was to attract some Tutsi so that they flee to the government-controlled area and protect them in order to show that the government could not commit Genocide and at the same time ensure the safety of the Tutsi who took refuge in their controlled area.

{{3. THE ARMY OF KAMBANDA’S GOVERNMENT CONFIRMED THAT INKOTANYI WERE MORE EXPERIENCED AND DISCIPLINED}}

KAMBANDA wrote in his diary that the military leaders had shown him that one of the reasons why the RPF-INKOTANYI was more skilled and defeated them continuously was due to their unity and teamwork in all its structures especially in politics and the military (political and military unity).

Another indication of the RPF-INKOTANYI’s expertise was that its soldiers were diligently fighting with devotion contrary to the ones of the Government. He added that RPF soldiers have been given enough military and disciplinary trainings than government soldiers. It was also said that the RPF-INKOTANYI had a systematic way to plan the battle and monitor its daily progress with great commitment.

They pointed out one of RPF-INKOTANYI weakness as the population did not like the RPF INKOTANYI and hence mobilization should continue among the population to make them hate it even further and thus encourage them to flee the country.

{{CONCLUSION}}

All the government and military meetings held during the Genocide against the Tutsi show how KAMBANDA Government implemented the pre-April 1994 genocide plan to exterminate the Tutsi. The shooting down of President HABYARIMANA’s plane was an excuse to achieve the evil plan.

{{Done at Kigali on June 5, 2020

Dr. BIZIMANA Jean Damascène
Executive Secretary
National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG)}}

{{1. THE STRUCTURE OF KABGAYI CAMP}}

The Kabgayi refugees were accommodated in the following different houses of the Catholic Church: Kabgayi Primary School A, Kabgayi Primary School B, Saint Joseph Secondary School, Petit Seminaire Saint Leon, Grand Seminaire de Kabgayi (Philosophicum), at the Saint Kagwa Center formerly TRAFIPRO (known as CND), in the catechism schools, at a place called Mu Gishumba and the Kabgayi Hospital.

A part from Kagwa center (CND), the Tutsi refugees were mixed with Hutu refugees from Nyacyonga in all other places. There were also soldiers living in
in the Bishop’s Eveché. The Tutsi who had installed in Kabgayi Cathedral were expelled under orders of Bishop Tadeyo Nsengiyumva who led Kabgayi Diocese so that it would not be destroyed.

Bishop Tadeyo Nsengiyumva also commanded that the Tutsi should not be killed at the cathedral so that they would not cause pollution, which triggered killers to gradually take whoever they wanted to kill outside Kabgayi. In addition, there was a daily mass at the cathedral and the killers would attend the morning mass before going to find Tutsi to kill.

On the road from Gitarama to Kabgayi, there were so many roadblocks at which many Tutsi were retained before being able to enter the camps.

The roadblocks were set up at the following places: in Rugeramigozi on the road to Mbare, below the cemetery of the priests of Kabgayi, at the entrance of ESI-Kabgayi (Ecole des Sciences Infirmières), in front of the Imprimerie de Kabgayi, at the gate of the Kabgayi Hospital and on the road to Grand Seminaire de Kabgayi.

{{2. SIGNIFICANT DATES OF GENOCIDE IN KABGAYI}}

There are some well-known dates characterized by severe massacres in Kabgayi:

In early April 1994, an attack composed of soldiers attacked at Ecole des Sciences Infirmières while looking for UMURUNGI Chantal who was the Animatrice of the school. The former director of the school was a Hutu woman called MUKANDANGA Dorothée who tried to cover for Chantal and preventing killers from taking her away and from raping other girls who were around and they immediately shot her dead along with UMURUNGI Chantal and her brother MUGUNGA Narcisse who had come to visit her. Both were the children of MUBERUKA Jean Baptiste of Nyanza.

On April 15, 1994, another attack came at Saint Joseph school and spent about five (5) hours screening refugees. The attack took many people including Rudahunga Louis’ wife, a teacher called Justin of ETEKA school and others.

On 08/5/1994, soldiers again went to Saint Joseph school with a list of Tutsi to be taken away. On the same day in the morning, they took 27 Tutsi to the military base in Gitarama and they were beaten the whole day. In the evening, the victims were divided into three teams, some of whom were taken to Murambi of Gitarama, some to Byimana and others to Nyabarongo to be killed. Out of twenty seven (27) Tutsi taken from Saint Joseph School, only one survived.

Some of the Tutsi who were taken away that day were RWICANINYONI Emmanuel who worked in the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) in the pedagogical office, Department of History, GATSINZI Gervais who was teaching at ACEJ Karama, NIYOYITA André, NTIBYIRAGWA Jean Marie Vianney alias Maso, HODARI, NYAKARASHI Ignace, all of them were teachers at Collège Saint-Joseph de Kabgayi and others who were not known.

On 24/5/1994, Tutsi were removed from Grand Seminaire de Kabgayi to be executed in Byimana. The leaders of the Catholic Church in Kabgayi had declared that the priests would flee to the Grand Seminaire, but there were other Tutsi who had taken refuge there as well as other Hutu refugees from Kigali and elsewhere.

In addition, some members of the saviours’ Government including KAMBANDA and SINDIKUBWABO had rooms at Grand Seminaire de Kabgayi and they often went there at night. Each ethnic group was given its own side except for the priests who lived together.

On the same day, Grand Seminaire de Kabgayi was surrounded by civilians and soldiers who arrived at 10 am, they took out the refugees and made them seat in the playground. There was a Hutu Brother called Adalbert who brought a list of Tutsi names, they called them and took them away to be killed.

Among the priests killed, there were Jesuit Brothers MUREKEZI Fidèle, MUGABO Emmanuel, MUNYANSHONGORE Martin and RUSEZERANGABO Théophile. There were also Marist Brothers including GATARI Gaspard, NYIRINKINDI Canisius and BISENGIMANA Fabien. They also took a Benebikira nun called Bénigne NAKANA, Priests NIWENSHUTI Célestin, MUSONERA Callixte and NYIRIBAKWE Vedaste who was teaching at the Grand Seminaire.

They also took Karinda Viateur who was a journalist for Radio Rwanda. All of them were summoned in the presence of Bishop Thadeyo NSENGIYUMVA, who had come to hold a meeting with refugees and when he saw that the killers had surrounded the camp, he boarded a car and returned to his residence.

On 29/5/1994, another attack took place at Saint Joseph School. The killers had brought a bus to carry Tutsi to Nyabarongo to be killed. Among the captives were RURANGWA Alexis who was a judge, RWAGAKIGA Prudence who was a businessman in Ngororero, a woman called MUKOBWAJANA Eugenie, GASASIRA Vital, MUKANGAMIJE Beline who was a staff member at Saint Joseph School, UTAZIRUBANDA Leonard, MUCYURABUHORO son of GATABAZI, MUNYESHURI Jean Marie Vianney who was an agronomist and others.

In May 1994, on unidentified date, soldiers took Tutsi including ISIDORE son of RUYENZI, KAJANGWE Célestin, NIZEYIMANA Jean Bosco and others at the former TRAFIPRO (CND) to kill them. Also in the same month, an attack was carried out at Kabgayi Primary School A by Mushubati killers who had called themselves “Zulus”. They came several times to attack in Kabgayi camps.

Among various attacks on Kabgayi, there was one that killed at least six people in the jungle below the Children’s Center for the Disabled.

Two major attacks took place between May and June 1994 at the Petit Seminaire Saint Léon de Kabgayi. The one, which took place at the end of May 1994, took the lives of many Tutsi who were selected during the search operation at the center.

They were killed in the forest of Byimana and elsewhere. The second attack was that of the so-called Mushubati Zulus Interahamwe, which also took the Tutsi from Mushubati who had taken refuge in Kabgayi to be executed.

The attack of May 30, 1994 crossed all Tutsi hideouts in Kabgayi, selected those who were going to be killed and put them on buses to be killed in Ngororero. The attack was led by the killers from Ngororero who claimed to have counted the bodies of the Tutsi victims and found out that some were missing and hence they thought that they had fled to Kabgayi.

That is why they were taken to be killed in Ngororero but among them, there were some who lived elsewhere.

{{3. GENOCIDE HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT IN KABGAYI IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN IN OTHER LOCALITIES.}}

Due to the influx of Tutsi from many parts of the country in Kabgayi, the commune authorities and the killers from other prefectures went there with lists of Tutsi who had fled to Kabgayi from their communes, the killers took them to other places to kill them. This means that in some cases the Tutsi were surrendered by the Hutu refugees from the liberated areas of the RPF-INKOTANYI who were living with them.

The Kabgayi massacre was carried out by people from different parts of the country where each Commune leaders went to find Tutsi of its origin. There were gendarms, military from the former presidential guard unit, other soldiers who protected the priests and members of the saviours’ government.

Apart from killing Tutsi, more severe actions related to raping women and girls were committed, sometimes they would take them away and bring them back or kill them immediately. At one point, they fired heavily at the CND and killing multitude of people. Another factor that contributed to the killing of Tutsi who had taken refuge in Kabgayi was hunger and diseases caused by pollution because they had no water.

Later the corpses became more and more and there was no more oxygen in the camp. The killers decided not to kill people there again, so they decided to bring cars and pack the Tutsi starting from the educated or those with visible financial position because they were already counted. Mostly young boys and men were taken to be killed elsewhere. Tutsi were killed every and hence the numbers could not be known.

Some of the perpetrators of the Kabgayi massacre are:

-* Sous prefect Rutegesha Misago Antoine: The Gacaca Court of Gitarama Sector sentenced him to life imprisonment;

-* Sous prefect Gatera Gaspard: Gacaca Court of Gitarama Sector sentenced him to life imprisonment;

-* Gahutu Emmanuel Demarere who was a spy: The Gacaca Court of Gihuma B Sector sentenced him to 30 years in prison;

-* Sagahutu Thomas who worked at the Immigration Agency;
-* Gilbert who represented the C.D.R party in Gitarama town;
-* Sergeant Major called Karata;

-* Brother Adalbert who betrayed the Tutsi priests to be killed. He is said to have become a priest and lives in Zambia;

-* Gasirikare who was a Hutu refugee from Nyacyonga and disguised to stay with Tutsi who were living at TRAFIPRO and he was the one who betrayed Them;

-* S/L Musabyimana;
-* Philippe son of Théopiste;

-* Major Nyirahabimana Anne-Marie was sentenced to life imprisonment and imprisoned;

-* Tuyisenge Narcisse sentenced to 15 years in prison;

-* Hakizimana Papias sentenced to 15 years;

-* Nicolas alias Bob son of Rupaca Janvier sentenced to 19 years, Rindiro sentenced to 19 years in prison;

-* Nigena Protogene was sentenced to 30 years. They were all sentenced by the Gatikabisi Gacaca court.

Among the killers from Mushubati who called themselves Zulus were Sadam, Mitterrand, Basesekaza, Twagirimana Clément, Protogène, Evode son of Revocat, Mutabaruka Hassan, two soldiers Rachidi and Semanyenzi Jean Claude, Mugemana, Kimonyo Tharcisse who was a driver, soldiers who were known by their nicknames of Shitani and Kajisho who lived in Gitarama camp were accompanied by a civilian called Gikeri, Nsanzineza Vincent and others.

{{CONCLUSION}}

The Kabgayi camp was the only place where the RPF-INKOTANYI Army was able to rescue many Tutsi. In another places, they would find them killed and only a few would be left. In Kabgayi, the INKOTANYI unexpectedly surprised killers who were considering ways to exterminate them before the INKOTANYI would arrive. Remembering this history will last forever. Those who want to distort it will always be defeated.

{{Done at Kigali on June 2, 2020

Dr. BIZIMANA Jean Damascène
Executive Secretary
National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG)}}

The genocidal government had issued instructions on May 25, 1994 to all prefects to provide detailed civil protection plans. Although the world was well informed about the systematic and extensive massacres against the Tutsi, there was a desire to make the massacres less noticeable.

The Prime Minister of the genocidal government, Jean Kambanda, called on people to participate actively in the killings. After military training, the civilian populations were to be used to track down and kill Tutsi.

The UNAMIR Senegalese captain, Mbaye Diagne, was struck by a bomb at a roadblock while protecting Tutsi that the militiamen wanted to remove from UNAMIR trucks in order to kill them.

{{HESITATIONS BY THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON THE NATURE OF TUTSI MASSACRE ALLOWED KILLERS TO CONTINUE THE EXTERMINATION OF TUTSI}}

Gripped by the urgency and the gravity of the massacres in Rwanda, on May 24, 1994, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights held an emergency meeting in Geneva, convened by Canada. At the end of the meeting, a resolution was adopted on May 25, 1994 recognizing that typical acts of a genocide were committed in Rwanda and concluded on the need for an international investigation into the massacres of Tutsi in Rwanda.

The first official recognition of the genocide finally took place in a report to the Security Council of 31 May 1994. It was based on information provided by Iqbal Riza and Maurice Baril, the military adviser to the Secretary General who had paid a visit to Rwanda between May 22 and 27, 1994.

The UN Security Council had continued to ignore the issue of the Genocide which, since April 7, 1994, had been perpetrated against the Tutsi. Let us recall some facts:
On April 21, 1994, the UN Security Council, in its resolution 912, reduced the mandate of UNAMIR to its simplest form, leaving only 250 soldiers. However, General Dallaire, who headed UNAMIR, sent daily reports to the UN on the scale of the Tutsi massacres in Rwanda.

On April 24, 1994, for the first time, the UN Security Council deliberated on the question of the Genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The President of the Security Council wanted to assign member countries a responsibility of providing assistance if it was confirmed that a Genocide was perpetrated in Rwanda, in accordance with what is provided for by the International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the crime of Genocide (1948).

On April 28, 1994, the Ambassador of the Czech Republic, Karel Kovanda, requested the Security Council to consider the question of the genocide against the Tutsi without success. Based on information relayed by human rights organizations, Ambassador Kovanda said that the government in power in Rwanda was committing a genocide against the Tutsi.

Some major powers with a permanent seat on the Security Council attacked him under the invalid pretext that the language he had used was not appropriate in the Security Council.

The chairman of the Security Council, Ambassador Colin Keating, also reported information according to which, acts of extreme violence and murder were committed against the Tutsi.

Some major powers with a permanent seat on the Security Council, led by the United States, have opposed the use of the word genocide. However, from April 7, 1994, Tutsi, children, women and men, young and old were systematically killed in the open, and continued in certain regions of Rwanda under the control of the genocidal government, for the only reason that they were Tutsi.

During the May 25, 1994 meeting of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, delegates concluded that the genocide was ongoing and should be investigated.

On the same day, the Commission adopted resolution 1994 S-3/1, by which a special rapporteur was appointed. He was charged with immediate investigation on the massacres perpetrated against Tutsi which were under way.

Previously, the newly appointed United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Ayala Lasso, had carried out a mission to Rwanda between May 11 and 12, 1994. His report mentioned systematic and extensive massacres of Tutsi.

{{CONCLUSION}}

Since January 1994, General Romeo Dallaire, the commander of UNAMIR, had constantly alerted the United Nations authorities to the preparation of genocide by the regime in power. For reasons that were not exposed, the UN bodies which had to take a decision to prevent and stop the genocide had dragged their feet and let it go.

Some major powers that have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council could have predicted the genocide, and taken into consideration significant warnings that showed that the genocide was imminent. This calls into questioning the role of certain permanent members of the Security Council. Instead of preventing or intervening, they did everything to impede the strengthening of the UNAMIR mandate.

Permanent members of the Security Council knew that during the two weeks of April 1994 the genocide was obvious, the information were coming from dependable sources, UNAMIR, the ICRC and OXFAM. On the contrary, some members continued to portray the genocide as massacres linked to the civil war, which only masked the reality of the genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi and the obligation to intervene.

International opinion refused to see the reality of what was happening in Rwanda from April 7, 1994. It was not until mid-May 1994 that the word genocide was used internationally.

Done at Kigali on May 31, 2020

{{Dr. BIZIMANA Jean Damascène
Executive Secretary
National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG)}}

{{1) MASSACRE OF MORE THAN 500 TUTSI WHO HAD TAKEN REFUGE IN THE HOUSES OF CATHOLIC CHURCH IN KABGAYI}}

As the criminal government forces, Interahamwe and Impuzamugambi were losing the battle and the genocide was progressively being stopped by the RPF-INKOTANYI forces, many of the killers fled Kigali and killed any Tutsi that they met on the way. This is what happened to the Tutsi who had not yet been killed in Kabgayi.

By the end of May 1994 between 28 and 30, the Interahamwe took more than five hundred (500) Tutsi, some were trying to flee to Kabgayi and others were taken among Tutsi refugees who were camping in various houses of the Catholic Church in Kabgayi and killed them.

UNAMIR was the first to release the information on May 31, 1994, when one of its leaders, Dr. Abdul Kadia, who was the Second-in-command to General Dallaire told the media that more than 500 people had been killed by government forces in Gitarama, including many who were taken from Kabgayi. Dr. Kadia said that UNAMIR was going to investigate the killings.

Various international radio stations reported the killings, including RFI in its May 31, 1994 news report. The German radio station, Deutsche Welle, confirmed the information in its broadcast of May 31, 1994 and said that UNAMIR had sent its envoys to Kabgayi to investigate the killings. The news was also confirmed by BBC Radio.

The testimony of survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Kabgayi explains that at several times in 1994, after the arrival of Tutsi refugees in Kabgayi, the Interahamwe of MRND, the Impuzamugambi of CDR and other Hutu members of the Hutu Power Parties gradually came and took Tutsi by force to go and kill them. Many of them were killed at Nyabarongo and thrown into water. Many of the girls and women were thrown in Nyabarongo alive and others were raped before being killed.

The RPF-INKOTANYI forces liberated Kabgayi on June 02, 1994.

{{2) RPF-INKOTANYI ARMY CONSTANTLY LIBERATED PARTS OF KIGALI CITY AND THE CRIMINAL GOVERNMENT FLED TO KIBUYE }}

On May 26, 1994, the RPF-INKOTANYI forces completely captured parts of Kigali City namely Kicukiro and Gatenga and rescued some Tutsi and other citizens who were incarcerated by the killers. Gatenga was ravaged by many Interahamwe led by TWAHIRWA Seraphin the former employee of the Ministry of Public Service (MINITRAPE), currently hiding in Belgium. Soldiers of the criminal government and its Interahamwe started to flee from the City of Kigali and heading for Gitarama and Ruhengeri.

On May 27, 1994, the UNAMIR started to evacuate people who were hiding in Hotel des Mille Collines to their desired destinations. Some wanted to go to the territory that was still under the control of the criminal government, while others wanted to go to the territory that had been liberated by the RPF-INKOTANYI.

The RPF-INKOTANYI forces persistently demanded that government soldiers should lay down their arms and stop the killings, and work together to repair the damage and rebuild the country, but in vain. On this date, more than half of Rwanda had been liberated by the RPF-INKOTANYI forces. Also on the same day, UNAMIR announced that in the near future, the RPF-INKOTANYI forces will have taken control of the entire City of Kigali.

On May 28, 1994, Radio France International (RFI) reported that members of the criminal government had left Gitarama and fled to Kibuye. The RFI correspondent Monique Mass, who was in Rwanda went to Nyamata and reported that more than half of the population of Nyamata town before the genocide had been exterminated by Interahamwe militias and government forces.

This was also confirmed by a Belgian Professor Alain Verhaegen in an interview with RFI in Brussels after he had left Rwanda where he worked with the organization of Doctors Without Borders Belgium (MSF).

On the same day, Ambassador Amuri SUED, who was among refugees evacuated from Hotel des Mille Collines by UNAMIR and chose to join the RPF-INKOTANYI, also reported to RFI the seriousness of the genocide against the Tutsi, perpetrated by the criminal government and the Interahamwe. He further commended that the RPF-INKOTANYI battle to stop the Genocide should be supported by the whole world.

{{3) SOME FOREIGNERS CLEARLY CONFIRMED THAT THE KILLING OF TUTSI IN RWANDA WAS A GOVERNMENT PLAN, BUT THE CRIMINAL GOVERNMENT CONTINUED TO DENY IT}}

Since May 22, 1994, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights had convened a meeting to analyse the nature of the killings against the Tutsi in Rwanda. They also announced that the perpetrators of the killings in Rwanda could be brought to justice. During the meeting, Bishop Desmund Tutu, a South African, spoke out against the genocide in Rwanda and called for the perpetrators to be prosecuted.

Stanislas Mbonampeka, the former second vice president of P.L. Power, one of the envoys sent to the meeting by the criminal government condemned the statement by Desmund Tutu and falsely said that no killings were being carried out by the government he represented, that the RPF should be held accountable for the killings.

Mbonampeka was aware that the massacres of Tutsi in Gitarama, Kibuye and elsewhere at that time were not taking place in the RPF-INKOTANYI-controlled areas. He said that in order to confuse people and acquit the government he represented. Before returning to Rwanda after the Geneva meeting, Mbonampeka went to Paris.

On May 24, 1994, Radio France International (RFI) reported that Amnesty International had condemned the killings by the Rwandan government and the criminal government.

On May 25, 1994, the UN envoy, Iqbar Riza, who was on a visit to Rwanda, met with representatives of the Rwandan government, but no decision regarding the cessation of the genocide was taken. Iqbar Riza met them in their hideout in Gitarama where they were camping.

{{CONCLUSION}}

The genocide against the Tutsi is a heinous act of the so-called government of saviours. The genocide continued while the United Nations was still discussing on the name of the massacre to be approved, but did not have the courage to take action to stop the massacre of Tutsi.

Done at Kigali on May 29, 2020

{{Dr. BIZIMANA Jean Damascène
Executive Secretary
National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG)}}

{{1. Publication of the genocide acceleration regulations in the so-called “auto-defense civile”}}

On May 25, 1994, the criminal government led by Jean Kambanda issued written instructions to all prefects giving them the directions to accelerate the extermination of the Tutsi. The instructions were included in the so called “auto-defense civile” program (meaning: civilian self-protection) which was intended to intensify the mobilization of Hutu population by urging them to join the genocide plan falsely claiming it was kind for auto defending. They had made up a lie that Tutsi who had not yet been killed had established brigades all over the country trained by the Inkotanyi to kill the Hutu.

The second major feature of the instructions was the establishment of a system of continuous supply of guns, grenades, ammunition and machetes to areas where there were still Tutsi like in Bisesero where they were still defending themselves using traditional weapons.

The Ministers were instructed to travel to the prefectures not yet liberated by the RPF-INKOTANYI forces to announce the killing instructions and join forces with the criminal government soldiers and gendarms to provide necessary equipment to accelerate the genocide. Minister of Information Eliezer Niyitegeka and Edouard Karemera, who was the Minister of interior administration, were given a mission to accelerate the genocide among the Tutsi in Kibuye Prefecture.

Eliezer Niyitegeka and Edouard Karemera were prosecuted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and were convicted of genocide crime and sentenced to life in prison. Eliezer Niyitegeka died in prison in Mali on March 28, 2018.

As for Minister Callixte Nzabonimana, the former Minister of the youth and organizations, was given special mission to continue leading the massacre of Tutsi in Gitarama Prefecture and he accomplished the mission. Nzabonimana was also tried by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and sentenced to life imprisonment on May 31, 2012.

Butare Prefecture was in the hands of Pauline Nyiramasuhuko, the former Minister of family promotion who was also convicted of genocide crime in the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and sentenced to 47 years in prison.

In the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), the former Prime Minister of the genocidal Government, Jean Kambanda, pleaded guilty to the crimes committed in the context of civil self-defense during the genocide against the Tutsi, indicating that this program was a criminal character planned by his Government with the aim of exterminating the Tutsi.

{{2. The UN Secretary General finally confirmed genocide in Rwanda}}

On May 25, 1994, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the former Secretary General of the United Nations, declared that the killing which was taking place in Rwanda was genocide. The UN Secretary General also said that failing to deploy troops to Rwanda was a defeat for the United Nations and the international community in general.

On the same day, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, based in Geneva, Switzerland, convened a meeting during which they also confirmed that genocide was taking place in Rwanda. Additionally, they appointed an expert from Ivoiry Cost, Mr. Rene Dégni- Ségui and was tasked to go to Rwanda and investigate the nature of the killings and report back.

Still on the same day, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) requested the United Nations General security council to do its utmost and prosecute the perpetrators of the genocide in Rwanda. The Commission recommended that the UN Security Council expand the responsibilities of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Yugoslavia in order to prosecute the perpetrators of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda

{{3. Some Ex-FAR soldiers had split from the criminal government army and the country was progressively liberated by the RPF-INKOTANYI}}

On May 27, 1994, some of the high ranking Ex-FAR soldiers, including Captain François Munyurangabo split from those who were committing genocide. Captain Munyurangabo seized a Government – owned plane which he had taken to Dar-es-Salam and took it to Nairobi and announced that he had joined the RPF-INKOTANYI to continue the struggle for national liberation.

On May 29, 1994, RPF-INKOTANYI forces captured the city of Nyanza and rescued few Tutsi who had not been killed. The next day, on May 30, 1994, RPF-INKOTANYI forces captured Ruhango City. The criminal government forces realised that the RPF-INKOTANYI forces were putting pressure on the former and defeated them day by day, stimulating the genocidal government to call on the United Nations to help them negotiate with the RPF-INKOTANYI.

{{CONCLUSION}}

As the criminal government forces were progressively defeated by the RPF-INKOTANYI forces, the genocide was stopped in different parts of the country by the RPF-INKOTANYI. This triggered the criminal government’s efforts to exterminate Tutsi where they were still alive. In the last days of May 1994, more than a million Tutsi had already been massacred in all prefectures of Rwanda. The so-called auto-defense civile program, which involved distribution of weapons, ammunition and grenades played a major role. Although accelerated during the genocide, the auto-defense civile program had been in place since 1991 and was part of an open plot to exterminate the Tutsi.

Done at Kigali on May 27, 2020

{{Dr. BIZIMANA Jean Damascène
Executive Secretary
National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG)}}

{{1) The capture of Kanombe airport and Kanombe camp, a fatal blow to the genocidal government}}

On Saturday May 21, 1994, RTLM urged to “kill Dallaire”. The FAR fired on UNAMIR HQ. On May 22, 1994, Kigali Airport and Kanombe camp were taken by the RPF Inkotanyi who chased away the killers. The capture of the Kanombe airport and military camp is one of the great successes of the campaign against genocide undertaken by the RPF Inkotanyi.

The same day Theodore Sindikubwabo wrote to President Mitterrand that his troops had withdrawn from the airport because of insufficient ammunition. He thanked him for the support “so far” and asked him for urgent help. He also phones her.

{{2.Tutsi massacre at Kigeme Hospital, Nyamagabe}}

Kigeme Hospital is located in Nyamagabe District, Gasaka Sector in Kigeme Cell. On April 7, 1994, the killers started to massacre Tutsi in Mudasomwa Commune.

Kigeme Hospital started to receive 8 wounded staff of EMUJECO in Mudasomwa and more injured people from Kitabi tea factory. On April 13, 1994, several wounded Tutsi from Rukondo commune, where the Tutsi had taken refuge at ADEPR Maheresho, started to arrive at the hospital. The injured people were so many that the hospital was obliged to call back staff who were on leave as well as students from the Groupe Scolaire Kigeme who were doing internship to help the injured.

During that time, although those who were injured were helped, some of them were taken away secretly to be killed after being treated. In addition, there was a car that used to come at night and take Tutsi who had been brought in for treatment and falsely claimed to have taken them to Murambi to keep their security but they were killed at Mwumba roadblock.

On May 22, 1994, on Pentecost day at around 6 am, Interahamwe attacks from Mudasomwa, center of Kigeme, Gatyazo and other places came. They carried Tutsi who were still alive along with their caterers and some Tutsi doctors who worked there and took them near the hospital’s kitchen to be killed. Those who survived were hidden in the corners and under the beds, especially in the private rooms because the attackers did not enter inside.

After killing them, Prefect Bucyibaruta Laurent accompanied by Bourgmestre Semakwavu and Captain Sebuhura Faustin came. Those who survived the attack were taken in a car to Murambi where many Tutsi were killed and among those taken there were injured people with wounds and yet they knew that they would not get doctors there or food.

So far the victims killed in the hospital with their identities are about 29 but the death toll is more than that because the identities of injured people who were brought on a daily basis were not known.

Those who were involved in the killings included Twagiramungu Edson, who was the director of the hospital, Philip, who was a businessman in the center of Kigeme, Zimbabwe was the driver of the Anglican Archbishop Kayumba Normand, Gasana venuste was a businessman, Kamugi Christophe, Mukono son of Karamage, Kibuye, Munyentwari Rodrigue, Mutiganda Evariste, Ngoga of Gasarenda, Mbiligi, Munyenkware, who was sentenced by the Gacaca and died in Prison, Minani, Nyiraneza, some of the guards who include Karuranga David, the Interahamwe, and the Hutu population.

{{1. Tutsi massacre at Nyamirembe – CND, Kamonyi}}

In early May, the killers came up with a plan to kill people who had not yet been killed and then said that peace was restored and that they would no longer kill women and girls because they had no race. At that time, many Tutsi, mostly women and children, came out of hiding, from their homes and bushes for about two weeks and some started to carry out household activities in the homes of their hosts, others started going to Kayenzi church.

The killers gathered Tutsi at a place called CND at about 4 pm. Victims were first raped by all killers one by one and then KANUSU and his brother both sons of KARAGIZO suggested that there was a good way of torturing them using an ironing machine as they had done it to the Tutsi at the University of Butare.

Hence, they took ironing machines with charcoal, LINI heated them up, and started burning their private parts like the breasts, the thighs and the genitals. While burning them, they were accusing them of illegal possession of firearm and a radio which they use to communicate with Inkotanyi and that their parents used to go to Kinihira and so on.

Because of pain, some of the girls and women, like MUKAMANZI Eularia and Atharia, daughter of MUNYANKINDI, admitted that they had all of those and they first took them to Eularia’s house and dug up in the garden but they could not find any gun and again took them to Atharia’s home in Gaji, where they also didn’t find any.

As the killers walked with the girls that night, they were naked and the whole body was suffering from iron machine injuries. After missing the guns at Atharia’s home, they decided to kill them at Munyankindi’s house. They dumped them in the Toilet at that house.

Some of the victims at the scene were identified as MUKAMANZI Eularie, Atharia, KANAKUZE, MUKANYONGA, Rosette and others.

Many Tutsi were killed that day but the above mentioned ones were very tortured. The perpetrators included KANUSU and his brother and LINI were in a big attack but those were at the forefront.

{{CONCLUSION }}

The genocide against the Tutsi was planned and carried out by the government. That plan continued to be implemented across all zones under the criminal Government’s control.

Done at Kigali on May 22, 2020

{{Dr. BIZIMANA Jean Damascène
Executive Secretary
National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG)
}}

Many of the doctors and nurses killed Tutsi who had taken refuge in hospitals, others have participated in the attacks and gave instructions to kill. The killings took place all over the country. Some of them have been arrested, tried, convicted, and imprisoned in Rwandan prisons. Others are still free where they fled in foreign countries, including those who are already employed by foreign hospitals and clinics, regardless of the fact that they betrayed their professional standards.

Among these doctors, there are some who, when they arrived overseas started to propagate the Genocide ideology, demeaning and denial of the Genocide against the Tutsi, defamation of the Rwandan leadership and establishing the so- called political groups around the world based on genocide ideology including FDLR, FDU-inkingi, RUD URUNANA and others.

For some of them, the Prosecutor General’s Office issued arrest warrants and are now wanted by Interpol. doctors and nurses who were involved in the genocide against the Tutsi fled to various countries, including France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Italy, Norway, the United States of America, Canada, south Africa, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Swaziland, Burundi and elsewhere.

Nationwide, the number of doctors and nurses known to have committed the Genocide is fifty-nine (59), including twenty-five (25) who committed the Genocide in the City of Butare.

The total number of identified nurses who committed genocide was seventy-four (74), including thirty-one (31) who committed genocide in Butare City.

Butare University Hospital (CHUB) is one with the highest number of doctors who committed the genocide.

This article highlights the significant role of these people in the massacre carried out in Butare City. It also shows that twenty-five (25) doctors, three (03) medical students at the University of Rwanda and thirty-one nurses (31) turned out to be murderers.

Among the doctors were high-level medical experts that Rwanda had.

After 26 years, the National Commission for the fight against Genocide calls for those doctors and nurses who committed genocide and fled abroad to be suspended from medical care and be taken to justice.

The appendix to this document lists crimes committed by doctors and nurses, where they had committed them and the related Rwandan Courts decisions.

Done at Kigali on May 14, 2020

{{Dr. BIZIMANA Jean Damascène
Executive Secretary
National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG)}}

{{I.THE ROLE OF DOCTORS DURING GENOCIDE IN BUTARE CITY}}

{{1. Dr. Nshimyumuremyi Jean-Berchmas}}

He was born in Butaro Commune in Ruhengeri. In 1994, he was the Vice Chancellor of the University of Rwanda (UNR). He is one of the leaders in the planning of the Genocide carried out in the University and in the City of Butare. He formed groups of murderers who organized and encouraged the massacre of Tutsi in Butare City, including the one called “Cercle des intellectuels Rwandais à Butare” slightly translated as “Circle of Rwandan intellectuals in Butare” which published a number of articles spreading hatred and murder.

On November 24, 2009, the Gacaca Court of Butare Town Sector sentenced him to life imprisonment after convicting him of genocide crime, which included attending meetings preparing for the Genocide at the University and the University General Hospital (CHUB), inciting staff to kill Tutsi, causing the killing of Tutsi teachers and students, the establishing and leading Interahamwe group at the University of Butare.

The court also ruled that Dr. Nshimyumuremyi Jean Berchmas had formed a group called: “Comité de financement de l’auto-défense civile” translated as: “Committee on the Financing of Civil self defense” to raise funds for the Interahamwe and the killings. He collaborated with Rutayisire Faustin, the sous prefect of Butare Prefecture, Sebalinda Jean Baptiste who was the Director of Administration and Finance (DAF) at a matchbox factory in Butare and businessman called Gakwaya Venant. The money was transferred on account N° 84343 opened in Bank of Kigali, Butare branch.

Dr. Nshimyumuremyi was also convicted of torturing Tutsi comprising of Professor Jean Baptiste Habyarimana, who was killed in the Genocide and was the prefect of Butare as well as his collaboration with CHUB doctors in the killings.

{{2. Dr. Nshimyumukiza Jotham }}

During the Genocide, he was the director of CHUB Hospital until he fled in July 1994. He killed patients, doctors and nurses he supervised including Karekezi Jean-Claude who was a nurse. He told ESO soldiers that Karekezi was a Tutsi and he was choked in front of patients. As the director general of the hospital, Dr. Nshimyumukiza Jotham was at the forefront of all the killings in CHUB.

{{3. Dr. Munyemana Sosthène}}

He was from the former Musambira commune (Gitarama) where he was born in 1955 and belonged to the MDR Party. He worked at the University Hospital in Butare (CHUB) and also was teaching at the University of Rwanda, Faculty of Medicine.

Gacaca courts tried him in absentia for genocide crime he committed at CHUB and in Tumba where he lived in Ngoma commune, Butare. He was sentenced by Gacaca to 30 years in prison on 05/08/2007 and on 22/01/2010 the Ngoma Gacaca Court on appeal upheld his sentence in absentia after proving his role in the planning and execution of the Genocide in the City of Butare, especially in CHUB where he killed women and children as well as where he lived in Tumba.

Among the atrocities he committed in Tumba include the incarceration of Tutsi in the Tumba sector meeting room and selection of those to be killed including Philippe Musake and Laurence Kanayire. He was also charged with the distribution of guns that he was given by Kambanda Jean, the former prime minister and the killings at Mukoni roadblock.

Dr. Munyemana Sosthène fled to France in 1994 and continued his medical career at Villeneuve-sur-Lot Hospital until 2009 when he was suspended. In December 2018 a French prosecutor decided to bring him to justice but the first case against Dr. MUNYEMANA’s crimes in the genocide against the Tutsi was filed in 1995, in France in the Bordeaux Court (TGI Bordeaux).

{{4. Dr. Rwamucyo Eugène}}

He was born in the former Gatonde commune in Ruhengeri and was the director of the “Center Universitaire de Santé Publique de Butare / CUSP”, the University of Rwanda center. Dr. Rwamucyo Eugène was also at the forefront of the organizers of the Genocide in Butare City. Among the crimes he committed, he ordered residents to dig up the bodies and dump them in pits that had been already excavated before.

On 02/09/2009, the Ngoma Gacaca Court sentenced him to life imprisonment after convicting him of forming gangs of killers that incited genocide execution, supplying of killing equipment, kidnapping Tutsi women and girls, counting and identifying the dead. When he arrived in France, Dr. Rwamucyo was offered a job at Lille University Hospital and later worked at Maubeuge Hospital, and was suspended in October 2009, after the hospital learned that he was wanted for his role in the Genocide against the Tutsi.

On 26/05/2010, Dr. Rwamucyo was arrested by Interpol on the basis of arrest warrants issued by the Rwandan Prosecutor General’s Office, arrested at the Sannois Cemetery where he had gone to bury the murderer Jean Bosco Barayagwiza who had decreased in the United Nations prison in Benin where he was serving a 35-year prison sentence given by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR / ICTR).

Dr. Rwamucyo was jailed for four (4) months and released on 15/09/2010, the Court of Appeal of Versailles (France) refused to extradite him to Rwanda, but ruled that he should be prosecuted in France. For more than nine years, no justice has been served.

{{5. Dr. Bararengana Séraphin}}

He was born from Gasiza where his father NTIBAZIRIKANA Jean Baptiste is said to have been inhabited by priests around 1913. It is in the former Karago Commune, now in Gasiza Village, Nyundo Cell, Rambura Sector in Nyabihu District. He has long been the head of the Department of Medicine at the University of Rwanda (UNR) but like many others he was a doctor at CHUB.

He is the young brother of Juvenal Habyarimana who was the President of the Republic of Rwanda and a member of the AKAZU, a group of high level military, public servants and private people that had a final say on government, in governance, justice, economics and the military of the country.

In the run-up to the genocide, Dr. Bararengana urged CHUB staff to take part in the killings and provided weapons of mass destruction. The Gacaca Court of Mamba Cell, Ngoma Sector sentenced him to thirty (30) years imprisonment in absentia on 05/09/2007. Others convicted for complicity in the same case are Dr. Bigirimana Ignace, Dr. Mugabo Pierre and Dr. Karemera Alphonse. Dr. Bararengana lives in Belgium.

{{6. Dr. Habarugira Pascal }}

He was born in Gafunzo Commune (Cyangugu) in Nyamasheke District, Nyabitekeri Sector in 1957. He also worked at CHUB as a Gynaecologist. After the genocide was stopped, he first worked for a short time at Centre Hospitaliere de Kigali (CHK), then resumed his work at CHUB until his arrest in March 2005.

On 05/09/2007, the appeal of the Ngoma Sector Gacaca Court sentenced him to thirty years (30) of imprisonment after convicting him with the crimes of leading the massacre at the Mukoni roadblock. At this roadblock a large number of people were killed and dumped in a pit next to it called “Iki bisi” or “big bus”. He was also convicted of allegedly handing over a Tutsi woman called Mukangango Venantie to death and killing a baby of a Hutu woman who was impregnated by a Tutsi.

On 06/02/2008, the Gacaca Court sentenced him to nineteen (19) years in prison after considering his request for release on bail. He is being held in Nyarugenge Prison.

{{7. Dr. Nsengiyumva Jean Népomuscène }}

He was born in the former Ruhondo commune of Ruhengeri in 1947. After the genocide when he came from exile, he worked at Ruhengeri Hospital until his arrest in 2005. He was also convicted of genocide by the Gacaca court of Butare City on 05/09/2007 for attending genocide preparation meetings to kill Tutsi at CHUB, inciting CHUB doctors, nurses and staff to commit Genocide and preventing them from receiving and treating Tutsi patients, some of whom resulted in their death.

He was sentenced to thirty (30) years in prison and he is held in Huye prison. His wife, Dr. NYIRARUHANGO Berthe, was sentenced by the Gacaca Courts to 30 years in prison on 26/09/2007 in absentia.

{{8. Dr. Nyiraruhango Berthe }}

He is a specialist in the treatment of throat, nose and ear diseases (ORL) who was married to Dr. NSENGIYUMVA Jean Népomuscène. They both worked at the University of Rwanda Hospital. Dr. Nyiraruhango Berthe has been cruel to Tutsi since 1990 when the so-called Inkotanyi accomplices were being imprisoned, she was one of those who prepared Tutsi list to be imprisoned.

During the genocide, Dr. Nyiraruhango persecuted Tutsi patients, she requested their IDs and took them to the Interahamwe and soldiers who came and took the patients away and killed them; she also refused to receive and treat Tutsi patients, saying she would not treat cockroaches.

Among those she killed approved by Gacaca, included a nurse called Hawa, and she was also accused of piercing a child’s ear with a nail saying that she did not treat Inyenzi (coackroaches).

After the genocide, she fled to Kenya. On 26/09/2007, the Gacaca Court sentenced her to thirty (30) years in prison in absentia. It is said that she died in exile. Her husband, Dr. Nsengiyumva Jean Nepomuscene, is being held in Huye Prison and has been sentenced to thirty (30) years in prison for genocide crimes in Butare.

{{9. Dr. Mugabo Pierre }}

He is the son-in-law of Mbonyumutwa Dominique. In 1994 he worked at the “Pharmaceutical Laboratory” in Butare. He committed genocide at the University Hospital and also appeared in the massacre at the roadblock in front of Hotel Faucon.

He was sentenced to 30 years in prison by the Gacaca Court of Ngoma Sector, Huye District on 05/09/2007 for the genocide crimes against doctors and teachers who lived in Buye. He also participated in an attack that took 25 children from sisters’ home Maison Generalice and the handing over of the patients to be killed.

He committed genocide in collaboration with his wife Feresita Musanganire who worked at CUSP Butare. He lives in South Africa where he works at the University of the Western Cape, in the Department of Pharmacy. He and his wife, Musanganire Feresita, work at the university and were both convicted by Gacaca Courts for genocide in Butare.

{{10.Dr. Kageruka Martin}}

He was a gynaecologist at CHUB and Nyumbakumi where he lived. He was born in Kibuye, Mabanza commune, Mushubati sector in 1946. His case was handled by ordinary courts. Among the charges against him, included participation in meetings that organized and encouraged the implementation of Genocide in CHUB, mobilization of CHUB staff to commit Genocide including encouraging doctors and nurses to refuse to treat Tutsi patients. Among those he was convicted of, along with Lieutenant Pierre Bizimana on the instructions of Captain Ildephonse Nizeyimana, was the assassination of Queen Rosalie Gicanda. Both the Court of First Instance of Butare and the Kigali Court of Appeal, he was sentenced to life imprisonment and he is being held in Nyarugenge Prison.

{{11. Dr. Ndindabahizi Jean Chrysostome }}

He worked in CUSP, from Nyakizu, Butare. He was a member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and later joined the PSD power. He was indicted in the same case with Dr. Runyinya Barabwiriza who was a university lecturer and a political adviser to President Habyarimana on 05/09/2007.

On 11/05/2008, the Tumba B Assembly sentenced him in absentia to life imprisonment. His wife, Dr. Nduwamariya Jeanne, is said to have been involved in the planning and implementation of the genocide, especially in the killings at the Tumba roadblocks. They both live in Gabon.

{{12. Dr. Habiyaremye Innocent}}

He is from the former Nkumba commune in Ruhengeri where he was born in 1951. He is a microbiologist in Belgium and worked in the CHUB laboratory. He fled to Gikongoro and worked in the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) until his arrest and detention in 1995. He was convicted of leading genocide planning meetings, setting up roadblocks and leading them. He was sentenced to life in prison and he is detained in Huye prison.

{{13. Dr. Mutwewingabo Bernard }}

He was an expert in Anatomy – pathology, working in the CHUB laboratory. He was convicted of planning genocide, killing and leading attacks at the University of Rwanda and the city of Butare.

On 27/05/2009, the Ngoma Gacaca Court of Appeal sentenced him to life imprisonment with special provisions and he died in Huye prison. His wife, Marie Thérèse Kampire, who was a university lecturer and a daughter of Dr. Venant Ntabomvura, was sentenced to nineteen (19) years in prison for committing genocide crimes in Butare City.

{{14. Dr. Bigirimana Ignace alias Sederi (CDR)}}

He is from Gaseke Commune (Gisenyi) and worked at CHUB. He was sentenced by the Gacaca to 30 years in prison on September 5, 2007 on charges of participating in a gang of killers and in massacre of Tutsi in Butare. He fled to Kenya before the trial ended but is now living in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) and works at Mbabane Governmental Hospital.

{{15. Dr. Karemera Alphonse }}

He was born in Nyabikenke Commune (Gitarama) in 1951. He was the head of Medical Department at the University in Butare. Dr Karemera was a serial killer who led the massacre at the University Hospital in Butare and at the University where students, staff and Tutsi teachers were killed. He attended and chaired the genocide planning and mobilization meetings at CHUB to the point where he encouraged doctors and nurses to refuse to treat Tutsi patients. He was sentenced by Gacaca in absentia for thirty (30) years in prison on 05/09/2007.

{{16. Dr. Hakizimana Deogratias }}

He was indicted in the same case with Dr. Runyinya Barabwiriza, a former university lecturer and political adviser to President Habyarimana, on 05/09/2007. Dr. Hakizimana Deo was said to have attended meetings to prepare the killing of Tutsi, to incite genocide implementation and to engage in attacks.

{{17. Dr. Nduwamariya Jeanne}}

She was a doctor at Kabutare Groupe Scolaire Officiel de Butare Hospital. She is from Ndora Commune (Butare). She was involved in the preparation and implementation of the Genocide, especially in the killings of Tutsi at the Tumba roadblocks. She is best known for her attacks towards the Berekimasi family, by hunting down his daughter Chantal until she paid money to hunt and kill her. But she also said she would kill Chantal herself.

There were several genocide planning meetings held at her home with her husband. She is the wife of Dr. Jean Chrysostome Ndindabahizi. She was tried by Gacaca Courts in absentia and sentenced for life imprisonment with special provisions by Tumba B Assembly on 28/10/2009.

{{18. Dr. Mwigimba Cyrille}}

He was a doctor at CHUB and was convicted of genocide crime on 20/11/2009 by the Gacaca Court of Butare-Ville Sector, which includes: refusal to treat and discriminate against Tutsi patients. After discriminating them, he handed them over to the soldiers to be killed in collaboration with Dr. Rugina Nizeyimana Emmanuel and Dr Habimana Lin. He also attended genocide planning meetings at the University and at CHUB, illegal possession of firearms at his residence in Taba and participating in massacres of Tutsi at the Sisters’ home – Maison Generalice, where twenty-five (25) children were taken from to be killed. The court sentenced him to special life imprisonment.

{{19. Dr. Habimana Lin}}

He is a Burundian doctor who worked at a university hospital. On November 20, 2009, he was convicted by the Gacaca Court of Butare-Ville Sector in the same case as Dr. Rugina and Dr. Mwigimba on charges of discriminating Tutsi patients and handing them over to the (Ecole des Sous-Officiers. – ESO) to be executed, refusal to treat Tutsi patients and to discriminate against them by handing them over to soldiers and the Interahamwe to be executed, to attend massacres preparation meetings at CHUB and in the University with the intent to kill Tutsi staff and students. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in absentia.

{{20. Dr. Nyagasaza Aloys}}

He was sentenced on 16/11/2009 by Ngoma Sector Gacaca Court to life imprisonment after being convicted of murder in Butare City, especially at Mukoni and Kabutare. He was also convicted of killing Tutsi at the roadblock, transporting bodies in his car and killing Nkundayezu Bernardin and Mushumba himself. Dr. Nyagasaza was also identified as Dr. Habarugira Pascal’s accomplice in the case handled by Ngoma Sector Gacaca Court on 06/02/2008, and was convicted of crimes including the huge killing at the Mukoni roadblock.

{{21. Dr. Sijyeniyo Charles }}

He was a dentist who had studied in Russia from Cyarwa in the former Butare prefecture. He was convicted of genocide by the Gacaca Assembly in Butare City on 05/09/2007, along with Dr. Hakizimana Deo. His convictions were that he participated to meetings preparing to kill Tutsi, incite people to carry out genocide and participation in attacks.

{{22. Dr. Twagirayezu Emmanuel}}

He was born in 1950 in Ndora commune in the former Butare prefecture, now in Gisagara District. On 26/03/2010, the Ngoma Sector Gacaca Court convicted him of genocide crimes including: attending genocide planning meetings, handing over Tutsi to soldiers to be killed at hospital, inciting execution of genocide, participating in attacks and killing of Tutsi called Mujejende and Sebera as well as raping Tutsi women including students.

He was sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment.

{{23. Dr. Ngirabatware Bruno}}

He was a doctor at the University Hospital in Butare. after the Genocide, he fled to Malawi and he is wanted by the Rwandan justice. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison and he is a brother to Mbonampeka Stanislas, former Minister of justice from PL who committed genocide in Ndera. Dr. Ngirabatware Bruno was sentenced to 30 years in prison and escaped justice pending trial.

{{24. Dr. Gatera Godefroid}}

He worked in the surgical service. The Butare Gacaca Court convicted him of the crimes of planning and committing Genocide in CHUB. He died in Huye prison where he was serving his sentence.

{{25. Dr. Murengezi Ildephonse}}

He was the director of the National Laboratory of Pharmaceuticals (LABOPHAR) in Butare. He is from the former Ruhashya Commune in Butare, currently in Huye District.

He also committed genocide in Butare. On March 26, 2009, the Gacaca Court of Ngoma Sector, Huye District, sentenced him to nineteen (19) years in prison after he was convicted of going to a roadblock at which many Tutsi were killed and in attacks on Tutsi in various places in Butare City. He was found guilty of participating in the meetings which planned the genocide and which were held at Gasengayire’s house. He incited his employees to seek and kill the Tutsi. He lives in France or in Switzerland

{{26. Dr. Rutagengwa Emmanuel}}

He was born in Cyarwa, Ngoma Commune, Butare in 1954 currently in Huye District. In 1994, he worked for the National Institute of Medicine, headquartered in Butare. On 29/10/2008, the Cyarwa Cyimana A Gacaca Court sentenced him to life imprisonment with special provisions, after he was convicted of genocide crimes in Butare. Among the crimes for which he was found guilty, there were the organization of meetings which planned the genocide, the illegal carrying of weapons, the use of LABOPHAR vehicles in the transport of soldiers who killed Tutsi, including the man named Nzovu.

He participated in attacks against Tutsi with Niyibizi Benoit, Gashirabake Louis, Mutwewingabo and Sendege. He was in the attack on the assassination of Ntakirutimana Mariya’s husband. He was convicted of rape of Tutsi women and girls. He lives in Malawi.

{{27. Teganya Leonard}}

In 1994, he was a student in his final year of university, Department of Medicine. He would make a list of Tutsi patients who entered the hospital and bring in the Interahamwe and the soldiers to take the patients and kill them. He killed and raped women. In 1994, Teganya fled to Canada seeking asylum and later fled to the United States, where he was arrested and sentenced to 97 months in prison for lying to immigration officials about his role in the Genocide.

{{28. Bikomagu }}

He studied at the University, Department of Medicine and was a soldier who stayed at the home of Dr. Ndindabahizi Jean Chrysostome. In the case of Dr. Habarugira Pascal, ruled by the Gacaca Court of Ngoma Sector on 06/02/2008, Bikomagu was identified as a person who was involved in the hunt for Tutsi who were not yet killed at the National University of Rwanda (UNR), in the university forest (Arboretum) and in the rooms where they had hidden.

{{29. Mupenzi Jean de la Paix}}

He was a university student, and the Gacaca Court of Butare ville A sentenced him to thirty (30) years of imprisonment on 09/10/2009. He escaped justice after being sentenced. Bikomagu, Mupenzi and Teganya in Butare were considered as doctors because they were medical students and were seen in a training at the hospital.

{{II. THE ROLE OF NURSES DURING GENOCIDE IN BUTARE CITY}}

{{1. Remera Simeon}}

He was a medical assistant working for the CARAES Center for mentally Disabled patients, Butare Branch. He was a leader of CDR in Butare Prefecture. He was one of the leaders of the Genocide in various places in Butare Town and especially in Runyinya Commune where he was born. On 26/09/2007, the Gacaca Court sentenced him to 30 years in prison in absentia. His wife, Gemma, was a nurse and was also sentenced by Tumba B Gacaca Court on 27/07/2009 to life imprisonment after convicting her of genocide in Tumba.

{{2. Musanganire Felesita}}

She was working on an HIV/AIDS project at the University of Public Health center (CUSP). She is from Gitarama and is the daughter of Dominique Mbonyumutwa who was the first President of Rwanda. On 20/12/2006, the Gacaca Court of Ngoma Sector sentenced her to twenty-five (25) years in prison in absentia.

Among her convictions included the murder of Prof. Pierre – Claver Karenzi killed at the roadblock in front of Hotel Faucon, collaborating with Dr. Eugene Rwamucyo in the death of Cécile Nyirasikubwabo, a former CUSP employee. At the roadblock, Felicité Musanganire was in charge of controlling people’s IDs and separating Hutu from the Tutsi, handing over the Tutsi to be killed by the Interahamwe and the military.

She fled to South Africa where she works at the Western Cape University AIDS Center and where she continued her studies after fleeing. Her husband Dr Pierre Mugabo, who conspired to commit genocide in Butare, was sentenced to thirty (30) years on 05/09/2007.

{{3. A nun called Mukarubibi Tewopista}}

She was a nurse in charge of the CHUB kitchen, caring for feeding the sick mainly the poor who did not have families to bring them food. She has been convicted of various offenses due to her collaboration with doctors, nurses, and other CHUB staff in the killings at the University Hospital. The Butare – ville Gacaca Court sentenced her to thirty (30) years on 11/08/2006. She is detained in Nyamagabe Prison.

{{4. Mukamuzima Philomene alias Kinanda}}

She was born in Gikongoro in 1954, the former commune of Nshili. She worked at ONAPO / Butare since 1993 in charge of family planning services from CUSP where she was a nurse. she was part of a group of killers established by Pauline Nyiramasuhuko and her son Arsene Shalom Ntahobari, and was a close friend of Dr. Seraphin Bararengana, President Habyarimana’s young brother. He was also a member of the CUSP Genocide preparatory group.

she was also involved in the killings along with Dr. Rwamucyo Eugene and MP Febronie Nsaguye of the MRND. On March 26, 2008, she was convicted by the Gacaca Court of Ngoma Sector for crimes of attending genocide planning meetings at CUSP, supporting the implementation of genocide, controlling and betraying her fellow Tutsi colleagues who were killed. She was sentenced to nineteen (19) years in prison.

{{5. Mukarurangwa Marie Rose alias Kaporali}}

She is from Mpare in the former Huye Commune where she was born in 1959, currently in Huye District. She is the daughter of the Banyangiriki Zacharia who has been the MP representing MRND for a long time. They nicknamed her Corporal because of her cruelty. On 04/06/2008, she was convicted by the Ngoma Sector Gacaca Court of attending genocide planning meetings at CUSP, supporting the conduct of genocide, controlling and betraying her fellow Tutsi employees who were killed, including seven (7) who were revealed. She was sentenced to nineteen years in prison (19).

{{6. Mukabandora Scolastique }}

She was a nurse at CHUB in Butare. She was born in Ruli in the former Nyamabuye commune (Gitarama) in 1952. On 05/09/2007, the Gacaca Court of Butare Sector convicted her of confiscating patients’ ID cards, taking out serum from Tutsi patient, killing a baby on her own by hitting him on the floor with head down, handing over patients to be killed and attending meetings to prepare for the killings at the hospital. She was sentenced to thirty (30) years of imprisonment and later to nineteen (19) years of imprisonment on appeal on 15/03/2008 and he completed his sentence.

{{7. Mukamunana Juliette }}

She was born in 1952 in Gahini, Kayonza District. She worked in the Red Cross project at CHUB. The Ngoma Sector Gacaca Court convicted her of conspiracy to assassinate Tutsi, celebrating the massacre of Tutsi, requesting Identity Cards to discriminate people and expose Tutsi to be killed. On 16/03/2007, the Ngoma Sector Council (Huye) decided to change the outcome of the first trial where she was sentenced to thirty (30) years. The Court found that the testimony was inconsistent with the defendant’s convictions and sentenced her to nineteen (19) years of imprisonment he completed his sentence.

{{8. Uwimana Tereza }}

She is from Gisenyi and was a nurse working for CUSP. On 04/06/2008, the Gacaca Court of Butare Ville Sector convicted her of attending genocide planning meetings at CUSP, conspiracy to kill Tutsi workers, and inciting people to implement genocide. She was sentenced to nineteen (19) years in prison.

{{9. Nyiramisago Tereza}}

She is from Shyanda commune (Butare) and the sister of Theodore Sindikubwabo who was the president of the interim government. She was part of a group of genocide planners. On 04/06/2008, she was convicted by Ngoma sector Gacaca Court for attending genocide planning meetings at CUSP, supporting the conduct of genocide, controlling and betraying her fellow Tutsi workers who were killed, including seven who could be identified. She was sentenced to nineteen (19) years in prison.

{{10. Kantengwa Annonciata}}

She is from Ngoma Commune (Butare). She was part of a group of genocide planners. On 04/06/2008, she was convicted by the Ngoma Sector Gacaca Court of attending genocide planning meetings at CUSP, supporting the implementation of genocide, controlling and betraying her fellow Tutsi employees who were killed, including seven (7) who could be identified. She was sentenced to nineteen (19) years in prison.

{{11. Nyirahirwa Immaculée}}

On 30/01/2008, the Ngoma Sector Gacaca Court convicted her of genocide against Tutsi in CHUB, killing infants and throwing them in a pit. Although the offense was serious and she never pleaded guilty, the court sentenced her to fifteen (15) years in prison. It is a minor punishment compared to the seriousness of the crime of infanticide for a nurse. In another case of 26/09/2007, Nyirahirwa Immaculée was sentenced to eighteen (18) years in prison.

{{12. Musabyemariya Mariserina}}

She is from the former Ndora Commune (Butare). She is the daughter of Dr. Ntabomvura Venant. On 16/07/2008, she was convicted by the Butare Ville Gacaca Court, Ngoma Sector for genocide crime composed of inciting people to commit genocide, to participate in women’s gang meetings to prepare genocide at CUSP.

She pleaded guilty, but it was so late. She was sentenced to twelve (12) years in prison.

{{13. Murara Gabriel }}

On 26/09/2007, the Gacaca Court of Mamba Cell convicted her of genocide and sentenced her to thirty (30) years imprisonment in absentia for the crime of killing Tutsi in CHUB and Butare Town.

Gishamvu Gacaca Court sentenced her to life imprisonment on 19/12/2008.
Twahirwa Joseph

He was convicted of genocide offenses including: participating in attacks, holding genocide planning meetings, supplying axes to kill Tutsi, educating young workers to commit genocide and committing Genocide in CHUB. On 26/09/2007, the Ngoma Sector Gacaca Court convicted him of genocide and sentenced him to thirty (30) years imprisonment in absentia.

{{14. Uwimbabazi Emmanuel nicknamed Irivan }}

He was in charge of nurses and midwives at Kabutare Hospital. There were two other (2) colleagues Ildephonse who worked in the Laboratory and Alexis who worked in the pediatric service and were also involved in the killing of Tutsi in Butare Town and Kabutare Hospital.

{{15. Habimana Athanase }}

On 26/09/2007, the Gacaca Court convicted him of genocide and sentenced him to thirty (30) years in prison in absentia for the crime of killing Tutsi in CHUB and Butare Town.

{{16. Gatera Anastase}}

On 26/09/2007, the Gacaca Court of Mamba Cell convicted him of genocide and sentenced him to thirty (30) years imprisonment in absentia for the crime of killing Tutsi in CHUB and Butare Town.

{{17. Kubwimana Theodore }}

On 26/09/2007, the Gacaca Court convicted him of genocide and sentenced him to thirty (30) years in prison in absentia for the crime of killing Tutsi in CHUB and Butare Town.

{{18. Mukandekezi Foromina}}

The Ngoma Gacaca Court convicted her of requesting IDs from Tutsi and handed them over to the military to kill them, sending out Tutsi patients to be killed, complicity in the Tutsi massacre at the university hospital. She was sentenced to thirty (30) years imprisonment on 19/03/2008.

{{19. Rwaliye Constance}}

She is a Burundian woman who worked in CHUB’s maternity service. She caused death to Tutsi patients and staff, including a former CHUB laboratory staff called Protais Nyangezi. After the genocide she returned to Burundi. On 05/09/2007, she was sentenced to nineteen (19) in absentia by Gacaca court.

{{20. Hakizimana Gerard alias Kazungu}}

On 29/09/2007, the Gacaca Court convicted him of attending CHUB killing meetings, collaborating with others to kill Tutsi at CHUB and the University of Rwanda. He was sentenced of eighteen (18) years imprisonment in his absence.

{{21. Ryumeko Charlotte }}

She was a Burundian nurse. On 26/09/2007, the Gacaca Court convicted her of genocide crime and sentenced her to thirty (30) years in prison.

{{22. Nikuze Venantie}}

On 26/09/2007, the Gacaca Court convicted her of genocide and sentenced her to eighteen (18) years of imprisonment.

{{23. Mukarugwiza Monique }}

Gacaca court convicted her of genocide crimes and sentenced her to thirty (30) years imprisonment on 26/09/2007.

{{24. Ukobizaba Janvier}}

Convicted of genocide on 26/09/2007, Gacaca Court sentenced him to eighteen (18) years imprisonment.

{{25. Nahimana Jean}}

Sentenced by the Gacaca Court to eighteen (18) years imprisonment on 26/09/200 convicted of genocide.

{{26. Ntahobavukira Réverien }}

On 26/09/2007, the Gacaca Court convicted him of genocide and sentenced him to eighteen (18) years imprisonment.

{{27.Kangabo Boniface}}

Sentenced to eighteen (18) years imprisonment on 26/09/2007, Gacaca Court convicted him of Genocide.

{{28. Rubangisa Alexis}}

Gacaca court convicted him of genocide and sentenced him to eighteen (18) years imprisonment on 26/09/2007.

{{29. Munyentwali Martin}}

He was sentenced by the Gacaca Court of Butare Ville to nineteen (19) years imprisonment on 21/11/2009.

{{30. Usabayezu Emmanuel }}

He was sentenced to nineteen (19) years by the Butare Ville Gacaca Court on 25/10/2006.

{{Conclusion }}

This list of doctors and nurses who participated in the Genocide in Butare City only shows that those who were in charge of treating people betrayed the standards of their profession. It also shows how the Genocide against the Tutsi became a supernatural crime where doctors gave up their profession of life protection and chose to kill.

Countries where some of these killers have fled to and still consider them as doctors should open their eyes because they are wrong. They should be suspended from the medical profession and removed from the list of physicians authorized to practice the medical profession. They should also be brought to justice as soon as possible so that those whose relatives were killed by them can get justice.

CNLG is pleased with the decisions taken against some doctors who have escaped justice in some countries, the decision to suspend them from medical profession and bring them before judges, so that they can be sentenced for genocide.

CNLG commends all those who continue to take part in this international justice campaign so that the perpetrators of the Genocide who fled the country can be held accountable for their actions.

There is more to come!

{{Done at Kigali on May 14, 2020

Dr. BIZIMANA Jean Damascène
Executive Secretary
National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG) }}

Bisesero was a home to Tutsi population of about 60,000, and during the Genocide there was a history of Tutsi self-defense that reached the point where till May killers were unable to break through. Many Tutsi had also fled to Bisesero and were all killed during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Many Tutsi decided to flee to Bisesero because there were many Tutsi living there and in 1959 and beyond, they were able to resist the massacre of Tutsi. Tutsi from different parts of Kibuye and Gikongoro prefectures; Rubengera, Rutsiro, Rwamatamu, Gisovu, Gikongoro, Gishyita and Gitesi had taken refuge in Bisesero. They hoped that if they came together and join their efforts they would fight the attacks together and defeat them. This was even so because till May, killers had not been able to set fire on a single house or eat any of their cows.

On april 7, 1994, after the news broke that Habyarimana had died, in some areas of Kibuye and Gikongoro, local Tutsi started to be killed and fled to Bisesero. Soon, the Basesero also had to leave their homes and flee to Muyira and Gitwe hills. Other Tutsi who fled to Bisesero were survivors from other parts like Mubuga Church, Rwamatamu, Gitwa, Gatwaro Stadium, Kayove and elsewhere.

{{1. Tutsi who fled to Bisesero resisted the attacks }}

They spent a long time confronting killers’ attacks and retaliating them and even killing some of the killers and taking away their guns even though they did not know how to use them for self-defense. Their history of self-defense lasted for long time, fighting against killers with various weapons including guns while Basesero used sticks, stones, spears and bows.

Tutsi from Gisovu and Rwankuba (the northern part of Bisesero) fought on Mount Muyira while others rallied on Mount Gitwe (southern part) and that is where they were fighting the Killers’ attacks. Their tactic was to confront killers and fight them even though some would be killed but they also had to kill some of the killers and they often defeated the killers and the latter became discouraged and ran away, especially since their weapons were taken away.

The Interahamwe attacks started on April 7, 1994, and the Tutsi of Bisesero would get together to identify the source of the attacks and stop them to prevent them from entering Bisesero. In the morning, when the killers came, the Tutsi would be gathered on the top of the mountains and assault them with stones and when the stones got finished, they would all go down the hill at once and confront them to prevent killers from killing women and children as well as their cows. They would fight until killers get tired and run away. The Tutsi who were about to be overpowered by the Interahamwe, would join their comrades on other hills and join forces to ensure their victory.

The attacks came from various places: from Gisovu Commune, Rwamatamu up to Ngoma, in Mubuga Commune, and others from Gishyita Commune. Despite the attacks were from the above mentioned areas, the killers were from all communes of Kibuye prefecture and from some communes of Gikongoro. The Tutsi fighters were led by Birara Aminadabu, his son Nzigira, Segikware, Habiyambere and Paul Bitega who were later killed. There are also some survivors including Karamaga Simeon, Aron Gakoko and Vincent Munyaneza.

As Tutsi in Bisesero had been fighting the Interahamwe for days till the end of April, officials, including former Kibuye Prefect KAYISHEMA Clement and others, wrote a letter to the former Minister of interior government called Eduard KAREMERA who was from Kibuye.

They requested him for help to expel the Inkotanyi from Bisesero (at that time Tutsi were called Inkotanyi who were threatening people’s security in Bisesero), he also agreed that he would seek help from the former army chief in Gisenyi and Kibuye, Colonel Anatole NSENGIYUMVA with whom they started to prepare it.

From 01/05/1994 to 12/05/1994, there were no further attacks on Bisesero, the Tutsi started to rest and thought that there would be no more attacks and some started to return to their normal activities such as agriculture, animal husbandry and others. However, the killers had gone to plan for exterminating attacks. For the 2 weeks, the killers were planning to exterminate the Tutsi who had taken refuge in Bisesero.

{{2. Exterminating attacks on Bisesero on 13/5/1994}}

Friday 13/05/1994 was the first day of the relentless attacks on Bisesero, which consisted of soldiers from Presidential Guard, other soldiers who fled the fighting, the Interahamwe from different parts and habituated killers from Bugarama in Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Ruhengeri and Gikongoro.

The top leaders all possessed guns including Eliezer Niyitegeka, former minister, Clement Kayishema, Kibuye prefect, Alfred Musema, who ran Gisovu tea factory, Obed Ruzindana, a prominent businessman, and his brother Joseph Mpambara, Charles Sikubwabo, the Bourgmestre of Gishyita commune, Aloys Ndimbati who was the Bourgmestre of Gisovu Commune, Gerard Ntakirutimana who was in charge of Mugonero Hospital, John Yusuf Munyakazi who was the leader of Interahamwe in Bugarama, Cyangugu and others.

All of these were familiar in leading attacks on Tutsi in different parts of Kibuye and Cyangugu. The killings started on April 13, 1994, from 9 am till 4pm. The ONATRACOM buses, trucks of Tutsi who had been killed, the COLAS trucks usually used to construct the Kibuye-Gitarama road and other small vehicles full of government officials, soldiers and members of the Presidential Guards, many Interahamwe started killing Tutsi in Bisesero where they had taken refuge in the Muyira and Gitwe hills. Tutsi failed to hit them back as usual due to the fact that the attacks were so intense and they could not withstand the heavy weapons carried by killers.

The killers attacked the Tutsi while shouting “Let us destroy them”. They shot on Tutsi, threw grenades at them and other killers used traditional weapons and the bodies of many children, women, and the elderly filled the place. The attack weakened the Basesero and killed many of them. More than 30,000 Tutsi reportedly were killed that day. The killings stopped at around 5:30 pm that day and afterwards killers had a meeting at a place called ” Ku Cyapa” between Gishyita and Gisovu communes to plan how the killings would be carried out next morning.

At that place, Eliezer NIYITEGEKA grabbed a Tutsi girl, stripped her off her clothes and raped her in front of other killers, and immediately threw her at the Interahamwe who cut her off.

The killers returned again on May 14, 1994 and also killed Tutsi living less than 10,000 Tutsi. Survivors of the massacre started to hide in the bushes and running in the mountains, fleeing from the Interahamwe who shot at them and killed them gradually. Those who had been injured were hunted by dogs.

Most of top perpetrators of genocide in Bisesero were convicted, others are still wanted:

-* KAREMERA Edouard sentenced to life imprisonment by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda;
-* NIYITEGEKA Eliezer, sentenced to life imprisonment by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and died in the prison;
-* NTAKIRUTIMANA Elizaphan, convicted of genocide crime by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and sentenced to 10 years in prison;
-* Col. NSENGIYUMVA Anatole, convicted of genocide crime by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
-* NTAKIRUTIMANA Gerard , convicted of genocide crime by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and sentenced to 25 years in prison;
-* MUHIMANA Mika, convicted of genocide crime by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and was sentenced to life imprisonment;
-* MPAMBARA Joseph, convicted of genocide by Dutch courts and sentenced to life imprisonment;
-* KAYISHEMA Clement, convicted of genocide by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and sentenced to life imprisonment;
-* MUSEMA Alfred , convicted of genocide by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, sentenced to life imprisonment;
-* RUZINDANA Obedwas convicted of genocide crime by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and sentenced to 25 years in prison;
-* MUNYAKAZI John Yusuf was convicted of genocide crime by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and sentenced to 25 years in prison;
-* NDIMBATI Aloys, escaped justice and is wanted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda;
-* SIKUBWABO Charles, escaped justice and he is wanted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
-* FURERE Abel (formerly the Bourgmestre of Rwamatamu Commune);
-* SEGATARAMA Simon (Was the councillor of Gitabura Sector);
-* SEBAHIRE John (was a Police Officer and died in Bisesero);
-* RUTAGANIRA Vincent (he was a Councilor of Mubuga Sector);
-* RUKAZAMYAMBI (he was a Police Officer from Rutsiro and died in Bisesero).

Many perpetrators involved in the genocide against the Tutsi in Bisesero and fled justice:

-* NYAKANA HABIMANA Joseph: former councilor of the Twumba sector, he is suspected to be living in Congo;
-* NZIHONGA Elysée: He was a teacher in the Gitabura sector, he lives in Congo forests;
-* MUSABYIMANA Pierre: An ex FAR from Gisovu sector and he is suspected to be in the Congo forests;
-* NDAMAGE: former Secretary of Gisovu Commune who fled and never returned;
-* KAYIGEMA Alexis: who was the Director of IGA Gisovu and lives in France;
-* KAMILI (son Mpamira) was a trader in Mubuga, fled to Uganda;
-* TWAGIRAYEZU Jean Baptiste, was sentenced by Gacaca;
-* NGERAGEZE Dan, former assistant mayor of the Gishyita commune;
-* BUGINGO Joseph ex bourgmestre of the commune of Gisovu;
-* Abbe TWAGIRAYEZU Marcel ex-parish priest of the Catholic parish of Mubuga, fled to France;
-* BIZIMUNGU ex FAR;
-* KARIBANA Uziah ex assistant bourgmestre of Gishyita commune, fled after the genocide;
-* MUHIRWA Uzziel former advisor to the Musenyi sector and others.

Done at Kigali on May 13, 2020

{{Dr. BIZIMANA Jean Damascène
Executive Secretary
National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG)}}