{"id":56,"date":"2011-04-25T15:03:53","date_gmt":"2011-04-25T15:03:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/inkotanyi-s-role-in-the-genocide-rescue\/"},"modified":"2011-04-24T09:39:19","modified_gmt":"2011-04-24T09:39:19","slug":"inkotanyi-s-role-in-the-genocide-rescue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/inkotanyi-s-role-in-the-genocide-rescue\/","title":{"rendered":"Inkotanyi\u2019s role in the genocide rescue activities, part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Though the RPF<\/span> soldiers (Inkotanyi<\/span>) might not have saved everyone on time during the Tutsi genocide, those who were saved narrate the heroism exerted by the peace-aimed soldiers led by President Paul Kagame<\/span>. Igihe.com<\/span> brings you an insight of some of the rescue operations conducted in the city.<\/em><\/p>\n

Chantal Mukanyandwi<\/span>, 35, is one of the survivors who were rescued by RPF<\/span> soldiers at Saint Famille<\/span> church located in the city\u2019s main roundabout. She and her family run for refuge at the church hoping the militias would spare them as was the case in the 1959 war where militias spared Tutsis<\/span> who hid in religious centers.<\/p>\n

Venant<\/span> Ntabwomvura<\/span>, 80, a doctor at the Butare<\/span> University Hospital noted that the reason why many saw churches as safe heavens was because the majority respected religious institutions and associated them to holly grounds thats<\/span> why militias in the first war feared to attack those who camped in churches.<\/p>\n

The lady further explains that some of her neighbors also took refuge in the church\u2019s enclosed premises where priests and nuns lived. They thought militias would still refrain from the known holly grounds but on contrary the evil minded killers didn\u2019t care at all instead they took advantage of the Tutsi gatherings in the church to pursue mass murder on them.<\/p>\n

Mukanyandwi<\/span> adds that, \u201cat the beginning of April militias came daily to pick people who we suspect were killed since no one ever came back. Whenever we asked their whereabouts they told us that they were taken for questioning which sounded suspicious,\u201d she remarks.<\/p>\n

In addition to mystery, city leaders were often accompanied by militias in taking away some of the Tutsis<\/span> who were hiding in the church. Among the prominent leader who was seen in the operations was Tharcisse<\/span> Renzaho<\/span> who was the mayor, Odette<\/span> Nyirabagenzi<\/span> a councilor from Nyarugenge<\/span> sector was also among the local leaders in the clique.<\/p>\n

To make matters worse, the leaders would on several occasions trick them that the situation was controlled, but too bad some believed in their mere lies which made them loose their lives when they left the church on 16 June 1994. The mayor had faked that peace had prevailed and that everyone should go back to their respective homes. Due to this trap Mukanyadwi<\/span> claims to have lost the majority of her family members.<\/p>\n

On the following day the blood-thirst militias broke into the church and killed a good number of people, she was lucky since she hid herself with wounded bodies, \u201cmy God the church was full of corpses,\u201d she recalled.<\/p>\n

The militias break-in was no surprise since the catholic priest Wenceslas<\/span> Munyenshaka<\/span> used to organize masses as a way of inviting militias who would indentify<\/span> those to kill next. It is also known that the priests made sure that those hiding were present during the preaching sessions.<\/p>\n

To make matters worse, the priest also ordered a good number of huge pits to be dug at the church\u2019s backyard and since it was done in secrecy, no journalist nor UN peace keeping soldiers were allowed to see what was going on, when asked the priest would simply lie that the pits were to be used as toilets. But literally the pits served as graves.<\/p>\n

Killings went on and militias would often commit atrocities in the church, \u201cI remember one day they came and shot people randomly, the anger was a result of a successfully rescue operation conducted by RPF<\/span> soldiers,\u201d Mukanyandwi<\/span> comments.<\/p>\n

Igihe.com<\/span> further talked to some of the Inkotanyi<\/span> soldiers who are now serving in the Rwanda Defense Forces about some of the rescue activities in the city. Major Gerald Nyirimanzi<\/span> in charge of Military History Department was together with Major Emanuel Rusakara<\/span> at a rescue operation at Saint Famille<\/span>. He noted that among the reasons why they started the war was to rescue and remove an oppressive regime which carried out the genocide. In an interview with igihe.com<\/span> they told us how they conducted the rescue process.<\/p>\n

Major Nyirimanzi<\/span> noted that they immediately rescued Tutsis<\/span> who were hiding at Saint Famille<\/span> after receiving intelligence reports that there were plans to kill them. RPF<\/span> mission was to rescue and restore peace in the country, Tutsis<\/span> who were in the country during the war at least they had heard about the Inkotanyi\u2019s<\/span> initiatives through Radio Muhabura<\/span> which was used by the rebels to communicate their plans about Rwanda\u2019s development.<\/p>\n

The small team of soldiers had to find all means to rescue the Saint Famille<\/span> victims despite the large presence of militias surrounding the church. Of course penetrating through the militias required some skills and among the tricks they used concentrated on corrupting the enemy\u2019s radio communication system. Nyirimanzi<\/span> noted for instance they tricked that the RPF<\/span> soldiers were about to attack the presidents house, the aim was to disorganize the large number of militias at the church with the majority rushing to the presidents house, the trick worked and the Inkotanyis<\/span> fought their way into the church. <\/p>\n

Major Nyirimanzi<\/span> disclosed that the rescue operation was a challenge since the victims hesitated to open the door even after explaining to they came in peace , it seems they didn\u2019t trust them given that in the past militias have used a similar statement. Inkotanyis<\/span> didn\u2019t spend much time on the doors since they were working on a deadline hence they proceeded to rescue those who were hiding in neighboring Sainte<\/span> Paul premises, here the rescue process was fair since they broke windows and saved those who were inside including the ones hiding in nearby bushes.<\/p>\n

Rescuing those in the city centre<\/span> also required more military coverage in other suburbs. In this respect a group of soldiers attacked from Gisozi<\/span> sector were later on supported by a battalion known as Bravo from H Coy three platoons. The first platoon was in charge of taking the lead while the second platoon was assigned to rescue people at Saint Paul premises which is close to Saint Famille<\/span> Catholic Church and the third took the back cover and also assisted soldiers and civilians who were affected in several cross-fires with the militias. The soldiers rescued more than 500 people who were taken from Gisozi<\/span> to Kabuye<\/span> for treatment.<\/p>\n

The major added that \u201dsaving everyone wasn\u2019t easy because they were some who wanted to carry their property along which delayed the rescue process elsewhere . It is due to this delay that some military police from the militia side started shooting at the RPF<\/span> soldiers in various parts of the city. The crossfire led to injuries of some of the rescued people which made even some to halt their movement due to serious injuries. Those who were left in the swamps were rescued the previous night..<\/p>\n

The rescue process from the city\u2019s Catholic Church and Saint Paul wasn\u2019t the only operations in the city. Details about other hiding spots and how the saving process was conducted will be disclosed in our second part of the story. The second series will highlight rescue activities at Stade<\/span> Amahoro<\/span>, Sainte<\/span> Andre in Nyamirambo<\/span> and Rebero<\/span>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Though the RPF soldiers (Inkotanyi) might not have saved everyone on time during the Tutsi genocide, those who were saved narrate the heroism exerted by the peace-aimed soldiers led by President Paul Kagame. Igihe.com brings you an insight of some of the rescue operations conducted in the city. Chantal Mukanyandwi, 35, is one of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"byline":[279],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-56","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","byline-staff-reporter"],"bylines":[{"id":279,"name":"Staff Reporter","slug":"staff-reporter","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":null}],"contributors":[{"id":279,"name":"Staff Reporter","slug":"staff-reporter","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":null}],"featured_image":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56"},{"taxonomy":"byline","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/byline?post=56"},{"taxonomy":"hashtag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hashtag?post=56"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}