100 Days

Mention Rwanda to anyone in the States and the only association they have is of the 1994 Genocide, usually because of viewing the film Hotel Rwanda.  Prior to our departure, when I wanted to read about the country most of the books available were focused on the Genocide.  It is recent history and it has scarred the lives of all who live here.

I've noted more than once that the beginning of April is marked here by Genocide Memorial Day.  In truth it is a period of 100 days of commemoration marking the time from April 6 until July when hundreds of thousands of people were killed.  We were not in Rwanda on April 6 and 7 (many ex-pats leave the country to allow the Rwandans a time to mourn) but these two days are marked by memorial marches and official ceremonies of commemoration.  There is an official commission, the National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide on which you can read more detail about how the 17th commemoration is being marked. 

I could never do justice to writing about the Genocide, I won't even try.  Here in Kigali we are surrounded by the survivors, the criminals and many returned refugees.  Most Rwandans keep their stories to themselves.  Every adjective you are thinking right now is appropriate to describe this event. 

During early April, Patricia and I did visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre.  The centre has exhibits that describe the genocide and the history that led to it, exhibits on other genocides and it is also a mass burial site that is still active as even today and this month more bodies of victims are being found.

The memorial flame at the centre, it is lit on April 6 and stays lit for 100 days

One of the areas of the mass graves