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Kigali Memorial Center
The Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, located in Gisozi-Kigali, Rwanda, is a burial site for victims of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide. It was founded and is still run on behalf of the Rwanda National Commission for Genocide Prevention by Aegis Trust, a UK-based Genocide prevention organization. The Kigali Genocide Memorial center at Gisozi, which opened in 2004, is the final resting place for more than 250,000 Tutsi Genocide victims. This memorial also educates about how the Tutsi Genocide came to be and examines genocide in the twentieth century.
The 1994 Rwanda genocide was caused by tribal ethnic differences between Tutsis and Hutus, and the war lasted more than 100 days. This massive massacre claimed the lives of over 800,000-1,000,000 Rwandese during this time period. Hundreds of Rwandese were brutally murdered, including UN peacekeepers who had arrived in Rwanda to help stabilize the dire situation. Many families were displaced, and others fled to neighboring countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, Tanzania, and Burundi.
Hundreds of people were dumped in bodies of water, where they were discovered floating in the water, and others on river banks. Many died after sinking and being swallowed by water man-eaters like crocodiles. Some were rescued from the streets and forests where they had been abandoned. All of these were gathered and interred in mass graves at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center.
The Kigali Genocide Memorial center displays Rwanda’s nightmare as well as the historical context of the atrocious 1994 Genocide. It contains detailed information about the victims, such as their names, photos, last words, and how they were killed.
An education center, memorial gardens, and a national documentation center are available at the Kigali genocide Memorial Center. All of this contributes to a meaningful tribute to genocide victims and serves as a powerful educational tool for future generations. At the very least, there is hope that this massacre will not be repeated with the new generation in Rwanda, and that tribal differences or the human race will never be an issue again in terms of humanity.
The wall of names is a memorial to those who have died and is still under construction. Many of the victims’ names have yet to be gathered and documented, and many of those buried are unknown. The memorial gardens offer a peaceful setting for quiet reflection on the history of the Tutsi Genocide. They encourage visitors to consider how we all have a personal responsibility to prevent discrimination and mass atrocities. The center also assists survivors, particularly orphans and widows.
While the largest memorial is in Kigali, the genocide touched every corner of Rwanda, and as a result, there are many emotionally charged memorials all over the country. Some are as simple as a peaceful garden for reflection, while others are larger and house relics, remains, and exhibits about the genocide itself.
Some of the memorials outside of Kigali’s main memorial center include:
- Bisesero Genocide Memorial Center
- Ntarama Genocide Memorial Center
- Camp Kigali Belgian Monument
- Murambi Genocide Memorial Center
- Nyanza Genocide Memorial Center
- Nyamata Genocide Memorial Center
