April 19,1994: The hate speech of President Sindikubwabo in Butare, mobilizing people of Butare to exterminate Tutsi

On April 19, 1994, the criminal government continued to implement their plan to exterminate Tutsi in all regions of the country. In the context of continuing to recall the history of the Genocide, this document points out some of the locations where Tutsi massacre took place on this date in 1994.

The hate speech of President Sindikubwabo in Butare, mobilizing people of Butare to exterminate Tutsi, the appointment of the Prefect who was to carry out the Genocide in Butare

On April 19, 1994, the criminal government removed Prefect Habyarimana Jean Baptiste, who had tried to prevent the killings in Butare, although he was also being hunted down because he was a Tutsi, and replaced him by Sylvain Nsabimana who was a member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD). He became the prefect of Butare and led the massacre between April 19 to June 17, 1994. He was arrested in Kenya on July 18, 1997 by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) which convicted him with genocide crime and was sentenced to 18 years of imprisonment.

Prefect Sylvain Nsabimana worked with Pauline Nyiramasuhuko, Shalom Arsène Ntahobali, André Rwamakuba, Alphonse Nteziryayo, Joseph Kanyabashi, Ladislas Ntaganzwa and Elie Ndayambaje.  They were also together with soldiers including Major Tharcisse Muvunyi who was in the Ecole des Sous Officiers (ESO), to eliminate Tutsis of Butare.

On April 19, 1994, the President of the criminal government Theodore Sindikubwabo, called on people of Butare to exterminate Tutsi: In his speech, he called the public to participate in the killings and reminded them not to act as if it is not their business.  Later, soldiers joined by Hutu Interahamwe militia killed many Tutsi civilians living in Butare and refugees from other parts of the country. 

Among those who participated in the inauguration ceremony of the new Prefect included members of the criminal government, who shared the same ideology of extermination of Tutsis, such as Mugenzi Justin, Prosper Mugiraneza and Pauline Nyiramasuhuko. Shortly after the speech of Sindikubwabo, Tutsis were massacred in Butare town.

The same day, soldiers of the criminal government threw bombs at Amahoro Stadium where 19 people under protection of United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) were killed. 

Tutsis massacred in Ngoma Sector, Kigembe commune, Butare 

Ngoma sector is currently located in Nyaruguru District but during the Genocide against the Tutsi it was located in Kigembe Commune and was led by Mayor SEMANYENZI in Butare Prefecture. Ngoma sector had about two places where many Tutsis were killed during the genocide.

Many Tutsis were killed at Nkomero in Ngoma Sector, Nyaruguru District, on the Huye-Akanyaru road. During the Genocide against the Tutsi, some Tutsi refugees who wanted to cross to Burundi passed by Nkomero. On April 16,1994, Tutsi who had survived the massacres in Mubuga, Gikongoro, Cyahinda, Rwamiko communes and the people of Nkomero who wanted to flee to Burundi through the Akanyaru border, were prohibited from crossing the border and stayed into the Akanyaru Valley.

The next day on April 17, 1994 they were evacuated and brought to the courtyard in Nkomero. On the same day, the Prefect of Butare, Habyarimana Jean Baptiste arrived at the site and promised the refugees that he would find a way to put them in a camp for security purposes. However, he also was immediately removed and slaughtered in the following days.

On April 18 and 19, 1994 more than 3360 Tutsis gathered at Nkomero ground were killed with the involvement of:

The Mayor of Kigembe commune called SEMANYENZI;

Ngoma Sector Councillor called MUNYENGANGO Leonard;

Fuji Sector Councillor called BENINKA;

The Councillor of Kivu named Filemo;

A teacher called MUGEMANSHURO Godfield;

A businessman called KAYITANA John;

Interahamwe.

Few Tutsis who had survived Nkomero massacre were killed in the valley of Akanyaru while trying to cross the border to Burundi on April 19, 1994.

Tutsi massacred in Kigembe, Gacurabwenge Sector, Musambira, Kamonyi

Kigembe is located in Gacurabwenge Sector, Kamonyi District, formerly in Musambira Commune. This was a well-known residence for the tribes of the Abatsobe and Abasinga. Tutsis who lived in Kigembe were killed in April 1994 by attacks led by former Councillor NDAHAYO. On the first day many Tutsis were killed, and the rest fled to the bushes. NDAHAYO, the councillor, later said that harmony was back and called upon all those who were hiding to come out of their hidings.  They came out and gathered at the home of an old man called GATARABIRWA.

Many Tutsis were informed that others had gone to the old man GATARABIRWA and they chose to join them increasing their number to more than a 100. Ndahayo brought the biggest attack around 1pm including the soldiers. 

The attacks were distributed; another attack went to kill Tutsis who were gathered at KABERA’s (a Tutsi) home. They took them to GATARABIRWA's son called Visenti and ordered them to dig for themselves but they refused. The Interahamwe started digging for them from 2 pm and started killing them around 5 pm. They started with boys; they stripped the parents of their clothes and then tied the children up like fire wood, and then Hutus carried them like luggage and threw them into the pit alive. After killing children, they started with adults and then tried to cover the pit even though the corpses were many and did not fit in.  The most notorious of these killers was a man called Abudrahaman of Musambira, councillors NDAHAYO, Firipo and Yanwari. It was after the Genocide that all Tutsis killed in Kigembe were buried but later transferred to Kibuza Memorial.

Tutsi massacred at Rutare rw’Abarenga in Kamonyi, Nyabarongo

Rutare rw’Abarenga is a wide rock close to the river of Nyabarongo and the water is so deep so that none could not get out of it easily.  The rock is located in Fukwe village. Many people from Karangara and Musenyi were taken there.

On April 19, 1994 the massacre started in Rwezamenyo (at Nyabarongo), Kamonyi- now in Nyabitare, Marembo cell where many Tutsis from Kirwa of Kayenzi and Ngamba area were killed. 

These areas located in Ngamba sector, Kamonyi District on the shores of the Nyabarongo River, were formerly located in Taba commune which was administrated by AKAYEZU Jean Paul who was convicted by the Arusha tribunal for genocide crime.

Many Tutsis from Ngamba Sector were thrown into Nyabarongo river. Not only these but also others from Kayenzi commune and elsewhere were dumped in Nyabarongo. The massacre started on April 19, 1994 until RPF liberated the area by the end of June 1994. Those who were thrown in Nyabarongo were not killed but handcuffed. The number of people dumped in Nyabarongo in Ngamba is high because all Tutsis from Rukoma, Kayenzi and Ngamba were taken there.

The main perpetrators of the Ngamba massacre at Nyabarongo are: MUTIJIMA (a secretary at the commune); RUVUGAMA sylilo (an MP), RURANGIRWA (a policeman), TWAGIRAYEZU Vincent also called Kagozi, MBARUBUKEYE (a teacher); MANYUKANE Sytani, RUMUMBA Samuel, MUNYABURANGA (a teacher); MUNYANKUMBURWA and HATEGEKA (teachers in Marembo), NSENGIYAREMYE (a councillor), NDAHAYO who called himself Pilate, KAYIBANDA, NTARIZABONEKA and others. 

Massacre of Tutsi in Cyarutare forest (Cyibihanga), Kamonyi

This place was called “cyibihanga” and is located in Muyange cell, Kayumbu Sector. About a hundred Tutsis were killed here, including members of the Abasinga tribe who lived nearby, as well as others who were taken from around. On April 19, Tutsis who were hiding in the forest were attacked by Interahamwe militias of Rutobwe and others from Nyabikenke. These people were cruelly killed with machetes and clubs. 

After killing them, they threw them into the pit and others were buried in the trenches in the forest.  After the genocide, bodies dumped in the forest were exhumed and buried in dignity at the Kibuza memorial in Gacurabwenge sector, Kamonyi district.

Massacre of Tutsi in Kamonyi centre (ku Masuka)

The Kamonyi Center is located in Kamonyi Village, Nkingo Cell, Gacurabwenge Sector, but was formerly located in Taba Commune. From the main road to Kamonyi Parish and Nturo Center, many Tutsis were killed during Genocide.

The center is also linked with Nyamugari hill, which haboured refugees from Kivuye, where Tutsis were killed. The massacre took place from April 19, 1994 until the end of the Genocide.

There were two roadblocks: one at the main road and the other one behind Kamonyi Parish. One day Tutsis from Kamonyi and others from Kigembe were gathered and killed opposite the Parish near the statute of virgin Mary. They were not killed inside the church because the existing priest, Pie, refused to allow them to enter the church and closed it. Many Tutsis from all around continued to be captured at the roadblocks and killed and then dumped in the pits in Kamonyi forest. 

Massacre of Tutsi at Mushishiro Parish (Muhanga)

Killers ‘roadblock was located in Buringa at Kabadaha center and is now in Kabadaha village, Munazi cell, Mushishiro sector, Muhanga District. Before the genocide it was in Buringa Commune. When the genocide started on april 9, 1994, many Tutsis from Kibilira and Buringa communes took refuge in Kabadaha village in which the headquarter of the commune was built. 

The Mayor of Buringa commune accompanied all the Tutsis who had taken refuge in the commune to Kabgayi. After that, the former deputy Mayor NTABASHWA Yohani conducted the subsequent massacre in the area.

From April 10, 1994, a large military roadblock was established at the centre precisely at the KARAMIRA Frodouard’s mini-hotel where he was born and represented MDR power. Karamira is the one who supplied weapons used in the massacre of Tutsis there. The roadblock was intended to kill Tutsis from all around, including refugees from Kabgayi, those from Kigali and elsewhere.

Between 180 and 200 Tutsis were killed at the roadblock and dumped in a pit at KARAMIRA hotel, which was normally intended to dispose of the animal's remains from the hotel. Those who exhumed the bodies found the bodies mixed with chicken wings and much more. 

Apart from those Tutsis killed there, there are many roadblocks everywhere in Buringa commune:

There were roadblocks at Buringa commune, Munazi, in Nyagasozi sector and in Nyagako where many Tutsi were killed by refugees who had fled to Buringa. Additionally, roadblocks were established in Rwigerero (near the cell office) and another one near the market, at Mushishiro parish – it was set up by a Burundian priest named Jeremy NDUWABIKE, at Nama (Rukaragata), at Nyabarongo (Karombozi), at Rwasare, Matyazo and many others.

Tutsis were killed at all the roadblocks; others were thrown in Nyabarongo.

 Some of the most prominent participants in the genocide in that area are: NTABASHWA John (Deputy Mayor), KARAMIRA Frodouard, GASIRIBANYI Alex, MUNYANKUMBURWA Faustin, KAMONYO Fidele, MUTIMURA Claver, Father NDUWABIKE Jeremy (Burundian), MP Major UKURIKIYEYEZU, NYAMINANI Felicien who had been the Mayor of Buringa, SEBAZUNGU Cyril (Chef of Electrogaz I Kigali).

Massacre of Tutsi in Kayenzi commune, Gitwa, Gashinge, Kirwa, Kamonyi

Since April 13, 1994, the massacre of Tutsis had started in Gitwa (Kirwa Cell) in Kayenzi sector. Tutsis had taken refuge in the home of a Tutsi man who was the director of the Gitwa school called UGIRASHEBUJA Felicien. They have been resisting attacks from Musasa in Gakenke from April 13, but the situation worsened as Kayenzi people also launched attacks on them.

A harsh attack took place on April 19, 1994 and Tutsi retaliated it but another major attack was planned ahead of a meeting held at Gitwa Primary school ground allegedly led by NKUNDIRAMYE Alphonse and MUNYAKAZI Leopold. When the attack came, Tutsis saw it and went to Beyite forest, while others went to the home of a Tutsi called KAJUGIRO. The attackers killed them all from their hiding especially in Beyite forest. 

The main perpetrators of the massacre in Kayenzi commune are the Mayor MBARUBUKEYE Jean and the perpetrators of the massacre in Kirwa are MPABAREZI, RWAGAKWANDI, HITIMANA Jean Damascene, NGENDO, RUTICUMUGAMBI Aloys, NZABANITA Cyrille, NKUNDIRAMYE Alabonse, UWAYEZU Leonidas and others. 

9.  The massacre of Tutsi who had taken refuge in the Muko commune office

After the massacre of a few Tutsis who had taken refuge at Mushubi parish on April 7, 1994, on April 8, 1994 many Tutsis immediately fled at Muko commune headquarter but most of them also fled to Kaduha parish because they had learned that mayor Kayihura Albert was involved in the killing of those at Mushubi parish and they felt they would not be safe. 

Residents who could not go to Kaduha continued to flee from the sectors of Muko and Musebeya commune area as its headquarter was built near the border of the two communes. They had promised refugees that they would be protected at the headquarter and those who were hiding in the bushes came out. But this was a plot to collect them for easy killing. 

On April 19, 1994 an attack led by a notorious killer nicknamed Rukokoma was singing the following words: "What do you want?" They replied: the cockroaches. Where are they? At Muko Commune, they replied! Why are you looking for them? To slaughter them; replied the killers... The attack did not kill anyone at the Commune because their security guards refused to give them up for reasons that were not known by refugees. 

The Bourgmestre Kayihura Albert, Musonera (the director of Primary School), Rukokoma and others immediately held a meeting and decided that they would kill men first and then kill women and children later. The attackers went back to change the killing plan and refugees thought they had escaped but attackers went to a place called Gishwati to reorganise. 

Men and boys were packed in 3 vehicles falsely telling them that they are taken to Kaduha parish because there was no security in Mushubi. About three miles away at a place called Gishwati, they found an attack waiting for them and killed them with traditional weapons, leaving only one survivor who jumped and run away.  Others could not get through because the killers had surrounded cars.

Women and children who had remained at the Commune lived a very bad life; women were raped and later killed on April 19, 1994. The attack was led by MUNYARIHAMYE Pascal, who was in charge of the Mushubi Cell, and carried about 500 women and children to Mushubi Health Center where they were killed. 

Among those at the forefront of inciting the massacre of Tutsis were the Sous prefet of Munini sub prefecture Biniga Damiyani who was born in Muko commune, Bourgmestre of Muko commune KAYIHURA Albert, Musonera Etienne (the principal of Rugano Primary School) who was sentenced by the Gacaca Courts to 15 years in prison, councillors and responsibles, including Hakizimana (Councillor of Sovu) and others.

Some renowned killers are Sekanyambo, Muberandinda, Mbaraga, Habimana, Kanyamanza, Rukokoma, Munyabihame, Muberandinda, Munyembaraga, Ruhigisha, Sebera Aloys and others. Mushubi Genocide Memorial is now home to more than 14,152 bodies of the victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi.

10. Massacre of Tutsi in Nyakanyinya, Mururu Sector, Rusizi

The massacre in Nyakanyinya had started on April 13, 1994. A large number of Interahamwe militia came from Mururu and started to brutally kill Tutsis with grenades, guns and traditional weapons. On April 19, 1994 Interahamwe returned to exterminate the wounded and others who had not been able to escape thinking that the killing was over. 

Similarly, on April 19, 1994 Tutsis were massacred in Nyamukumba in Ruhango. On the way to Ruhango, there were a valley where many Tutsis were killed because all sides were bordered by the Interahamwe and there were dangerous roadblocks.

Genocide against the Tutsis was planned and implemented by the Government. The fact that Tutsis were killed from the morning of April 7, 1994 across the country, it is undeniable that it was a government’s planned agenda. 

Dr BIZIMANA Jean Damascène

Executive Secretary

National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG)