Nyamata Genocide Memorial Centre

Nyamata Genocide Memorial

Nyamata Genocide Memorial Church
Location within Rwanda
Coordinates 2°08′56″S 30°05′35″E / 2.149°S 30.093°E / -2.149; 30.093
Type Genocide museum

The Nyamata Genocide Memorial, is based around a former church 30km south of Kigali in Rwanda, which commemorates the Rwandan genocide in 1994. 50,000 people who died are buried here.[1]

Location

The memorial is based around a former church which is about 30km south of Kigali in Rwanda, which commemorates the Rwandan genocide in 1994.[1] This memorial centre is one of six in Rwanda that commemorate the Rwanda Genocide. The others are the Murambi Memorial Centre, Bisesero Genocide Memorial Centre and Ntarama Genocide Memorial Centre and others at Kigali and Nyarubuye.[2]

History

The Rwanda Genocide began in April 1994. Many Tutsi people gathered here as churches were considered a place of safety. 10,000 people gathered here and the people locked themselves in. The church walls today show how the perpetrators made holes in the walls of the church so that grenades could be thrown into the church. After this the people inside were shot or killed with machetes. The ceiling of the church shows the bullet holes and the altar cloth is still stained with blood. Most of the remains have been buried but clothing and identity cards are left.[3] The identity cards were what identified people as either Tutsi or Hutu.

People in the surrounding area were also killed after the massacre at the church. 50,000 are buried here.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Nyamata church, Lonely Planet, Retrieved 4 March 2016
  2. ↑ Sites mémoriaux du génocide : Nyamata, Murambi, Bisesero et Gisozi, UNESCO, Retrieved 4 March 2015
  3. ↑ Genocide Archive of Rwanda
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