Genocide Archive of Rwanda

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the Genocide Archive of Rwanda. The world's largest collection of archival information about the Genocide against the Tutsi. https://genocidearchiverwanda.org.rw/

Today in 1994: Massacres at ETO and Nyanza, Kicukiro

In the first days of the Genocide against the Tutsi, Tutsi from Kagarama, Kicukiro and Gatenga went to ETO Kicukiro to seek refuge as they knew Belgian UN troops were stations there and hoped they would protect them.

On 11 April, UNAMIR troops were preparing to leave the country following the killing of 10 Belgian UN peacekeepers by the genocidal army & Interahamwe.

Tutsi pleaded with the UN troops to stay at ETO, knowing that the Interahamwe were preparing to attack. Young Tutsi kneeled in front of the vehicles, pleading with them to stay. But the UN troops shot in the air and drove away, abandoning them Tutsi to their deaths.

Immediately after the UN troops left ETO, Interahamwe militia entered the site in large numbers and began killing the Tutsi there. The militia threw grenades into the crowd & begun shooting.

The militia then sought to kill any survivors with machetes and other weapons. Tutsi not killed at ETO were then forced to march in heavy rain to Nyanza primary school.

Those too weak to walk were killed on the way. When they arrived at Nyanza, the militia ensured that no Hutu were among the group, asking them to identify themselves with their ID cards.

The genocidal militia and soldiers shot and threw grenades at the Tutsi. Afterwards, they used machetes to kill the surviving Tutsi.

The militia intended to return the following day to complete the massacre, but that night the RPA Inkotanyi arrived & rescued survivors.

Today, a memorial stands at the site of the massacre and is the final resting place for approximately 12,000 people killed in the Kicukiro area.

Learn more on our digital archive: http://genocidearchiverwanda.org.rw/index.php?title=Nyanza-Kicukiro&gsearch=