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By Annonciata Byukusenge
More than 1,020 members drawn from some 6,000 cooperatives, representing close to six million members across the country, gathered to commemorate the Tutsi who were killed at Bisesero during the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994.
Those in attendance said the visit left them with lasting lessons, chief among them the importance of developing unity and actively pushing back against genocide ideology wherever it takes root.
Nsanzimana Ildephonse, a tea farmer from the Nyaruguru district, said the testimonies of Bisesero survivors carry lessons every Rwandan should take to heart in the fight against genocide ideology.
“The courage of the people of Bisesero is a pillar of unity that each of us must draw from. A survivor who spoke to us recounted how they united together so that the killers couldn’t overpower them. Unfortunately, the bad leadership encouraged killers to kill them, and more than 50,000 people were killed.”
He added that what they heard would not stay within the group; they would carry it back and share it with those they represent.
Nyirabahinyuza Médiatrice, head of the National Council of Cooperatives in Rwanda (NCCR), joined Western Province and Karongi District leadership in visiting the Bisesero Memorial, which honors roughly 60,000 victims. She addressed that the unity that defined the people of Bisesero must be educated, because a united people cannot be suppressed.
“Remembrance is a duty that belongs to every Rwandan. We came to Bisesero to honor the memory of those who were killed and to learn from their good example, people who faced a shared tragedy and found strength in each other. They gave everything they had, even with limited means. That spirit is the very foundation on which the cooperative movement is built.”
She focused on the fact that honoring this legacy means not only remembering it but also actively living by it.
“Let us hold these lessons close and never let them disappear. Our responsibility as the living is to remember those we lost, to honor their memory, and to support one another. We are the strength of this nation. Let us join hands, work hard, stand together, and build our country.”
Sebuhoro Antoine is one of the survivors of Bisesero. In his testimony, he focused on the spirit of solidarity that held them together, and he paid tribute to some of the individuals who helped them endure more than 60 days of confrontation with the Interahamwe.
“We migrated to this hill of Bisesero, nearly 50,000 Tutsi. Some had always lived on this hill; others came from surrounding areas. We remained united until the civilian Interahamwe realized they couldn’t kill us on their own power. They then called in military Interahamwe, who came and killed many of us, leaving only a handful of survivors.”
He also remembered those who showed extraordinary bravery, fighting to protect others even at the cost of their own lives.
“We honor the courage of Birara and Nzigira. They fought for us until Birara was killed. He was killed while going back to check on the children he had left behind. The unity that bound us must continue to define us as Rwandans. We must keep the consolidation that bond.”
The president of Ibuka in the Karongi district, Ngarambe Vedaste, says that the bravery of the Bisesero people should be a good example to continue preserving the unity of Rwandans.
“Tutsis took refuge in the CDN, Hotel de Mille Collines, and in Bisesero in large numbers. This is where many died, but many also survived. We must live and be where they are not. Please convey this message to others.”
The Western Province Governor, Ntibitura Jean Bosco, commended the people of Bisesero for their courage, for choosing to stand together rather than surrender when their lives were in danger.
“It takes real courage to refuse division and hold firm in unity. You must continue to be a foundation of peace. People must abandon divisionism, fight genocide ideology, and take the message you receive here back to those you represent.”
He also took the opportunity to call on cooperative members from every corner of the country to visit as many memorial sites as possible, noting that doing so gives a fuller picture of the nation’s history, and urged them never to let those who misrepresent the history of the Genocide go unchallenged.
“Let us keep building our unity and stand resolutely against those who peddle genocide ideology.” Young people, take your place in building a new Rwanda. Use social media to push back against those who deny the Genocide.
The Bisesero Genocide Memorial is the final resting place for over 60,000 victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The Bisesero site commemorates the more than two months of resistance by Tutsi against the Genocide perpetrators before being exterminated. It’s one of Rwanda’s eight national memorials and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
