(PART III. EASTER CELEBRATIONS TURNED INTO A LENT ENDLESSLY)
Sunday, 10th April 1994,

(Some names have been modified for security reasons)

PRESIDENT Habyalimana Juvenal is no more meaning to many like me who grew up under his presidency it is a beginning of a new era. But, what kind of “post- Habyalimana era?”

The late Habyalimana had sworn, early January, as a designed president to lead the transitional period as prescribed by “Arusha Peace Protocol”. At the time of his ignoble death known as the “Kayibanda Gregoire International Airport attempt”, he left behind neither a prime minister nor a single cabinet minister nor Parliament speaker nor single member of Parliament since the previous ones were dissolved to pave a way the new ones as per Arusha agreement.

Habyalimana who ascended on power on 5 July 1973 through a “bloodless coup d’Etat” according to some observers, he came up with a single party called MRND popularly knows as “MUVOMA”. I could recall that we used to sing and dance together, regardless our ethnic belonging, creed, social status, various songs carrying message of praising Habyalimana as MUVOMA founder and the good policies of unity and peace back bone of bringing a stable and sustainable development in our land of thousand hills.

Rwanda with its scaring demographic growth whereby its population density was at almost 500 poeple per km square the highest in Africa. The country had nothing to talk about as far as natural resources is concerned. This status of affair made Rwanda to be ranked among the poorest. Habyalimana used to preach about tightening rather belts and he could add that “our gold, our diamond are peace and unity among Rwandese”.

Habyalimana emphasized on this in his several speeches expressed in Kinyarwanda especially during the “5 July” celebrations or anytime he interacted with his fellow Rwandese citizen since it was only way our country and its people could able to survive sharing equitably its meagre resources.

Who was due to take over from Habyalimana in the case of a death since there was no provision guiding what will happen in the case of a such situation? Arusha peace protocol was SILENT.

Three days earlier, on 7th April, a mourning and a curfew were decreed and everybody had to abide. However, some people had to start moving from one place to another running away from various factions which raid attacks to their homes. It is well documented that RPF/PRA – INKOTANYI based at the parliament building, started to moved out their base and killing some prominent people believed to have been collaborating with Habyalimana regime. This happened in neighbourhood over Rwanda national parliament building which was housing a RPF/PRA- Inkotanyi in readiness of power sharing.

The survivors of those atrocities had to run seeking refuge in the neighbouring hill hence Kinyinya rural health center (our neighbour to our small piece of land) was receiving people running away. These people came from the hills of Gacuriro, Nyarutarama (near the only golf club), east of Kigali CBD.

Around 1500 hours (on 7th April), some bazungu german expatriates working for the Radio Deustche Welle came to drop two boys who were bleeding profusely injured by grenades according to them. I recognised them since their father Ildephonse who was working for Deustche Welle (Voice of Germany station relay) and their sister Marie Aimee was my former primary classmate. And they left them there.

Kinyinya rural health center was built in late 80’s, as a joint efforts of Umuganda and the government. That was some sort of the development Kinyinya sector (one of ten sectors of Rubungo district) could talk about.

The rural health enter became a home of internal displaced people seeking a shelter other injured looking for medical attention. I recall a case of an expectant mothers who could have been evacuated to the main hospital in Kigali CBD city but it was not possible since her last delivery was through a ceasar miraculously she managed to deliver normally.

The small Kinyina hill, had 3 kms tarred road from the Deustche welle compound entrance up to the Nyarutarama Hill golf club and Kami Police Military barracks on west side. The 1987 Kami Military Barracks brought excitement when it was officially inaugurated since many were expropriated, given money and left to settle somewhere else.

When the October 1990 war/invasion started, our trading center was full of soldiers during the week ends. Since Kami was mainly for Military Police then our misery began; it became a house of deserting soldiers and others waiting to face military discipline hearings. Many fighting incidents became the order of the day in our trading centre taverns.

When the fight resumed after the assassination of Habyalimana, it was not easy to know what was going somewhere else. It was not possible to move due to the curfew. Everybody was scared, the country has no authority and a power vacuum was created.

On the same Thursday, I managed to phone ( from a Pepsi kiosk near the Kinyinya health center) my friend Sam who was staying in Nyamirambo (a west hill dominant the Kigali CBD). The owner of the pepsi kiosk could come and open it but there were no customers. I asked Sam about the prevailing situation in his area since the machine guns and automatic rifles were heard throughout the day; he assured me that everything was quite normal and he was worried about my area. I assured him. That was the last call to make since the Rwandatel satellite that was helping us to communicate became non-functional after being and destroyed by RPF/APR- INKOTANYI elements. This led to all numbers that were starting by 08 (for instance + 250 (8) 5214) became non operation by the destruction of Gishushu earth satellite and my area was affected the ones starting by 07 (e.g: + 250 (7) 5214) were using Nyanza earth satellite remain functional.

This brought too much anxiety since there was no possibility to know what was taking place to other area of the country; the only source of up to date was Rwanda Radio, the famous newly launched private Radio Television Libre des Milles Collins (RTLM) and rumour mongering. I used, times to times to listen to Muhabura radio created by RPF – INKOTANYI during lunch break and a short siesta at the varsity campus where I could be joined by some people looking for piece work from the area surrounding it but during that period I was scared to do so.

The incoming tragedy was “well documented “. The writing was on the wall according to the famous Magayane, the like “Rwandese psyche Paul Octopus”, he had predicted it: “it will be raining for three days” (after the death of the sitting president) and for sure it had rained heavily since Thursday; it was not clear, according to the “Magayane prophecy” if it was rains of bullet or rains from the sky. It was rather a race between bullets noises against rains downpour.

On our Kinyinya Hills some people were killed, the rains hasten the decomposition of cadavers; the situation was becoming a health hazard and a shame to the living people. In those circumstances, even our Sector Councillor ( the ward civic leader) was reluctant to come up with any initiative without waiting the instructions from “above”.

Some of us who were conversant with the French language, the International Radio channels became the only reliable source of updates, that how we learnt the killings of our former and outgoing prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana , Chief Justice Joseph Kavaruganda death, Socialist Party President and outgoing Minister of Agriculture Frederic Nzamurambaho, the list could go on. Rumor-mongers could add other people perceived to be too critical to the Habyalimana regime.

By Friday evening, it was clear that the cease fire was history, the Forces Armees Rwandaise (FAR) and RPF have adjourned sine die the Arusha Peace Protocol process.

Traditionally, Easter day celebrations were special to many of Rwandese , it influenced many social activities as: christening, religious marriages just to mention but a few. During the lent period many social ceremonies were on hold.

On the other side, the month of April was the peak of the “grand raining season” (lasting from March to mid June), this again was posing a challenge to travel since most dusty roads were impassable, not only that, it was challenging to stage a gathering without being disturbed by the rains downpour.

Surprisingly, on that Easter day, many weddings were “adjourned” sine die citing for an ” un-conducive environment prevailing”. Surprisingly again, this was done without the traditional announcement via radio which was the popular way and reliable for someone to pass on that kind of message. My friend Denis who was supposed to tie knots during Easter long weekend postponed his wedding silently.

Came 10th April, a Sunday, it was not possible to stage any dominical cult. Some “elders” managed to convince our sector councillor to bury the decomposing cadavers.

A death in the rural area was an open invitation to every jimmy and jack plying his trade in that area, especially the men folk. This noble task of burying the dead, in such circumstances became the men assignment.

After some informal consultative meetings, two groups were formed: one was assigned to go to east side of the Kinyinya hill which was Binunga cell (a cell was a subdivision of a sector. A sector could be made of 5 cells) another one went to the west i.e Murama cell.

What a burial: a group of 30 people to bury by a number of more than 20 people, a tomb could be a small ditch at knee level near where a body was found lying and covered by soil.

My friend Simon (not his name) who was a catechist could lead us into pray of just a sign of cross before proceeding to the next body.

Discreetly, with my box of matches size of a film using camera, a gift from my friend Emile who gave it away since photography was not his hobby, I could get some pictures. The images were very disturbing and nobody was prepared psychologically.

My curiosity has led to a place I have heard that some people were killed on Friday 08th, I took pictures in hurry but one person from the neighbourhood was observing; afterwards he asked me what I was doing; I tried to give him an answer I beg him not to tell anyone. I think he did not tell anybody otherwise I could not have lived to narrate this. I found the use of my small analogue camera of a Russian make “Agate” which I could hold in my one hand. I lost it later on.

At the end of the day (on that Sunday), we had managed to bury a good number of corpses and this continued the following day in the midst of rains and deafening machine guns /mortal bombs noises.

This Sunday remains a sun-less but it was a sunny day. My memory to overcome it has been not easy.

End….

P.S:
My slain little girl friend Peggy

The image of Peggy (not her real name) my “slain little girl friend” is still fresh in my memory.

I knew Peggy from primary school, I was older than her. Some of her older brothers were my friends since we played gatsima (a kind of ball made out of foam material west) together at same Kinyinya primary school grounds, we attended the same church, and so on.

By April 1994, Peggy was at her parents ‘home because of Easter school break. She was studying from a south Rwanda private “primary teachers training secondary school ” in her 4th year (lasting 6 years). (in Rwanda, like in other French speaking country, according to their education system, the vocational training was done at secondary education level in contrast of the Britain system whereby it is done at the tertiary level).

Peggy was light complexion, pretty and was a bit reserved like any “Rwandese woman of good morals”. We could meet during school breaks social gatherings, she could ask me why I do like “hiding” during school breaks; this could puzzle me since I was rather treating her as my “little sister”.

After RPF INKOTANYI invasion, it was rumoured that some of her brothers have joined the RPF ranks. On my side, I was spending most of my times at school in Butare (Rwanda South) far from home, it was not easy to verify that.

Unfortunately, Peggy was not spared. I took an extra dose of courage not to feint when I discovered her body decomposing without being buried decently.

Finally, Peggy was buried on the very Sunday however her last image is still fresh like yesterday.

Picture: Kinyinya hill aerial view showing part of Radio Deustche Welle station relay. Source: google.