Of the many events known of Rwanda, the 1994 genocide is one of the most prominent and a horrendous one at that. The wrathful act that took place between 7th April to 15th may 1994 brought about ubiquitous mourning in Rwanda as more than one million people lost their lives at the hands of machete wielding genocidaires.
One of the major sites of this massacre was the Nyamata Catholic church area, where about 50,000 natives lost their lives, with about 15000 of these killed from inside the church. Events at this church took place between 16th to 18th April 1994 leaving several Tutsis and half-caste Hutus dead from variable weapon wounds. Nyamata church is one of the six celebrated national genocide memorial sites in Rwanda, others being; Kigali genocide memorial site, Murambi, Ntarama, Bisesero and Nyarubuye genocide memorial site.
Nyamata church is located in Bugesera region, about 36 kilometers south of Kigali. This region was formerly inhabited and dense with infested forests, but the first minor incidences of genocide in around 1959 and 1960 saw the Tutsis forcefully resettled to this area, and therefore by 1994, the region was predominantly filled with Tutsi people that would later make it a major target during 1994 genocide whose aim was to erase the entire Tutsi race.
During the events of 1950s and 60s, many people hid in churches and were safe since churches were never attacked at that time. It is from this history that many Tutsis, mostly women and children sought refuge in Nyamata church and other churches. Unfortunate though, the Interahamwe forced open the closed doors with grenades and killed the people hiding in the church in a senseless massacre with machetes, guns and other weapons. Other people who managed to escape from the church and those hiding around the church were also later killed.
A visit to the site reveals one of the darkest and gloomiest sights and a somber mood often engulfs one as they enter this church and ponder over the devastating sights and remains from the massacre. The walls and ceiling still show proof with bullet holes and evidence of grenade explosion shrapnels, as the killers forced their way into the church, which let streams of light into the church. A guided tour by one of the genocide survivors shows how the church walls still possess large stains of blood and the altar cloth equally bears stains evidential of a large volume of blood; more of as though someone was slaughtered at the altar.
The pews are covered with heaps of dirty/bloodstained rags, which were clothes belonging to the victims. Some remains of the victims can also be seen in the church, with some in wooden boxes covered in purple garments. Most of the church is covered in purple and white which are symbolic for hope and mourning. One person is buried in the church and other are buried in two mass graves behind the church. The bones of victims bear marks of the weapons used in the brutal killings. Beneath the church is a basement room that has been made into a catacomb, having some remains of the victims and a display of their skulls.
Nyamata church is also a location for Antoinette Locatelli’s grave, an Italian Roman catholic missionary who was gunned down on 9th March, 1992, for speaking about the plight of Tutsis who were being murdered in Rwanda and warning of a developing genocide. There is also a plaque at the exit bearing names of the victims and artefacts of a machete and other weapons, and a model of I. Ds which were major objects of the genocide. Machete was a murder weapon and an I.D was an identification document of whether one was a Hutu or Tutsi.
Taking pictures inside the church is however prohibited, unless given a permit by the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG).
Nyamata catholic church was desacralized on 11th April 1997 by the Roman Catholic Church, and this date is honored every year in commemoration of the victims killed at this site. After government negotiations with the catholic church, it was made a national memorial site. People visit the site to pay respect and remember the victims, learn more and get historical facts.
Entrance to the site is free but one is encouraged to make a small donation to support maintenance of the site. This breathtaking site is a vivid epitome of dark tourism that is better experienced on a personal visit to the site and in many other places around Rwanda.
