Huye: Genocide survivors claim they’re ready to forgive

On June 25th 2012, during the event to commemorate 1994 genocide against Tutsi victims in Mukura sector - Huye district, some survivors said they are willing to forgive and forget.

“It hurts when you are willing to forgive but those who wronged you are there and not willing to ask for forgiveness,” laments Francoise Uwihoreye addressing the gathering at Mukura sector memorial center.

Egide Nkuranga, Vice President of “Ibuka” added: “We want to forgive but who do we forgive.”

In every speech, genocide participants were urged to ask for forgiveness from genocide survivors because accepting your guilt heals their hearts and restores harmony.

Nkuranga advised genocide participants to come out and testify because they know better what happened during genocide. “After 18 years of genocide, it is a problem that only survivors talk about genocide. I don’t know which herbs we shall use so that genocide participants to testify. At least they can tell us where they dumped the people they killed so that we burry them at once and keep on remembering.”

Nkuranga acknowledged the role of evangelists in making the genocide participants testify on what happened and ask for forgiveness to the people that lost their families.

“Those who participated in 1994 Tutsi genocide have not taken a step to live a normal life. It’s the role of preachers to help them,” adds Nkuranga.