Confronting the horrors of Rwandan genocide

Remains of some of the victims of the genoside at Kigali Memorial Centre PIC THALEFANGC CHARLES
Remains of some of the victims of the genoside at Kigali Memorial Centre PIC THALEFANGC CHARLES

“One soldier came up to the house. I was sitting with my baby boy on my lap. He grabbed the child and threw him against the wall. He died from the impact… At dusk on the sixth day, I was raped by two gangs of Interahamwe. A third gang gave me a hoe and ordered me to dig my grave.” - Anne-Marie Bucyana, Rwanda genocide survivor

A visit to the Kigali Memorial Centre is traumatising. Thankfully my mind has a unique way of dealing with trauma. When I meet a traumatising situation it switches off and engage in what I term ‘fiction mode’. Denial, you might call it.

This prevents the tears and shock. Some people say it is being ‘heartless’. But touring the Rwandan genocide memorials was enough to crush all the shock resistance in me.

Editor's Comment
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