Ecobank Rwanda staff, on April 25, visited Kamonyi Genocide Memorial site located in an area commonly known as ‘Kibuza’ to pay tribute to victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and donated Rwf5 million to help in the preservation of the site.
At the memorial, the bank’s staff members visited different sections of the site to learn and understand the history of the Genocide, specifically in this area.
Over 47,000 remains are buried at Kamonyi Genocide Memorial site that is located along the Kigali-Huye highway.
The remains were exhumed from different areas in former Commune Taba, in present-day Kamonyi District that was led by the former mayor (Bourgmestre) Jean-Paul Akayesu.
Akayesu was the first person to be tried and convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in October 1998 after being found guilty of genocide, extermination, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, murder, torture, rape other inhumane acts.
His conviction set an international precedent because, for the first time in an international court, rape and sexual violence were defined as crimes against humanity and as tools of torture and genocide.
At the event, the Managing Director of Ecobank Rwanda, Alice Kilonzo-Zulu, and employees of the bank laid wreaths on mass graves and observed a minute of silence in honour of the victims.
Kilonzo-Zulu noted that honouring Genocide victims was important for the Ecobank staff to learn and understand the history of genocide and ensure that it never happens again all over the world.
She urged the bank’s employees and Rwandans in general to join efforts in fighting genocide ideology and genocide denial.
She noted that the support given to the management of the memorial site, despite being small, is a sign of commitment to ensure genocide facts are preserved.
Zacharie Benedata, the vice president of Ibuka- the umbrella organisation of Genocide survivors associations in Kamonyi district commended Ecobank’s gesture saying it will go a long way in preserving the memory of their loved ones.
“There are over 47,478 genocide victims buried at the memorial site. They were exhumed from about eight sectors out of 12 sectors that make Kamonyi district,” he said.
The support will boost activities at the memorial site in different ways, he said.
“We have a plan to set up more shelves and also have a project to list names of genocide victims we managed to identify. All support is needed to ensure such preservation,” he said.
He said that on May 15, more genocide remains will be accorded decent burial at the site.
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