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On return to Ruhingeri we met up with all the other trekkers - who had visited two other gorilla families. One involved a trek of an hour and a half - whilst the third group trekked for an unbelievable ten minutes before making contact!! (Hardly worth putting your boots on for) Transpired that the gorillas came down to meet them !! Like our group, they too enjoyed their experiences. Today, our last full day in Africa began early - no surprise there, and we left at 8am for our journey into Kigali to visit The Kigali Memorial Centre The centre, a memorial for the 1994 genocide is sited in an elevated | ||||||
| position overlooking the city. This 21st century building, with its polished stone floors seemed, at first, a little out of place against the more austere outlook of the city. The museum is built on the site of the mass graves of 250,000 victims of the 1994 genocide. Following the genocide, hundreds of shallow graves were discovered around the city, along with many thousands of unidentified victims. Kigali City Council decided to create a single place suitable for dignified burial. The eight mass graves consist of concrete crypts, each three metres deep, filled to capacity with coffins. Whilst some coffins, though rarely, contained a single |
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individual many contained complete
families, and some contain up to 50 victims. One of the crypts
remains open - ten years on, as victims are still, in 2005, being recovered and
laid to rest here. Alongside the mass graves, there are plaques
containing the countless names that fell victim. Within the museum, there are three exhibitions. The history of the genocide in Rwanda, and previous genocides in other parts of the world are documented. By far the most moving of the exhibitions is that of the "Children's Memorial." Here there are walls of photographs of the |
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victims, many of whom were no more than toddlers. There are glass cases of dozens of unidentified skulls, their perfect teeth indicative of their youth. Many have grotesque fractures of the skull, broken jaws, with whole sections of bone missing. Nearby there are more photographs, accompanied by brief "pen pictures" of the victim. One is of a 4 year old girl - favourite food - fish - favourite pastime - dancing - best friend - her mum - cause of death - Struck over the head with a machete. Videos play - featuring survivors, each telling a tale surrounding the loss of their loved ones. |
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Inevitably, the theme is that genocides like that in Rwanda must never be allowed to happen again. The theme was to be repeated later that week as we returned home during the 60th anniversary week of the liberation at Auschwitz. One senses however the emptiness of these sentiments. As survivors of Auschwitz are speaking out, people are dying in 2005 in their thousands in Sudan, whilst the UN argue as to whether these mass killings fit neatly into their legal definition of the term "genocide." Perhaps they will agree later - by which time countless more lives will have been lost. |
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| Either way, the world once again seems to be watching, yet doing very little. Genocide always seems to be an historical term - always applying to previous mass killing - never seeming to be applied to the present day. It was with a somewhat sombre mood that day we made our way to our hotel for the | |||||||
| last night of our African adventure. We arrived at the Chez Lando Hotel in Kigali in the afternoon. We had been warned not to expect too much in the way of hot water, but were pleasantly surprised - the hotel was very comfortable, quite modern, with plenty of hot water. We gathered for a final meal together that evening in the restaurant. Sonia was eager to know if the tilapia featured on the menu (a local fish) came complete with the head and tail - she made it quite clear that she did not want it filleted - she wanted the whole fish ! The staff assured her that this indeed was what she would be served with. It was with some amusement for the group |
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when the tilapia arrived. Sonia made a valiant effort but was not able to finish her feast. A good night was had by all. Unfortunately our "table dancers" failed to appear - but Brenda readily stepped in, and sang for the group - and the other .......somewhat bemused diners in the restaurant!!! But, I simply cannot remember the name of the song .. (jesting of course...how could ever forget !!) | ||||||
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Numerous bottles of Primus, the local beer were consumed, along with the odd bottle or two of wine...... |
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E-mail addresses exchanged....
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even more bottles of wine consumed .... |
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......then it was time for
bed - a soft mattress, no marauding animals, no crickets,
no early-morning calls from Marcell, no pulling up your stool around the camp fire for the early-morning brew ..... all so very sad !! |
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