Burundi: Assassination of President Ndadaye in 1993 followed by the Genocide of the Tutsi: Terrible testimonies (Part 6)
We have said it and we will never stop repeating it, the assassination of President Ndadaye was a very serious act for the country. It was done by a group of people, Hutu as well as Tutsi, soldiers and politicians with implications from foreigners. It was therefore not planned and executed by Tutsis from Burundi. We say that if there was fair justice, all planners and implementers should be brought to justice immediately, tried expeditiously and punished according to the law. What bothers the Burundians and the international community is the spontaneous reaction of the Hutus of Frodebu and Palipehutu across the country, to take machetes and spears to kill all Tutsis down to the foetus. This shows that it is not a reaction of anger as some have tried to explain it, but an action planned and carried out, a genocide as the report well qualified (S / 1996/682 of August 22, 1996) of the UN commission sent to Burundi in 1995.
In addition to this report, URNHITAMWONEZA is in possession of a document which contains details on the course of the genocide as told by some survivors. The names of the victims and executioners, hill by hill, town by town, appear there. If these executioners had been arrested, tried and punished like the planners and executors of the Ndadaye assassination, Burundi would not be what it is today; a country still in insecurity, without stability and consequently without development.
Today we offer you some testimonies from survivors on the course of the genocide of Tutsis and Hutus in Uprona, as well as those primarily responsible for these assassinations in the Musigati and Muyebe areas of Bubanza province In the Musigati area, on the Musigati, Kinazi, Mpishi, Kayange hills, the killers began on October 23, 1993, around 11 a.m. Some of the killers attacked the Tutsis and certain Hutus living on the above-mentioned hills. They first threw stones at the roofs, windows and doors of the houses where they were hiding. After the houses were smashed down, they looted everything in them as well as livestock and livestock. At around 12 noon, they began to assemble all the victims hill by hill to take them to MPISHI hill where they were gathered at 3 pm. They were escorted back to the Kibira and arrived on NYARUZURU hill around 7:30 p.m. The killers locked them in a wood storage shed, and then roasted stolen meat and drank beers purchased with the money stolen from the victims.
At around 3 a.m., they began to kill their victims, primarily adult men followed by young boys over 15 years old. Women were killed last, preceded by children. The victims were killed with clubs and knives except NTIBARUFATA Libère who was crucified and on whom the killers practiced archery. 76 people were killed there.
There are Hutus who have been killed by other Hutus. On MUGOMA hill, MUYEBE zone, a Hutu named NKURIKIYE and his son were killed shortly after NDADAYE’s death because they were accused of poisoning the president. In fact, they were killed because they belonged to UPRONA. On MUSIGATI Hill, members of the NYENYE family were killed for belonging to the UPRONA party. The procedures were the same in this province. In some areas, there were no Tutsis left; it was difficult to find survivors who could tell what happened in some areas.
The authorities responsible for this genocide who were cited by the survivors are: in the MUSIGATI Zone: NTAHOMENYEREYE Salvator, representative of the people; BUYONDI Hilaire, member of the Provincial Committee of FRODEBU; NKWEZI Jean Baptiste, director of the Primary School at MUSIGATI; NGENDABANYIKWA Vital, Director of CIYA Primary School; NTIZIZAKUMWE Deogratias, Head of Sector of BUHURIKA; SHWAGARA Oscar. In the Muyebe zone, the most cited are: the MUYEBE zone chief; NTIRARUHA Paul, Teacher of MUYEBE; RUKARA Come, Forest Guard; MANIRABARUTA Redeemer: Former Chief of Zone; Sébastien son of BUDIDA Boniface.
It should be noted that the 4 those responsible for the genocide of MUSIGATI last mentioned had participated in the preparations for the attacks on the country in November 1991 by organizing the construction of underground shelters in BUHURIKA and NYARUSANGE before going into exile in RWANDA from where they returned shortly before the election campaign for the presidential and legislative elections in June.
You will understand that the Rwanda of Havyarimana was the breeding ground for all the extremists who carried out the genocide of the Tutsis of 1993, as the kick-off was given via the radios of this country by Jean Minani URNHITAMWONEZA will never stop asking that all those who played any role in the preparation and execution of the assassination of Ndadaye and the genocide of the Tutsis be punished.