Mass graves identified in Rwanda 24 years after ethnic genocide

Mass graves that authorities believe could contain more than 2,000 bodies have been discovered in Rwanda nearly a quarter of a century after the country’s genocide, and a nearby site has been identified for investigation.

The discovery is being called the most significant in a long time in the East African nation that is still recovering from the 1994 killings of more than 800,000 people.

Somerwandansareshocked and dismayed that residents of the community outside the capital, Kigali, where the mass graves were found kept quiet about them for so many years.

France Mukanagazwa lost her father and other relatives in the genocide and believes their bodies are in the newly found graves.

She said: “Those who participated in the killing of our relatives don’t want to tell us where they buried them. How can you reconcile with such people?”

The discovery of the graves in Gasabo district came just days after Rwanda marked 24 years since the mass killings of ethnic Tutsi and moderate ethnic Hutus.

Local newspaper the New Times said in an editorial this week: “It is very disturbing that every now and then mass graves are discovered of which the now-free perpetrators never bothered to reveal to bereaved families so that they can get closure.

“Definitely some very cruel people still live in our midst.”

Between 2,000 and 3,000 people are thought to lie in the graves, based on the number of residents who went missing during the genocide, Rashid Rwigamba, an official with genocide charity Ibuka, said.

The information leading to the discovery came from a local landlord, who at first refused to answer questions about the suspected mass graves until threatened with arrest, Mr Rwigamba said. Houses and toilets that had been built on top of the graves have been destroyed to make way for the search.

Mr Rwigamba said: “The exercise is ongoing and we have identified another house we suspect was built on a piece of land where victims were buried.”

The bodies found so far include those of babies, based on the clothing found, he said.

At least 207 bodies have been exhumed from one of the graves and 156 have been exhumed from another, said Theogen Kabagambire, an Ibuka official from Gasabo district.

It was not immediately clear what would be done with the bodies or the grave sites.

During the genocide, a roadblock manned by Hutu militias was established metres away from the sites of the mass graves, survivors said.

Authorities have launched investigationsandthosefound to have participated in the killings will be prosecuted, Mr Kabagambire said.