Murambi Genocide Memorial – Remembering Rwanda’s Darkest Days

There are stories that reveal the pain carried by many people in Rwanda, but history remains something we must learn from. Some visitors come to understand what caused the genocide, others want to know if there are survivors, and many still wonder how such an event could have happened. That is why places like the Murambi Genocide Memorial Center were created — to share the truth. Caves, skulls, sculptures, and tools used during the genocide were kept to help tell this story clearly.

Many people lost their lives, and even today the government continues to identify and bury the victims. History shows the betrayal of those who were in power. In 1994, when the genocide started, many people ran to a local church for safety. Sadly, the bishop and the mayor tricked them by telling them to go to a nearby technical school where they would receive protection and help. But this was a trap.

When the people reached the old school, they found no food or water. This made them weak and unable to defend themselves. French soldiers, who were supposed to protect them, left the area. Thousands were left in the hands of the Hutu Interahamwe militias. The weak Tutsi people tried to fight back with stones but could not survive. Even those hiding in churches were later found and killed.

The French soldiers returned with heavy equipment and dug several pits to bury the bodies. They then built a volleyball court over the mass graves to hide what had happened. The saddest part is that many of the bodies now on display are those of babies and children.

Only 34 people are said to have survived the killings at Murambi. Government reports say more than 50,000 people were killed here. To remember them, a memorial was built with over 50,000 graves. The school was turned into a museum that shows skeletons and mummified bodies of some of those who were killed in Gikongoro Province.

Murambi Genocide Memorial Center holds many true and painful memories. Book your visit and learn more about the history that lives in this place.

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