04.09.08 - RWANDA/SURVIVORS - IBUKA: 17 GENOCIDE SURVIVORS MYSTERIOUSLY MURDERED IN RWANDA

Kigali, 4 September 2008 (FH) - Seventeen survivors of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda have been murdered mysteriously, since the beginning of the year, according to the main organization of Genocide Survivors (IBUKA), reports Hirondelle Agency.

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The most affected districts are Muhanga, Nyamasheke and Nyaruguru, in the South Province, according Izuba (The Sun) tri-weekly pro-government newspaper, quoting the Executive Secretary of IBUKA, Benoît Kaboyi.

The south province hosts large number of persons accused of having taken part in the genocide, according to the Minister for Internal Security, Fazil Harerimana.He added that certain survivors were killed by their neighbours.

In the night of 15 to 16 August, in the district of Gatsibo (eastern Rwanda), a young survivor, Emmanuel Ndishimye, narrowly escaped his killers who had set him on fire, claimed IBUKA.

The same night, Jozefina Zaninka, was killed by a hoe, in the district of Muhanga. In the same district, a survivor in her 90s was burnt to death in May.

IBUKA points out, in its official statement, murder of Hermenegilde Kampayana, strangled in the night of 2 July, in the district of Ruhango (southern Rwanda) after receiving threats from people prosecuted before the popular semi-traditional Gacaca courts for their alleged involvement in the 1994 genocide.

Inspired by traditional village assemblies, the courts are charged with trying the majority of the alleged authors of the genocide.

The statement signed by IBUKA's president, Theodore Simburudali, called for justice "to punish without any delay authors as of these murders and those who continue to plunge the country into the period of mourning".

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© Hirondelle News Agency