Bucyibaruta trial in Paris: the word to the witnesses of the massacre of the technical school of Murambi
The Paris court in the 17th arrondissement (illustration image).
AFP - PHILIPPE LOPEZ
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
The trial of the former Rwandan prefect Laurent Bucyibaruta continues at the assizes of Paris.
Two witnesses to the massacre at the Murambi technical school took the stand this Friday, May 20: a man who participated in this massacre, and a survivor, a young mother in April 1994 with a moving testimony.
Advertisement
Read more
With our special correspondent at the Paris court
,
Claire Fages
On April 21, 1994, at dawn, the gendarmes attacked the Murambi technical school with grenades and guns.
“
We people from the neighborhood went to surround the establishment so that none of the Tutsi refugees could escape
,” says Vincent.
This former official at the Gikongoro health center therefore participated in the massacre.
“
I had no particular anger against the Tutsis.
I went to join the others.
It was like defending myself.
I was weak
,” he repeated three times.
“
From the prefecture, did we have visibility on the Murambi technical establishment?
asks a lawyer for the civil parties.
“
Yes, very well
,” he replies.
► To read also: Bucyibaruta trial in Paris: the former Rwandan prefect facing the strong testimony of a survivor
Next comes at the helm Juliette Mukakabanda.
At length, this Hutu woman, wife of a Tutsi, will recount her ordeal.
Led on foot by the gendarmes, his family arrives at the center of Murambi.
“
There is no more water.
We were counted supposedly to give us food, but nothing came.
The few cows that the refugees had brought, we had to eat raw meat
, she says in tears.
We knew we were there to be killed
.
»
She tells how the gendarmes would have agreed to her leaving on the basis of her Hutu identity card if she had abandoned her children.
It is finally a Hutu militiaman who takes pity on her and her three-week-old baby.
Her husband and her two other children will be shot dead in Murambi.
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Rwanda
France
Justice