Nyamata Genocide Memorial

Nyamata Genocide Memorial is located in Eastern Province, Bugesera District, Nyamata Sector at 25KM on the KIGALI-NEMBA-BURUNDI road. This memorial, before the Genocide against the Tutsis, was the parish of catholic church in Nyamata starting from 1982.Before genocide,this area were characterized by acts of harassing Tutsis people.During genocide,Tutsis from all over the former Kanzenze commune fled to Nyamata Catholic church with the hope of survival, because even in the massacre of Tutsis in the early days of the Genocide, most of them fled to the churches and survived.
After the shooting down of President Habyarimana's plane that happened on the night of 04/06/1994, the day before 04/07/1994, soldiers, gendarmes, interahamwe, and impuzamuzamgambi started killing the Tutsis and they fled to different places including ꞉ Akanyaru Swamp, Kayumba Hill, Nyamata Church and in other places. On 11/04/1994, the Tutsis who had fled to Kayumba hill tried to defend themselves but the soldiers from Gako attack them.They fled to the office of Kanzenze commune, later they were also sent to Nyamata church where they were killed.On April 13th, the Interahamwe attacked, but the refugees tried to defend themselves and chased them away. On 14/04/94, soldiers came from Gako in collaboration with Interahamwe, they shot the Tutsis in the church, threw grenades at them, and many people died. Other who were still alive were killed massively using swords, knives and other traditional weapons. The number of Tutsis killed in Nyamata church reached 10,080 people. Nyamata Genocide memorial is formed by the former church where mass killing of Tutsis were done and the mass grave where around fourty five thousand three hundred fifty four (45,354) victims of genocide are laid to rest.