Rwanda Memorial sites of the Genocide: Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi and Bisesero
From April to July 1994, approximately one million individuals were murdered in Rwanda by armed militias known as Interahamwe, who specifically targeted Tutsi, while also executing moderate Hutu and Twa individuals. The victims of the genocide are honored in this series of four memorial sites. Two components were sites of massacres: a Catholic church constructed on the hill of Nyamata in 1980, and a technical school established on the hill of Murambi in 1990. The Gisozi hill in Kigali City is the site of the Kigali Genocide Memorial, established in 1999, where over 250,000 victims are interred. In contrast, Bisesero hill in the Western Province features a memorial erected in 1998, commemorating the resistance of individuals who fought against their assailants for more than two months before being annihilated.
The memorial sites of Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi, and Bisesero were pivotal locations during the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, resulting in the deaths of almost one million individuals within a span of 100 days from April to July 1994.
The genocide’s origins can be linked to ethnic distinctions that colonial powers categorized as political identities. Its universal significance arises from its abrupt intensity—the rapidity of the fatalities—and the method of execution, characterized by the deliberate and systematic extermination of civilians by acquaintances, relatives, and militias. The genocide prompted the formation of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (1994-2015), which facilitated the establishment of the International Criminal Court (2002) and influenced the United Nations General Assembly’s resolution in 2003 to designate 7 April as the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, aimed at fostering a global commitment to combat genocide.
The four memorial sites symbolize almost 200 locations of worship, public spaces, and sites of resistance in Rwanda where atrocities occurred, fostering contemplation and reconciliation, while serving an educational purpose in advancing a culture of peace and discussion.
Two components of the property retain remnants of the massacre: the Nyamata Catholic Church, constructed in 1980 on the eponymous hill in the Eastern Province, and the Murambi Technical School, established in 1990 on the corresponding hill in the Southern Province. The third location, Gisozi Hill in Kigali, serves as the final resting place for over 250,000 victims and is the site of the Kigali Genocide Memorial established in 1999. The fourth location, Bisesero Hill in the Western Province, features a memorial erected in 1998 to commemorate the resistance of those who fought against their assailants for more than two months before being annihilated.
Criterion (vi): The memorial sites of the Genocide, namely Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi, and Bisesero, possess Outstanding Universal Value due to the abrupt intensity of the genocide, the extensive scale of the massacre inflicted upon the Tutsis over a span of 100 days, and the extermination of civilians by relatives, neighbors, and militias. These circumstances led the United Nations General Assembly in 2003 to establish 7 April as the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The four memorial sites symbolize almost 200 locations of worship, public spaces, and sites of resistance in Rwanda where murders occurred. The Nyamata Catholic Church and Murambi Technical School serve as direct and palpable reminders of the genocide places, while the grave site on Gisozi Hill illustrates the magnitude of the tragedy, and Bisesero is linked to the resistance efforts of those who opposed it.
Integrity
The integrity of the genocide memorial sites—Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi, and Bisesero—depends on their capacity to express Outstanding Universal Value, specifically their wholeness and intactness. The qualities reside within the confines of the four component sections; nonetheless, compiling an inventory of the primary attributes would facilitate the establishment of a baseline for the property’s conservation and management.The integrity of the primary structure of the former church in Nyamata, maintained in its condition immediately following the killings, is jeopardized by natural degradation of the construction materials and urban expansion owing to its location. The integrity of moveable heritage collections and the evidence of genocide kept in the buildings of the component parts—such as mummified remains, skulls, and personal effects of the victims—are exceedingly susceptible to environmental influences.
Genuineness
The property’s authenticity relies on the veracity and reliability with which its attributes express the exceptional universal worth. The church structures maintain a significant level of authenticity, as their materials, form, and design have remained unchanged since the time of the slaughter, while the school buildings are adequately preserved, and the collections in both instances starkly illustrate the atrocities of the killings.
The history of the Tutsi genocide has been documented in a comprehensive and varied manner. Testimonies have been gathered from genocide survivors to chronicle their experiences throughout the era of persecution. Testimonies have been gathered from the perpetrators of the genocide to elucidate the political and social procedures and motives that compelled them to murder their fellow citizens. Additional story components have been gathered during conventional court proceedings. Testimonies have been gathered from the Righteous to elucidate their motivations and the rationale behind their resistance during perilous times for themselves and their families. Consultations have occurred with elders and sages to comprehend the historical backdrop that fostered the animosity culminating in the genocide.
The interpretation of how the four component parts represent all genocide sites in Rwanda and enhance comprehension of the historical and geographical context of the genocide, as well as the reasons for its modus operandi garnering international attention and concern, should be reinforced.
Requirements for protection and management
The four memorial sites are safeguarded by Law No. 28/2016 dated 22/07/2016 concerning the preservation of cultural heritage and traditional knowledge, in addition to Ministerial Order No. 001/MINUBUMWE/24 dated 08/02/2024 regarding the classification of tangible cultural heritage and the regulations for its utilization and revenue generation.
In addition, the four component parts are protected under Law No. 15/2016 of 02/05/2016 governing ceremonies to commemorate the genocide against the Tutsi and organization and management of memorial sites for the genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi; Law No. 09/2007 of 16/02/2007 on the remit, organization and functioning of the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG), which was replaced in 2021 by the Prime Ministerial Order No. 021/03 of 21/10/2021 determining the mission, remit and organizational structure of the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE), which took over the responsibilities of the CNLG; Organic Law No. 04/2004 of 08/04/2005 on how to protect, safeguard and promote the environment in Rwanda, Article 82 of which prohibits the dumping anywhere of any substances likely to destroy sites and monuments of scientific, cultural, tourist or historical interest; and the national policy on the fight against genocide, its ideology and the management of its consequences, drawn up in 2014. A national policy on National Unity and Civic Engagement has been formulated, encompassing provisions for preserving the memory of the genocide against the Tutsi, alongside the establishment and upkeep of genocide memorial sites and archives, including those pertaining to the Gacaca courts and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. A strategic plan is presently under preparation.
The Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE) is tasked with the management of the four memorial sites, as stipulated by Prime Ministerial Order No. 011/03 dated 24/07/2023, which outlines the ministry’s mission, authority, and organizational framework. MINUBUMWE administers and safeguards these sites utilizing the human, financial, and material resources allocated by the Government. Each site is overseen by its own managers, who are civil workers tasked with the daily protection of the site.
Consistently revised management plans, such as the 2023-2028 plan, function as strategic instruments for the administration, safeguarding, and oversight of the serial property’s components, while also facilitating capacity-building through the engagement of local communities in the planning, management, and protection of the sites. Heritage impact evaluations must be incorporated into the planning processes for buffer zones and the broader environment of the site.