Why you should know about the Nyange Church

Do you remember anything about 1994? Specifically the spring of 1994? I do. There was this little movie coming out-- Forest Gump! Can you believe it was that long ago??? 1994 was the year of Green Day and Wheezer. And JORDAN CATALANO! Oh my goodness! Remember "My so-called life?" I loved that show. And MTV when "the Real World" was good! Bill Clinton was President and I'm pretty sure that the Monica Lewinsky scandal had already begun. But truly, I don't remember, exactly, and I'm sure that I didn't care anyway. Life was good for a Tennessee girl. All was right with the world... or was it?

On April 15, 1994, Americans were all aflutter with filing their taxes on time and complaining about Uncle Sam. On the nightly news that evening, I'm sure the headlines were about federal spending and "this American life". However, half-way around the world-- if anyone had bothered to notice-- 2,000 Rwandans were being annihilated by other Rwandans. A GLOBAL atrocity was underway. And no one was doing anything about it. Please hang with me a moment to explain.

Just under two weeks ago, me and two other volunteers traveled into Arusha to attend the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. It was an amazing and eye opening experience as we listened to the testimony of one witness about the events leading up to the killings of 2,000 Rwandan Tutsis at Nyange Church. These people sought refuge at their local Catholic parish and were turned over by their very priest to be exterminated. The cold, callous, and calculating way in which the witness described his involvement with the massacre at Nyange Parish on 15 April and 16 April, 1994 was disturbing.

"We tried many things to bring the people out. But they didn't all die. We used the normal things to kill... you know... machetes and grenades. But then after we were VERY tired from all of our work [of killing] and had to get home for food and drink. I was very thirsty. Its a long day, you know?"

Ok, I have to confess that I put his words in quotes... but I may not have gotten it exact. However the sentences about food and drink ... that was direct. I was emotionally moved at how much he stressed the importance of having enough food and getting drinks after the corporate killing events of the 15th and 16th. The biggest surprise came in the midst of all of this "drink" talk when he casually slipped in "and on the way to the parish, I killed two Tutsi myself." Um, what?

The defense attorney asked "as far as you recall, do you know the identities of those two that you murdered?" And his response, "Oh, I'm not sure that I can remember... a young child and a woman. I think her name was Analise. But how could I possibly know the child?"

My heart stopped beating.

Defense attorney: "so you cannot recall the name of the child?"
Witness: "No."
Defense attorney: "can you recall the name of any of your victims and child victims?"
Witness: "Not all. How could I? And don't ask me to tell you where the head of the child from the last trial is! I told you then that I cannot possibly know and if I did know where the head of that leaders child is, all the other accomplices would have said. So don't even ask me! (in reference to a previous trial where a Tutsi political leader 's child was killed, according to the internet, to make a point).

My heart stopped beating again.

We've all heard the stories of Rwanda. Actually, sadly, many Americans HAVEN'T heard the stories of Rwanda. But instead of hearing the "big picture story", I got to witness the story of one location, of one group of people, and of one sinister man who valued his "drink" more than he valued people of his own community. At one point, as the attorneys were referencing the children killed at the Nyange Parish, my mind raced back to Cradle of Love. All my babies. All my beautiful, innocent, gorgeous babies. All made up of different villages, of different tribes, and of different circumstances. How different their lives would be if they lived just a few hundred miles to the west... Rwanda. How could anyone kill CHILDREN over tribal differences? I was totally emotional.

I am unable to take pictures at the tribunal as it is a real courtroom with real security. But I was able to pull some stock photos from the United Nations media library. Three of the judges in this picture were on the bench the day we visited and we were able to hear them speak.

This is a stock picture of the outside of the tribunal. The building is HUGE but houses other offices and businesses in Arusha. Its one of the larger buildings in the city.

Everyday in America, we are told of the atrocities around the world but we don't really listen. The amount of people killed between 1 January, 1994, and 31 December, 1994, would encompass all residents of Orange County, Florida (ORLANDO- for our international readers). So, why do you need to know about the 2,000 Rwandans who lost their lives on April 15 and April 16, 1994?????

We need to know so that American taxes, Wheezer, and Forest Gump are never a higher priority than protecting the lives and human rights of people a world away!

Something to think about.

Clear eyes. Full hearts. CAN'T LOSE.

~Shae