Some History of Lake Kivu Region and the Genocide Memorial in Kigali

Rwanda, Burundi and Congo were at one time all connected. Not really a state but definately united. But with colonialsim and then the Berlin Conference of 1884, Rwanda and Burundi wereseperated in the partition. At times people from Rwanda migrated into the Congo and sometimes

they were forced west. In 1959 the first genocidal event occured in Rwanda, from then until 1998 there were many more to follow. With each event of violence, people would migrate into

surrounding countries to escape death and persecution. The Lake Kivu region received not only

those escaping the genocide but in 1994 and 1995 many of the genocidaires (the term used in

Rwanda) migrated into refugee camps after the Rwanda Patriotic Army took over the state of

Rwanda.

The people that committed the genocide (Hutus), then had several destinies, return to

Rwanda, stay in the new state (D.R. Congo, Burundi, or Uganda) or leave to immigrate to another

country. Many people in the Lake Kivu region of D.R. Congo decided to stay in that area,

sometimes because they had family in the area and sometimes to continue to organize and keep

the genocidal violance alive.

The eastern area of D.R. Congo is a place with many of the same ethnic identities found in

Rwanda, Hutu and Tutsi plus many others from the rest of Congo. To perpetuate the violent

conflict is not difficult, and sometimes raids into Rwanda were coordinated. In fact, the area I

visited, Shyira, had violent attacks into 1998.

Knowing this history and the more recent attempt to reconcile Rwanda, I visited the Kigali

Memorial of genocide today. I could not shake the thought of how much violence is still common

in Rwanda's next door neighbor of North and South Kivu in Congo. And the underlying tension in

Rwanda.

I would not say the tension is high or intense, like a spark or crackle, but I would say there

exists the tightening of muscles, as if something happened to the body and relaxation is not yet

possible. The words Tutsi and Hutu are illegal in conversation and in the press.

There are no identity cards, and the president of the state was a man whose family migrated to

Uganda as refugees in the 1960's, and was instumental in the forming of the RPA and its uprising

against the last regime in which the genocide occured. He became president in 2000.

When I entered the memorial today, I had the intention of taking photographs, but as I walked

through the center and read the displays and viewed the photographs and films, I felt that maybe

I should not take any pictures (photos are only allowed outside in the gardens surrounding the

memorial). Then I entered a room full of pictures of people, then another with just children, all

of whom were slaughtered in the genocide.

While in Shyira, I took many photos and distributed the prints to those I photographed.

Because most people do not have access to such pictures of themselves and family members, the

people were excited to receive such precious pictures. So while in the memorial today, I was

struck that so many people gave their precious pictures to be displayed. Often these were the only

photographs they owned of their loved ones. And so I knew I could not take any pictures, the

sacrifice that the people endured was too great. And although it

may seem irrational, I too could not be part of any photography today. It is my way of expressing

my respect.