Marie-Louise Mkansang, militant for the Avega section in the district of Ruyumba, and Drocelle Nduwimana, social assistant for Avega, both widows of the genocide, in front of the Church of Mugina. Close to 30 000 people were killed in the Church’s perimeter, sometimes within its confines. The village Mayor, a Hutu, was assassinated as he was trying to prevent the militia from entering the building, inside of which thousands of Tutsis had sought refuge. Contrarily to him, the parish priest, a Spanish, did not intervene.
Marie-Louise Mkansang plays a central role in the erecting process of the memorial located to the side of this Church. Here, as likewise over the country, the widows’ association is leader regarding the coordination of the victims and plays a major role in the exhuming process, still on-going, as well as in the erecting of memorial sites.
June 2005 – Ruyumba – Gitarama - Rwanda.
© Pierre-Yves GINET