30th June. Lake Kivu Rwanda

A sobering day. Kigali has not much going for it as a capital of a country. That is apart from the Kigali Memorial Centre that gives the visitor an insight of what happened during the three months beginning April 6th 1994 when over 800,000 Rwandans were slaughtered, mostly the minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The Centre is broken up into 3 sections: the genocide, a section showing other genocides that have occurred elsewhere in the world during the 20th century and the most touching, ‘Wasted Lives’ that tells the stories of some of the children who were killed. Their likes, their best friends, favourite food, their ambitions and age when killed. All this below a life size photo of the child. The Centre tries to answer the question ‘Why?’ but you come out of the place still asking that same question.
Outside are concrete slabs under which lie the remains of 250,000 people killed in the Kigali area. As we left a group of 50-60 Rwandans were queuing up at the security search point most with a single flower in their hand to lay on the mass graves. They were middle aged or older, the mood was sombre, they hardly spoke. One held out a hand to Joan as we passed. It was so touching as though they appreciated us sharing their sorrow. To imagine what these people went through is difficult.
The instigators in the slaughter used rifles, machetes and knives to kill the people. They had tanks, automatic armaments and artillery at their disposal but they wanted every Hutu in the country to share the guilt. Driving along the road you look at people and wonder was he a killer? We picked up a bloke wanting a lift, could he have slaughtered those helpless children? It is amazing how the country has put aside the animosity and is rebuilding the country. What has happened is the past. Let the tribunals look after those indicted, we have a country to rebuild
We headed west from Kigali to Lake Kivu and are staying in the Presbyterian Retreat called Bethany. The room overlooks islands n this beautiful lake. It is so quiet you feel obliged to talk in whispers. Unfortunately the paradise ended at the restaurant table where the food would be the worst we have tasted all trip.
Incidentally there are no camp sites in Rwanda, bit of a shame.