>> Sreenivasan: THE UNITED
NATIONS HAS NAMED APRIL 7th AS A
DAY OF REMEMBRANCE FOR RWANDA'S
BRUTAL GENOCIDE.
IT WAS 25 YEARS AGO TODAY THAT
THE GENOCIDE BEGAN BUT A
QUARTER CENTURY LATER, DESPITE
VAST IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
COUNTRY, REMNANTS FROM ONE OF
THE DARKEST CHAPTERS IN RECENT
HISTORY REMAIN.
NEWSHOUR WEEKEND SPECIAL
CORRESPONDENT BENEDICT MORAN AND
VIDEO JOURNALIST JORGEN SAMSO
RECENTLY TRAVELED TO RWANDA.
THEY SPOKE WITH SURVIVORS AND
PERPETRATORS, AND LOOKED INTO
HOW THE COUNTRY IS TRYING TO
OVERCOME ETHNIC DIFFERENCES AND
BUILD A NEW, NATIONAL RWANDAN
IDENTITY.
A CAUTION FOR VIEWERS, SOME
IMAGES IN THIS SEGMENT MAY BE
DISTURBING.
>> Reporter: 25 YEARS AFTER THE
RWANDAN GENOCIDE, BODIES ARE
STILL BEING UNEARTHED.
THIS MASS GRAVE WAS DISCOVERED
ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF RWANDA'S
CAPITAL KIGALI.
INNOCENT GASIZIGWA LIVED THROUGH
THE HORRORS.
HE SHOWS ME SOME OF WHAT WAS
RECENTLY DUG UP.
FRAGMENTS OF BONES.
A SKULL.
AND WEAPONS FROM THE WAR.
MANY SKELETONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN
REMOVED AND PREPARED FOR BURIAL.
ALL THAT REMAINS ARE THESE
ROTTED CLOTHES.
>> ( translated ): THIS ISN'T
THE PLACE TO LEAVE BODIES.
SO REMOVING THEM MAKES US HAPPY.
NOW WE CAN BURY THEM WITH
DIGNITY.
>> Reporter: RWANDAN OFFICIALS
SAY THEY WERE TIPPED OFF TO THIS
LOCATION BY A MAN WHO WAS
CONVICTED OF PARTICIPATING IN
THE GENOCIDE AND RELEASED LAST
YEAR.
THEY CAME HERE AND DISCOVERED
UNDERNEATH HOUSES AND STORES,
THOUSANDS OF BODIES.
THE EAST AFRICAN COUNTRY OF
RWANDA HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY
DOMINATED BY TWO ETHNIC GROUPS:
A MINORITY TUTSI AND A MAJORITY
HUTU.
A GROUP OF MOSTLY TUTSI EXILES,
WHOSE PARENTS HAD BEEN EARLIER
FORCED OUT OF THE COUNTRY,
FORMED THE RWANDAN PATRIOTIC
FRONT, KNOWN AS THE R.P.F.
IN 1990, THE R.P.F. INVADED
RWANDA WITH THE GOAL OF TAKING
POWER.
AS THE FIGHTING ESCALATED
BETWEEN 1990 AND 1994, THE HUTU-
DOMINATED RWANDAN GOVERNMENT
CALLED ON PEOPLE TO ATTACK
ANYONE WHO COULD BE A SUPPORTER
OF THE TUTSI REBELS.
ON APRIL 6, 1994, UNKNOWN
ASSAILANTS SHOT DOWN A PLANE
CARRYING RWANDA'S HUTU
PRESIDENT.
WITHIN DAYS, EXTREMISTS TOOK
CONTROL OF THE GOVERNMENT, AND
RESPONDED WITH MASS VIOLENCE.
IN JUST THREE MONTHS, AROUND
800,000 TUTSI AND MODERATE HUTU
WERE KILLED.
THE GENOCIDE ENDED WHEN THE
REBEL R.P.F. DEFEATED THE
GOVERNMENT THAT JULY.
WHILE MOST FOREIGNERS EVACUATED
DURING THE KILLINGS, CARL
WILKENS, AN AMERICAN MISSIONARY
AND AID WORKER, REMAINED.
>> IT'S JUST CRAZY HOW MUCH HAS
CHANGED.
IT'S JUST SO BEAUTIFUL NOW.
THESE MANICURED, YOU KNOW,
MEDIANS IN THE MIDDLE AND PALM
TREES.
IT'S SO BIZARRE.
IT'S AMAZING.
>> Reporter: WILKENS IS BACK IN
KIGALI TO COMMEMORATE THE
GENOCIDE.
BACK IN HIS OLD NEIGHBORHOOD, HE
TOLD US WHAT HE SAW 25 YEARS
AGO.
>> I LOOKED AT THIS HILLSIDE AND
IN FIELDS AND EMPTY PLOTS I SAW
WHAT LOOKED LIKE GARBAGE.
AND I GOT MY BINOCULARS AND I
LOOKED AND I SAW THE WHOLE
HILLSIDE WAS COVERED WITH
BODIES.
>> Reporter: WILKENS LIVES IN
THE STATES NOW, WHERE HE SPEAKS
IN AMERICAN SCHOOLS, TEACHING
STUDENTS ABOUT THE GENOCIDE.
HE OFTEN RETURNS TO RWANDA.
>> DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR I'M
VISITING SCHOOLS, TELLING
STORIES ABOUT WHAT IT WAS LIKE
DURING THE GENOCIDE, BUT ALSO
STORIES ABOUT THE RECOVERY AND
HOW, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE
LEARNING TO LIVE TOGETHER AGAIN.
>> Reporter: BUT LEARNING TO
LIVE TOGETHER HAS UNDERSTANDABLY
BEEN HARD FOR RWANDANS.
ANNONCIATA NYIRABAJYIWABO IS A
TUTSI SURVIVOR.
TODAY SHE LIVES IN NYUMBA, A
PEACEFUL VILLAGE IN THE SOUTH OF
RWANDA.
BUT 25 YEARS AGO, HER LIFE WAS
TURNED UPSIDE DOWN.
SHE SAYS ONE DAY, SOLDIERS CAME
AND TOOK HER HUSBAND AWAY.
>> ( translated ): THEY KNOCKED
ON THE DOOR, WOKE US UP, AND
WHEN MY HUSBAND OPENED THE DOOR
A SOLDIER JUST SLAPPED HIM IN
THE FACE, AND TOOK HIM AWAY.
I NEVER SAW HIM AGAIN.
>> Reporter: AS THE VIOLENCE
AGAINST TUTSI ESCALATED AND HER
NEIGHBORS FLED, SHE AND HER THEN
ONE-YEAR-OLD CHILD FOUND SHELTER
IN A DOG HOUSE.
AT THE TIME, SHE WAS EIGHT
MONTHS PREGNANT.
A MONTH LATER, WHILE STILL IN
HIDING, SHE WENT INTO LABOR.
>> ( translated ): EVERYONE HAD
FLED, IT WAS SO QUIET, I
COULDN'T EVEN HEAR THE BIRDS
SING.
THAT'S WHEN I GAVE BIRTH TO MY
SECOND CHILD.
I COULDN'T EVEN FEEL THE PAIN.
IT'S LIKE I WAS A WALKING DEAD
PERSON.
>> Reporter: NYIRABAJYIWABO SAYS
SHE AND HER NOW TWO CHILDREN
STAYED HIDDEN IN THE DOG HOUSE
FOR ANOTHER MONTH, EATING
LITTLE, AND FEARING FOR THEIR
LIVES.
25 YEARS LATER, SHE SAYS THE
KILLERS MUST BE REHABILITATED,
BUT SHE'S IN NO MOOD TO FORGIVE.
>> ( translated ): YOU CAN NEVER
FIND A STRONG ENOUGH PUNISHMENT
FOR SOMEONE WHO KILLED IN THE
WAY THEY KILLED.
IF YOU KILLED THEM, YOU WOULD BE
RELIEVING THEM OF THE PAIN THEY
FEEL INSIDE.
THEY SHOULD LIVE AND SEE THE
SURVIVORS AND WHAT THEY DID.
>> Reporter: THE TRIALS
FOLLOWING THE GENOCIDE INCLUDED
400,000 IN WHICH SUSPECTED
PERPETRATORS WERE TRIED BY THE
NEW GOVERNMENT IN LOCAL COURTS.
SIMON NDAHAYO WAS TRIED AND
ADMITTED TO PARTICIPATING IN THE
KILLINGS.
USING HIS FINGERS, HE COUNTED
THE NUMBER OF LIVES HE ENDED.
>> ( translated ): FIVE.
I THINK ABOUT IT A LOT.
KILLING FIVE PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T
DO ANYTHING TO ME, IT HURTS ME
SO MUCH.
>> Reporter: WHILE IN PRISON, HE
SAYS, HE ASKED JUDICIAL
AUTHORITIES FOR FORGIVENESS, AND
WAS EVENTUALLY RELEASED.
BUT THOUSANDS OF RWANDANS ARE
STILL BEHIND BARS.
HE SAYS, MANY HAVE NOT YET
ADMITTED THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.
>> ( translated ): I'M NOT
ASHAMED TO SAY THIS, ALL THE
PEOPLE WHO ADMITTED THEIR GUILT,
AND ASKED FOR FORGIVENESS, THEY
ARE DOING OKAY.
BUT SOME PEOPLE DIDN'T GO TO
PRISON, AND THEY MAY BE HIDING
THINGS STILL.
>> Reporter: WHILE SOME MAY HIDE
THEIR PASTS, NONE CAN FORGET
THEM.
MANY SUFFER FROM POST-TRAUMATIC
STRESS.
A NEW STUDY IN THE JOURNAL
PSYCHIATRY, RESEARCH SUGGESTS
THAT THEIR CHILDREN, MANY OF
WHOM WEREN'T EVEN BORN THEN ARE
MORE LIKELY THAN OTHER CHILDREN
TO SUFFER FROM TRAUMA.
AND THERE ARE OTHER MEDICAL
PROBLEMS, SOME OF THEM LIFE-
THREATENING.
AN ESTIMATED 250 TO 500,000
MOSTLY TUTSI WOMEN AND GIRLS
WERE RAPED DURING THE GENOCIDE.
MANY WERE INFECTED WITH H.I.V.
>> ( translated ): WHEN THE
KILLING STARTED, I WENT TO MY
NEIGHBOR TO TRY AND SEEK REFUGE.
I THOUGHT HE WOULD PROTECT ME.
BUT HE RAPED ME.
AND HE GAVE ME H.I.V.
I HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN DEATH
AND STAYING THERE, I HAD NO WAY
OUT.
>> Reporter: ADERA SPOKE TO US
ON CONDITION OF HIDING HER FULL
IDENTITY.
TODAY, SHE'S PICKING UP LIFE-
SAVING ANTIRETROVIRAL DRUGS FROM
A HOSPITAL IN KIGALI.
HER HUSBAND AND FIVE OF HER
CHILDREN WERE KILLED DURING THE
GENOCIDE.
HER DAUGHTER SURVIVED, AND LIVED
WITH HER MOTHER UNTIL SHE
RECENTLY MARRIED.
NOW, ADERA LIVES ALONE.
>> ( translated ): IT'S NOT THAT
I'M H.I.V. POSITIVE THAT MAKES
ME THINK OF THE GENOCIDE NOW.
THE MAIN THING IS THE LOSS OF MY
HUSBAND, AND CHILDREN.
NOW I'M GETTING OLDER, AND I
THINK, IF MY CHILDREN HADN'T
BEEN KILLED, MAYBE THEY'D BE
TAKING CARE OF ME NOW.
>> Reporter: SHE'S GETTING HELP
PAYING FOR FOOD FROM SURVIVORS
FUND, AN INTERNATIONAL NONPROFIT
THAT HELPS VULNERABLE TUTSI
SURVIVORS.
SAMUEL MUNENERERE IS THE
DIRECTOR OF SURVIVORS FUND.
HE ECHOES THE THEME WE HEAR
EVERYWHERE, THAT IN RWANDA, THE
PAST IS ALWAYS PRESENT.
>> THE CHALLENGES THE SURVIVORS
FACED HAVE CHANGED OVER TIME.
FOR SOME, AND I THINK FOR MANY,
GENOCIDE IS STILL FRESH IN THEIR
MIND.
AND THE WAY THE CONSEQUENCES
HAVE EVOLVED IN 25 YEARS HAS
BEEN A VERY SHORT TIME.
>> Reporter: STILL, THE COUNTRY
HAS MOVED FORWARD.
NEW BUILDINGS DOT THE SKYLINE IN
KIGALI.
HARD NUMBERS ARE HARD TO COME
BY, BUT G.D.P. PER CAPITA IS
REPORTEDLY SIX TIMES WHAT IT WAS
IN 1995.
FOR THE RWANDAN GOVERNMENT,
STITCHING BACK TOGETHER THE
SOCIAL FABRIC MEANS TAKING A
STRONG-ARMED APPROACH TO
PROMOTING A NEW, NATIONAL
IDENTITY.
TODAY IT'S ILLEGAL TO ASK IF
SOMEONE IS HUTU OR TUTSI.
>> WE NEED A VERY STRONG RWANDAN
IDENTITY, AND TO BE PROUD OF IT.
>> Reporter: THE GOAL IS TO
CREATE A NEW, NATIONAL SENSE OF
CITIZENSHIP, ONE THAT'S NOT
BUILT ON ETHNICITY.
ONE WAY THEY DO THAT IS WITH A
PROGRAM CALLED UMUGANDA.
UMUGANDA IS A MANDATORY
COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM.
IN RWANDAN, IT MEANS "COMING
TOGETHER FOR A COMMON PURPOSE."
UMUGANDA REQUIRES A DAY OF
SERVICE EACH MONTH FOR ALL
RWANDANS BETWEEN 18 AND 65, HUTU
AND TUTSI.
>> ( translated ): EVERYONE
NEEDS TO PARTICIPATE IN
UMUGANDA.
IT'S THE LAW.
>> Reporter: VILLAGERS HERE IN
KIYERU ARE CLEARING A FIELD
AHEAD OF THE OPENING OF A NEW
SCHOOL.
OFTEN DURING UMUGANDA, VILLAGERS
PICK AN AREA TO CLEAN, OR FIX A
ROAD.
ANYONE WHO DOESN'T PARTICIPATE
CAN BE FINED 5,000 FRANCS, OR
AROUND $6.
THAT'S NOT A SMALL SUM IN
RWANDA.
>> ( translated ): AFTERWARDS,
WE HAVE A GROUP MEETING, AND TRY
AND SOLVE ANY PROBLEMS WE MIGHT
HAVE.
IT'S AN OCCASION TO GET
TOGETHER.
>> Reporter: SOME FIND THE
GOVERNMENT'S APPROACH TO NATION-
BUILDING HEAVY HANDED.
OTHERS MAINTAIN IT HAS HELPED
BRING RELATIVE SECURITY TO THE
COUNTRY.
EITHER WAY, FOR MANY, 25 YEARS
WAS ONLY YESTERDAY AND THE
RECONCILIATION PROCESS REMAINS
ONGOING.
