Genocide survivors of the former Gikongoro Prefecture (currently Nyamagabe, Nyaruguru) have been sent to Laurent Bucyibaruta’s sentencing with mixed feelings.
They are happy that Bucyibaruta, a 78-year-old man who presided over the murders of tens and thousands of Tutsis at Gikongoro, where his prefet was, was finally tried and convicted. But they are disappointed with the sentence.
The reactions followed the ruling by the Cour d’assises de Paris on July 12 where they handed over Bucyibaruta a 20-year jail sentence for his role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
French prosecutors requested a life sentence.
In an interview with The New Times, Remy Kamugire the vice president of Ibuka in Nyamagabe said that generally as the people who lost their loved ones during the Genocide, they wished for him to get the maximum sentence, which is life under French laws.
“We are not happy with that punishment (20 years) compared to the nature of Genocide, especially in Gikongoro under his leadership, and because of his role in Genocide we lost our parents among other victims. Around 150,000 people died here,” he said.
However, Kamugire further added that most importantly is that he was finally found guilty and sentenced after 28 years which he says gives a bit of closure to the survivors, describing it as “better than nothing.”
Marie-Rose Ntorano was another survivor of Nyamagabe who also bemoaned Nyamagabe’s lenient sentence.
“We are unhappy for that sentence 20 years are very few the real punishment was life sentence,” she said.
Ntorano also stated that Bucyibaruta should be sent to Rwanda to serve his sentence.
Caritas Mukangango, another Genocide survivor and representative of the AVEGA in the Kaduha sector, said that they wished for a longer sentence given the nature of the crime, as well as the power he had back then, “he would have saved many lives instead of letting them be killed.”
Mukangango stated that she lost her husband in the Genocide and also lost many of her relatives in Gikongoro because of the poor leadership of Bucyibaruta.
“During the Genocide, my kids were still young one was four years while the other one was one year and it has been a long journey to explain to them where their father is as well as other family members,” she explained
Mukangango pointed out, however that even being convicted is a way to make justice for survivors in general.
Former Gikongoro prefecture (current Karongi) is second with the highest number Tutsi Genocide Victims.
editor@newtimesrwanda.com
Source: rnewtimes
