A woman survivor

of the genocide:

Killers went to find them and killed an uncountable number of Tutsi. I only used to hear shouts from machetes. It was like people cutting banana trees. The killers used to cut Tutsi for a long time, people screamed.

A man who participated in the killing of the survivor’s brother:

In fact, the genocide happened, and we have been involved in its execution. … The genocide has been prepared for a long time, and it has been executed by us, the Rwandese. It was not because we hated each other, but bad governance. But now, we have a good country of good governance which encourages us to love each other, and work. That is why I am thankful to our government of unity of Rwandese. I think you cannot find another government that can reunite people again like this one.

The woman survivor: He [the perpetrator] got involved in the death of my brother as he said. But due to the good government we have which encouraged people to ask for the forgiveness, we now live in peace. It is really nice to step forward and ask forgiveness to people whom you committed crimes, like the genocide. (Excerpts from speeches during a commemoration event in April 2019)