Thread by @RuzindanaRUGASA

Genocide Survivor Albert Nsengimana was only 7 years old when he witnessed his eight brothers slaughtered before his eyes on the orders of his mother, also suffering similar unimaginable torture when his mother took him to be killed, but miraculously managed to escape. #Kwibuka25

Twenty-five years living with this indescribable wound Nsengimana writes a book called “Ma mere m’a tué” or “my mother killed me”. Released on Thursday 4th April 2019, the book tells his story of survival and forgiveness. #Kwibuka25

In this book “Ma mere m’a tué”, the seventh child in the family of nine boys, born to a Tutsi father and a Hutu mother, says that during the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi, he knew nothing about ethnicity. #Kwibuka25

He narrates how he lost all his eight siblings and father at the hands of his own militia mother Virginia Nyiramanenge. Until today, he still can’t believe how his own mother was actively involved in the killing of his father and brothers. #Kwibuka25

During the 1994 Against the Tutsi Genocide, Nsengimana’s mother abandoned her children and family to join hands with Interahamwe to execute the killings in the former Kabarondo Commune, now @KayonzaDistrict @RwandaEast. #Kwibuka25

When the Interahamwe attacked their home village, Nsengimana’s elder brothers fled and sought refuge at their maternal grandmother’s home while he stayed with his two youngest brothers looking after their cattle not knowing what was coming. #Kwibuka25

When they returned home in the evening they did not find anyone there. They were scared because none of them knew what to do or where to find their parents and brothers. They locked themselves in the house. #Kwibuka25

The following morning, after waiting for any family member to turn-up in vain, Nsengimana and his young brothers went to their paternal grandfather and found him outside alone with his house demolished. #Kwibuka25

Seeing them, the desperate grandfather told them that they should look for a place to hide because they were children of a Tutsi father and they were being hunted to be killed. He explained that their only option was to hide at their maternal grandmother’s house. #Kwibuka25

In his testimony, Albert Nsengimana says “This was the first sad moment I had. I saw my grandfather seated outside shedding tears” #Kwibuka25

The three young boys of 7, 5 and 3 years old continued their journey to their maternal grandmother’s house; in their minds, they were thinking that they would survive from there. #Kwibuka25

Nsengimana was filled with joy when he saw his brothers from a distance seated outside his grandmother’s house. Unfortunately they had been chased away &were crying without anywhere to go. They told him that they had been labeled Tutsi by their mother who wanted them to be killed

The brothers remained seated outside since they had no other place to go to. Later that day, Nsengimana &some of his brothers were taken by their mother &other maternal relatives to the murder scene to be killed, leaving only 2 youngest brothers who were 3&2 yrs old #Kwibuka25

His brothers were killed in the presence of their mother and he was hit on the head but, luckily, ran away unconsciously. When he regained his mind, he went back to his grandmother’s house. #Kwibuka25

It was not too long before Nsengimana’s mother turned up and took his other two young brothers to the same scene where their elder brothers had been killed. The two little kids were also killed there under the watch of their own mother. #Kwibuka25

When she came back he asked his mother where his young brothers were. She told him that she took them to ‘where they belong, to their destiny.’ Of course, he didn’t understand what she was telling him, but later she told him that his cousin -Mukuralinda had killed them #Kwibuka25

What a shock!
It was unbelievable,
How could this mother have decided to kill her own eight children?
Killing your flesh and blood????
Abana watwise amezi icyenda?
Abana wagiriye ku gise?
Mana y’i Rwanda!
#Kwibuka25

Nsengimana thought that being the only one of her nine kids still alive, his mother would be merciful to him. Not so. She later took him to Mukuralinda to be killed too. He begged her to forgive him since he had committed no offense, but she told him that he was wasting her time.

The mother told this innocent young boy that “Tutsis are snakes, enemies who deserve nothing but death”, adding that he was a Tutsi and deserved to follow his brothers” #Kwibuka25

Unfortunately to Virginia Nyiramanenge, but fortunately to Nsengimana, Mukuralinda, who was also the head of the Interahamwe in the village was killed by his fellows after a heated argument over the loot. #Kwibuka25

Nsengimana escaped again and went back to his grandmother’s place again, where his mother found him. She was surprised to see him because she knew he had already been killed. #Kwibuka25

Very angry, she asked him how he had managed to flee and he gave her the sad news of Mukuralinda’s death. She thought he was lying to her and that it was his plan to get away. To make her believe what he was saying, he took her where his corpse was dumped. #Kwibuka25

In his book, Nsengimana writes that what hurt him most was to see his mother weeping for the death of Mukuralinda but could not even have sympathy for her own children. #Kwibuka25

Albert Nsengimana: “This world has so many cruel people, but when it comes to your own parents baying for your blood! That’s the most despicable thing I have ever seen in my life; killing your own innocent children!” #Kwibuka25

Nsengimana’s rescuer from his heartless mother was his maternal cousin-sister who advised him to escape from that village after his mother had instructed her cousin to take him to a different Interahamwe death squad to be killed. #Kwibuka25

Nsengimana went to a nearby Catholic church where many Tutsi, including his own father, Andre Mutabaruka, who was one of the most wanted people in the area had sought refuge. Many had been killed at the church but Nsengimana’s father had managed to escape. #Kwibuka25

Later, he transmitted a message to his wife requesting her to bring him water in his hideout after going for days on an empty stomach. Instead, his wife tipped Interahamwe about his hiding &led them there, they cut him into pieces with machetes &threw his body into a pit latrine.

The downhearted young Nsengimana would later be saved by Inkotanyi.
Inkotanyi murakabyara
Inkotanyi muragaheka
Inkotanyi murakabaho
Inkotanyi murakarama
#InkotanyiNiUbuzima
#Kwibuka25

After the Genocide, his mother was arrested for Genocide crimes and jailed for eight years. She was later released and died of natural causes in 2006. Extraordinarily, Nsengimana had forgiven her mother by time she passed away. #Kwibuka25

“I had forgiven her as my mother. I have also forgiven all the relatives who killed my people,” says a courageous Nsengimana. #Kwibuka25

After this unspeakable &horrifying story, Albert Nsengimana has a message to survivors:
We cannot undo the past
We have to live today &tomorrow
We cannot forget what happened but we should have the courage to move on
Look forward &work hard for a brighter future #Kwibuka25