Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


           Rwanda Genocide Survivors Share Memories with US Students

   by Elizabeth Lee

   This year marks the 20th anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda, and
   there has been a global movement to remember and educate people about
   what happened.  Some survivors are sharing their painful memories in
   the United States, hoping students will listen and learn from what
   happened.
   In front of a crowded room at the University of Southern California in
   Los Angeles, Yannick Tona recounts memories of horror and suffering
   most people would never experience.  He has been educating students
   around the world about what happened to his country of Rwanda 20 years
   ago, and what happened to his own family.
   "I remember the first time I saw the killing.  The first time I saw
   people been killed.  The first time I saw bodies," said Tona.
   These firsts happened in Rwanda when Tona was only four years old.
   "Hide in the bushes, hear people screaming, with machetes blood full of
   blood.  Bodies on the street everywhere," he said.
   Tona's one-year-old brother and grandmother were killed in the
   genocide.
   Edith Umugiraneza struggled with the fact that she survived while her
   mother, brothers and many other relatives did not.
   "Surviving for me was a problem.  Because I was blaming, 'Why did I
   survive why I did not go with others?' I had the question, 'Why, why?'
   all the time," said Umugiraneza.
   Now living in the United States, she found healing through prayer and
   by sharing stories with other survivors
   "It happened and we can not bring back our people so we have to move on
   and we have to help each other," she said.
   Her story is a part of the video archive at the University of Southern
   California Shoah Foundation - The Institute for Visual History and
   Education.  The Institute has been collecting video testimonies of
   genocide survivors in several countries.  For Rwanda, it aims to
   collect 500 testimonies.  So far, 65 are in its visual history archive.
   The Institute is also involved with Kwibuka20, a series of events
   worldwide and in the virtual world that commemorate the 20th
   anniversary of the Rwandan genocide.  On the Kwibuka20 website, people
   can offer messages of hope and unity.
   USC Shoah Foundation's Stephen Smith is the Executive Director of
   Kwibuka20.
   "People all around the world are coming together as a world community
   to reflect on what happened, but also to leave their voice and to make
   their point of view very clear about genocide in the world today what
   we can do about that how we can be involved," said Smith.
   University student Gregory Irwin is passionate about getting involved
   after a research trip to Rwanda where he met survivors and heard their
   stories.
   "I have been more driven to do something about genocide than ever,"
   said Irwin.
   Student Nora Snyder also went on the trip to Rwanda.
   "Things like what happened in Rwanda are still going on in the world
   today and things will continue to happen unless we take the time to
   remember," said Snyder.
   As a part of the Shoah Foundation Institute Student Association, they
   are remembering the genocide by organizing events on campus - including
   Yannick Tona's and Edith Umugiraneza's testimony.  The aim is to try to
   make students care enough to do something to prevent or stop any future
   genocides.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/rwanda-genocide-survivors-share-memor
   ies-with-us-students/1885997.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/rwanda-genocide-survivors-share-memories-with-us-students/1885997.html