Boston College doctoral candidate Marcel Uwineza, S.J., spoke at the United Nations April 12 as part of the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
When Rev. Marcel Uwineza, S.J., a survivor of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, was invited to give remarks at a recent commemoration of the event, he was asked to provide a photo of his parents.听
He could not, because such a photo no longer exists.
Fr. Uwineza鈥檚 home and all his family鈥檚 belongings were burned during the genocide, when Rwanda鈥檚 Hutu-led government killed approximately one million Tutsi in the span of three months. Fr. Uwineza鈥檚 two brothers, a sister, and an aunt were killed. His mother was beaten and later died from her injuries. His father had already been killed by Hutus in a time of unrest before the genocide officially began.听
Fr. Uwineza, just 14 years old, also was beaten.
A graduate of the School of Theology and Ministry, Marcel Uwineza, S.J., is pursuing a doctorate in systematic theology through 亚色影库's Theology Department. (Lee Pellegrini)
Now a doctoral candidate in Boston College鈥檚 Theology Department and a member of the University鈥檚 Jesuit Community, Fr. Uwineza calls the horrific events in Rwanda an 鈥渋ntimate genocide.鈥� It was not an invasion by an outside country, but an intensive, systematic killing of Rwandans by Rwandans.
鈥淣o one was spared from the attacks,鈥� said Fr. Uwineza, recalling the killing of babies and the disabled, and the rape of women. Family members killed in-laws. Neighbors killed neighbors.
Fr. Uwineza and his three younger siblings were saved when a Hutu man, Joseph Kabera, hid them in a beehive compound on his property. When that became unsafe, they eventually found refuge in a cathedral until they were liberated by Tutsi rebels.听
鈥淚 did not survive because I am better than other people,鈥� said Fr. Uwineza, 鈥渂ut maybe I survived for a reason.鈥�
Fr. Uwineza feels he can use what he calls as his 鈥渆xtra time鈥� to be 鈥渁 living bridge between the wounded in Rwanda and those who did the wounding. I want to be a messenger of reconciliation and a way for people to reach God.鈥�
On April 12, he brought that message to the United Nations General Assembly, where he gave remarks at the annual commemoration of the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations Ambassador Valentine Rugwabiza invited Fr. Uwineza to participate in the ceremony, which this year marked the 25th anniversary of the genocide. A number of dignitaries attended, including President of Rwanda Paul Kagame.听
During his speech, Fr. Uwineza shared a powerful story of his face-to-face encounter with the man who had killed his siblings. When Fr. Uwineza was 23 and had finished the Jesuit Novitiate, but was not yet ordained, he returned to his village to pray at the burial site of his family. The man, who had been released from jail, came up to Fr. Uwineza.