Huye: Community constructing a house for Genocide perpetrator, thanks to the initiative by a genocide survivor
Unity and Reconciliation are taking roots across Rwanda. In Huye District the survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi have been living well with the Genocide perpetrators after apologizing for their crimes and now survivors are even more involved in building houses for those perpetrators.
Last weekend genocide survivors in Simbi Sector in Huye District hosted a community service to build a house for Habimana Jean Damascène who was recently released after 21 years in prison for his role in killing Tutsis in 1994.
Habimana claims to have been involved in the murder of the husband and son of Mukampfizi Valérie, a neighbor. He was sentenced by the Gacaca Courts to 21 years in prison and was released on bail.
“In prison we were taught to get along well with others after being released. As soon as I was released, I went to see her and apologized and she pardoned me. ”
He further added that the presence of Mukampfizi Valérie, whom he had killed her family, showed that her pardon was sincere.
Mukampfizi Valérie said she chose to pardon the killers of her family because it helped her to have inner peace.
