I resettled in the United States from the Republic of Burundi in Africa after my family and I survived two massacres in East Africa. The first massacre took place in our hometown in the region of Kalemie in Eastern Congo in 1998.
On an evening in the fall of 1998, my family and I were at home, not realizing that extremists had spread propaganda throughout the town, urging a person to kill anyone who was Banyamulenge.
Several hours after the violence began, my family was forced by soldiers into a truck and taken far outside of the town. The soldiers ordered us out of the truck, and proceeded to kill all 78 of the men and boys. They shot some with their rifles and savagely attacked others with machetes. Still others were buried alive and left to suffocate.
The women, over 100 of us, were placed in a prison and told that we would be killed soon. We were given neither food nor water. After six weeks, thanks to God, a force of Rwandan soldiers arrived by helicopter to rescue us. Our captor’s captain, Lokole Madowadowa, gave the order to evacuate, and we were freed.
After that, my family was resettled in the Gatumba Refugee Camp in Burundi. Life was difficult and we often feared for our safety. On the night of August 13th 2004, the camp was attacked by a group of soldiers and civilians determined to exterminate the ethnic Tutsi Banyamulenge refugees. In all, 166 people were killed and hundreds more were severely wounded.
However, my immediate family and I survived.
I lost two cousins and many family members were entirely wiped away.
The massacre was carefully planed and executed with the goal of killing everybody in the camp. Some of the attackers surrounded the camp while other entered, indiscriminately killing women, children and men. Four groups of extremist Hutu rebels, the FNL, Palipe Hutu, Mai -Mai, and FAC, claimed responsibility for the attack.
My family was lucky to be selected among the small group that got resettled here in the USA. Several families that survived the Gatumba massacre are still in Bujumbura, the capital city of Burundi. Many, many others are scattered in different camps throughout the country.
My family was among the first group to be taken to the United States on March 19, 2007, to live in California.
I came with my immediate family: my two sons: Chantal, Inginerie, my daughter: Jean claude, and my daughter-in-law Kadomo, the wife of my younger son.
On an evening in the fall of 1998, my family and I were at home, not realizing that extremists had spread propaganda throughout the town, urging a person to kill anyone who was Banyamulenge.
Several hours after the violence began, my family was forced by soldiers into a truck and taken far outside of the town. The soldiers ordered us out of the truck, and proceeded to kill all 78 of the men and boys. They shot some with their rifles and savagely attacked others with machetes. Still others were buried alive and left to suffocate.
The women, over 100 of us, were placed in a prison and told that we would be killed soon. We were given neither food nor water. After six weeks, thanks to God, a force of Rwandan soldiers arrived by helicopter to rescue us. Our captor’s captain, Lokole Madowadowa, gave the order to evacuate, and we were freed.
After that, my family was resettled in the Gatumba Refugee Camp in Burundi. Life was difficult and we often feared for our safety. On the night of August 13th 2004, the camp was attacked by a group of soldiers and civilians determined to exterminate the ethnic Tutsi Banyamulenge refugees. In all, 166 people were killed and hundreds more were severely wounded.
However, my immediate family and I survived.
I lost two cousins and many family members were entirely wiped away.
The massacre was carefully planed and executed with the goal of killing everybody in the camp. Some of the attackers surrounded the camp while other entered, indiscriminately killing women, children and men. Four groups of extremist Hutu rebels, the FNL, Palipe Hutu, Mai -Mai, and FAC, claimed responsibility for the attack.
My family was lucky to be selected among the small group that got resettled here in the USA. Several families that survived the Gatumba massacre are still in Bujumbura, the capital city of Burundi. Many, many others are scattered in different camps throughout the country.
My family was among the first group to be taken to the United States on March 19, 2007, to live in California.
I came with my immediate family: my two sons: Chantal, Inginerie, my daughter: Jean claude, and my daughter-in-law Kadomo, the wife of my younger son.
We were welcomed by an agency called IRC (the International Rescue Commission). Many people helped us to settle in and adapt to life in the US. Life is filled with new challenges now, but I will never forget the days in Kalemie and Gatumba.
I hope that everyone who reads this will gain some understanding about the terrible things that have happened to my people, and that the World will never again allow this to happen.
interview by jea claude nov.17.08
