Murambi Genocide Memorial center in Nyamagabe district, southern Rwanda
Rwanda is entering a critical phase in its genocide memorialization efforts following an announcement by the Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, Dr Jean-Damascène Bizimana.
At a press conference on Thursday, Bizimana made surprise policy review under way. He stated that human remains displayed in genocide memorial sites across the country will eventually need to be buried, as they are undergoing natural decomposition.
“The remains of the genocide victims in memorial sites will eventually have to be buried because they are disintegrating; they cannot last for a thousand years,” Minister Bizimana said. “We have reached the stage of discussing this with families of the victims to ensure that the process does not cause them distress. Once the remains are buried, people can find peace, and recordings—both video and audio—will be made to preserve the historical memory.”
This announcement comes in response to years of debate as to what is the best way to honor the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi while balancing historical preservation, survivor needs, and ethical concerns.
The Debate Over Burial Versus Memorialization
Since the genocide, Rwanda has preserved tens of thousands of remains in hundreds of memorial sites such as Murambi, Nyamata, and Ntarama as part of its efforts to document the atrocities and educate future generations.
However, over time, scientific and ethical challenges have emerged regarding the long-term preservation of human remains.
Globally, there have been precedents where genocide or mass atrocity remains were initially displayed and later buried.
Following the Holocaust, some exhumed remains were examined and later reburied, particularly in locations like Germany and Poland.
In Cambodia, where the Khmer Rouge regime left behind numerous mass graves, some remains were put on display at memorials such as the Killing Fields. Discussions have since emerged about whether these remains should eventually be buried as they naturally decay.
In Bosnia, after the 1995 Srebrenica genocide, efforts focused on exhuming mass graves for forensic identification. Once identified, remains were reburied in dignified cemeteries, bringing closure to families.
Rwanda now faces a similar question: should the remains in genocide memorials continue to be displayed, or should they be buried in a dignified manner while ensuring history is not forgotten?
The Psychological Impact on Survivors
Scientific studies have explored the impact of both preserving remains in memorial sites and burying them.
Displaying remains can be distressing for some survivors, as it constantly reminds them of the trauma. Some argue that it prolongs grief and may even trigger post-traumatic stress.
However, for others, these displays serve as an important educational tool and a permanent testimony to the horrors of the genocide.
Burying remains can provide psychological relief and restore dignity to the deceased. In Rwanda, survivors who have participated in the proper burial of identified remains have often reported a sense of closure and healing.
Memorialization must be handled sensitively, as survivors have differing opinions. While some advocate for continued display to educate future generations, others believe that after 30 years, it may be time for the remains to be respectfully buried.
Community-based healing approaches such as sociotherapy have been used in Rwanda to help survivors process their grief and make collective decisions about memorialization.
These dialogues could play a key role in ensuring that any decisions regarding the burial of remains are inclusive and sensitive to survivor needs.
What Happens Next?
Minister Bizimana emphasized that the government will consult survivors and families before making final decisions. Any burial of remains will be documented through video and audio recordings to ensure historical preservation.
The issue arose after the Minister was asked about progress on re-preservation project which was initiated at the Murambi Genocide Memorial Site in Nyamagabe district. The remains that are there are unique in the sense that unlike elsewhere, the Murambi remains are whole figures.
They are like that because of how they were initially buried. Back in 1994, the area was manned by French contingent. After massacre at Murambi technical school, the French soldiers determined that the smell of decomposing remains was too much. They put the bodies in a mass grave, sprayed them with lime and covered the ground.
At the exact spot, a volleyball court was established for the French commandos. It was only after the French had left, and the new RPF-led government was in place, that the victims of Murambi were exhumed. They were found intact, with complete limbs.
However, over the years, these remains were beginning to decompose.
In 2016, a project was devised to find a way to keep them in that shape permanently.
Minister Bizimana told journalists that the project was indeed complete. “You can tell all details about each of the victims, their age, their size, and many other details, as result of the new system installed there,” he said, urging the media to visit the site.
The approach mirrors global best practices where forensic and historical documentation have played a role in memorialization.
In Bosnia, for example, forensic analysis of mass graves provided crucial evidence for war crimes trials, while in Rwanda, similar documentation has been used in Gacaca courts and historical archives.
Ultimately, Rwanda’s decision will need to balance multiple priorities: honoring the dignity of the victims, supporting the psychological well-being of survivors, and preserving historical memory for future generations. The coming months and years will likely see further consultations, with survivors and policymakers working together to determine the best way forward.
The question of whether to bury the remains in Rwanda’s genocide memorials is not just a practical or scientific one—it is deeply emotional and historical.
The decision will affect survivors, shape the nation’s memorialization efforts, and influence how future generations learn about the genocide.
Whatever course is taken, it will need to be guided by respect, sensitivity, and a commitment to never forgetting the past.
