Uganda and Rwanda - Overseas Adventure Travel tour
June, 2023
Part Two - Rwanda
Rwanda is a landlocked country bordered by Uganda, Tanzania,
Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is called the
"land of a thousand hills" with mountains in the west and savanna to the
southeast. It is the 5th most densely populated country in the world. The
capital and largest city is Kigali. Hunter-gathererers settled the area. The
Kingdom of Rwanda was established in the 15th century. In 1897, Germany
colonized it, followed by Belgium in 1916. Both nations ruled through the
Rwandan king and perpetuated a pro-Tutsi clan policy. The Hutu population
revolted in 1959 and massacred numerous Tutsi and established an
independent, Hutu-dominated republic in 1962. The Tutsi led Rwandan
Patriotic Front (RPF) started a civil war in 1990. After the Hutu leader was
assassinated in April 1994,
genocide against the Tutsis and others
occurred over 100 days, ending with the military victory of the RPF.
Rwanda has been governed as a one party state, the RPF, since then,
with Paul Kagame as President since 2000. Although it has low levels of
corruption compared with its neighbors, it ranks amongst the lowest in
international measures of civil liberties, government transparency,
and quality of life. The population is young and largely rural. Its economy
is based mostly on subsistence agriculture. Tourism is a fast-growing
sector. Education is free in state-run schools for 12 years. Rates of
completion are low.
Page One - Kigali, Reconciliation Village, and Akagera National Park
The main tour group at our first dinner together
. Lynne, Janice & her
granddaughter Easlyn, Kay, Diane, Melanie (hidden), Pat, Lynn, & Vicki,
who are sisters
Heartrending visit to Kigali Genocide Memorial where the remains of over 250,000 people are buried in mass graves.
The Rwandan genocide occurred in 1994 during the Rwandan civil war. Members of the Tutsi minority ethnic group
and some moderate Hutus & others were viciously killed (including rapes, torture, machetes) by armed militias.
No country intervened to stop the killings. The genocide ended when the Rwandan Patriotic Front group won the civil war.
Belgium was "given" Rwanda as a protectorate after WWI, and gave special favored status to the minority Tutsis,
very similar in culture to the Hutus, helping to generate, over time, hatred of and conspiracy theories about the Tutsis.
Anywhere from 600,000 to one million people were murdered during the genocide.
Former Nyamata Catholic Church, now a genocide memorial where there are more mass graves and was a site of a massacre.
When the genocide began, many sought refuge at this and other Catholic Churches in the country. When the militia arrived to kill them,
church leaders offered no resistance. Similar scenes played out across Rwanda. In some cases the priests and nuns joined in the
slaughter.
In 2017, Pope Francis acknowledged the Church's role in the genocide and pleaded for forgiveness.
Diane with one of the children in the Reconciliation Village we visited
Visiting a farmhouse
in the village
Children watching us in the Reconciliation Village
At a Reconciliation Village in Rwanda to learn how genocide victims and perpetrators
are trying to put the past behind them and live together as neighbors again.
In these villages, both sides have agreed to put aside their differences and work together
to end the cycle of ethnic violence and move toward peace and reconciliation.
The 2 men on the left were perpetrators. The 2 women on the right lost family members. They talked to us.
Rwandans who were perpetrators and imprisoned were given the opportunity to repent and reduce their sentence
if they agreed to go to places where they committed murder, ask for forgiveness from remaining family members, and
show family members where there loved ones were buried. They also had to go through 90 days of rehabilition training.
The family that hosted us for lunch.
About 1/2 of our group ate with another family.
The villagers loaned us Rwandan handmade skirts while touring the village. We had lunch in one of the homes.
Some children sitting in front of a home in their school uniforms.
At the Women's Opportunity Center, home to about 300 Rwandan women, most of whom are genocide survivors.
Local people can come here for training in various skills. Before touring the Center, both women and men sang and danced for us.
Caught in the act. A fellow traveler sent this to me.
Some of our tour group joined the dancers at the end of their performance.
We didn't come close to their skill.
Our tour leader Isaac clowning in a native costume
A boy at the Women's Opportunity Center
Red-cheeked cordon-bleu bird seen at the Women's Opportunity Center.
At a building at the Center where sewing skills are taught and used.
Women walking along a road. It's amazing how people are able to carry things on their heads.
We stopped at a small village where villagers werre pumping water.
A fellow traveler photographed me interacting with children in a small village on our way to Akagera National Park.
Some of the children saying goodbye to us.
Vervet monkey looking for opportunities to snatch food at the lodge where we stayed at Akagera National Park.
Baboons along the road, with a baby catching a ride. Seen while we did a game
drive at Akagera National Park.
Zebra near the road
African wattled lapwing
Hippo
Hippopotamus leisurely crossing the road while we were on a game drive in the Park.
Egret
Dwarf mongoose
Nile monitor lizard
Helmeted guineafowl
African fish eagle spreading its wings
African fish eagle amidst flowers
Zebra
Creative way of re-using tires, at a rest stop in the Park.
Elephants walking along the game drive road toward water, protecting their babies.
Impala
Crocodiles relaxing near where the elephants were heading.
Saddle-billed stork
African wattled lapwing
Baby hippo with mom
Egret relaxing with hippo family
Bushbuck
Woodland kingfisher
Baby Impala
Another baby impala
Bateleur
Red-necked francolin
Hamerkop on a nest
Palm-nut Vulture
Baboon
Grey Crowned Crane
Owl hidden somewhat in a tree
Lilac-breasted roller
Link to Page Two- Lake Ihema boat cruise & Volcanoes National Park
Pat's Home Page