Left to Tell
This book gives a personal account of a survivor of the 1994
holocaust against the Tutsi's, the Twa's and the moderate Hutu's which was
carried out by the Hutu-led government, interahamwe and impuzamugambi militias
and Hutu neighbours.
It has been estimated that a total of about 1 million
Tutsi's were murdered during the war which took place between 7 April-15 July
1994 until the Rwandan patriotic Front (RPF) which was led by the present
Rwandan president Paul Kagame where able to bring some calm to city and rescue
the Tutsi's that were left.
Immaculee Ilibagiza was born in the western Rwandan province
of kibuye, in the village of mataba. Her parents were both teachers who were
the first graduates in their families then, she was the 3rd and only girl
amongst 3 boys.
She was a student of national university in butare and was
on holidays when war broke out, she got separated from her family who she later
found were all killed in the most horrific way ever except for her eldest
brother who was schooling in Senegal when war broke out and was forced to stay(which
was the only option for her if not she would have been killed too) in a small
bathroom in their neighbours house who was a pastor and Hutu and never liked
her father, she shared the bathroom with 7 other women who were also running
for their lives for 3 months with little water, food and fear of being
discovered in hiding by the Hutu killers who constantly came to search the
house.
She explained how the only thing that sustained her during
those tough and uncomfortable 3 months was her faith in God.
After those 3 months, the RPF forces were able to gain some
grounds in the capital city, Kigali, therefore peace and calm began to return
to some parts of the country, it was during that time that Immaculee Ilibagiza
and the other ladies were being moved to a French camp where she met some
people who narrated to her how each of her family members were killed, there
she also got a new family and then moved to the capital city in Kigali where
she started a new life, she got a Job with the united Nations and later found
love and moved out of the country.
The story of Immaculee Ilibagiza taught me why the presence
of God is very important in our lives. It also taught me forgiveness, Despite
the horrific things the Hutu's did to the Tutsi's and her entire family being
killed by them, she chose forgiveness and not only doing it passively but went
to some of their houses after the genocide and even visited some in prison.
Review Compiled by Ritmwa Noel Bewarang
© Book-Troverts
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