Live to tell the tale: Rwanda survivors speak out Event Summary
Most of us cannot picture mass death, unless you have been deployed to a combat zone. Even then, one cannot image the slaughter of tens of thousands of civilians, unless you’ve been there; around the dead and dying. But, if you like I had not lived through such, but heard a story of sorrow, then gasped for air as you searched for clarity, as the story of mass horrors were told, it would still be difficult to picture such carnage. Yet, on this very special evening, two Rwandan survivors gave a vivid testimony of life in their country as the world around them descended into an inferno. “Left to Tell the Tale” was the name of a very up-close view of how a few endured, while 800,000 to a million people were killed in 90 days. As Dr. Elliot Elkovitz, who teaches at the Loyola and the main speaker stated, “what took place in Rwanda has no historical precedence.”
Dr. Jerry Steeken, the head of Black World Studies and Dr. Cranston S. Knight, Vice President of UNA brought together Alène Marie Victoire and Providence Rubingisa who survived one of the most horrific genocides of the 20th century. Both of the above Rwandans were unique, not only as survivors, but as individuals who were mutually Hutu and Tutsi. As Alène and Providence stated, “we had family members killed by both side.” “How do you make since of it all,” Providence said, “there is no logic to define what I saw.” Alène spoke of driving over bodies to escape, and we, the ordinance could not comprehend the statement, which came from her lips, genocide.
It is very possible that most of us will live a lifetime and never speak to a genocide survivor. During this evening, those of us who gathered spoke with individuals who survived what historians will write about for ages. I must admit the most amazing aspect of the discussion was when both Alène and Providence stated, “the horrors of Rwanda could be reconciled; not through military tribunals, but through peace.” What a statement, in that since we were the lucky ones, not because we gathered to hear stories of horrors, but that when it was all said and done, these two could still speak of
compassion and love after horror.
The program was sponsored by Dr. Jerry Steeken , Director of the Black World Studies Department at Loyola University, co-sponsored by Loyola’s Hillel Jewish Student Organization, the Illinois Holocaust Museum, and UNA: Greater Chicago Chapter. The event was held in Piper Hall at Loyola University Chicago.
The speakers, Alène Munyemana and Providence Rubingisa, are both members of the Rwanda National Congress. Please visit their site to learn more about their work for positive change in Rwanda.