As Rwanda and the entire world commemorate the 32nd anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, the history of what happened on this date, April 11, 1994, highlights how the United Nations peacekeeping contingent from Belgium abandoned over 2,000 Tutsi who had sought refuge at the ETO-Kicukiro school, leaving them without any other protection. This decision was reinforced on this day when the Belgian Foreign Minister, Willy Claes, met with the Secretary-General of the United Nations to inform him that Belgium was withdrawing its troops from the UNAMIR force, which was responsible for restoring peace in Rwanda. This resulted in approximately 3,000 Tutsi, who had just been abandoned by these troops, being taken to be killed at Nyanza ya Kicukiro under orders given by Colonel Leonidas Rusatira, where the RPF Inkotanyi forces managed to rescue only about 97 people.
The abandonment by the UN troops became a catalyst for accelerating the killings in various areas, where Interahamwe and other Hutus from across Komini Murambi attacked Kiziguro Church, killing 5,500 Tutsi. This attack was led by Gatete Jean Baptiste, Mwange, Valens Byansi, Rwabukumba, Nkundabazungu, and soldiers, who fired bullets and grenades into the church, while those still breathing were thrown alive into a 50-meter pit that had been dug near the church. On the same day, in Komini Buyoga, Interahamwe killed more than 425 Tutsi in Mutete, Kimisugi, Muhororo, and Rurama sectors, and Tutsi women who were married to Hutu men were also killed. On this date as well, Tutsi refugees who had fled to the CERAI Nyamata school were killed by Interahamwe, while in Ngororero, false announcements of peace prompted all Tutsi in hiding to come out to the Sous-Prefecture offices, where the Interahamwe killed them all.
These killings continued to gain momentum across the country as the Interim Government moved its headquarters to Gitarama. Between April 11 and 16, more than 35,000 Tutsi were killed in Rukumberi and its surroundings, while in Komini Kivumu, Bourgmestre Ndahimana Gregoire ordered Tutsi to gather at the Nyange Church under the false pretense of security. On this date, Tutsi were also killed at the Ndera Junior Seminary, EER Gahini Parish, Muganza Parish in Nyaruguru District, Rubona in Cyangugu, Hanika in Macuba-Karambi (Nyamasheke), Muyange in Nyabitekeri, and at the Busengo Sous-Prefecture offices. It is a day that left a profound mark on history, as the UN forces abandoned the Tutsi who had sought refuge at ETO Kicukiro, causing the killings to continue gaining momentum everywhere.
