Rwanda

Rusomo Falls

 

A COUNTRY OF BEAUTY

We entered Rwanda at the Rusomo Falls crossing the border without any issues. Known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills,” Rwanda is a tiny landlocked country about the size of Wales. We droved towards the capital Kigali over rolling hills, with terraced cultivation cutting a dramatic swath up the steep sides of the mountains and hills. Picturesque little villages with brick houses along side the road or perched precariously on the edge of a hill ridge. The countryside was spectacular, lush shades of greenery, absolutely no litter, and a tarred road in excellent condition I was already in love with this country.

Kigali is a sprawling city spread over several hills. Streets lined with flowering trees, bustling, colourful, and noisy, we were struck at how clean and litter free the city is. Litter was conspicuous by its absence. The following morning after arranging our permits for gorilla trekking we visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial.

Kigali Genocide Memorial

On 6th April 1994, genocide was unleashed in Rwanda, one of the most horrific episodes of genocide in modern history. A million men, women, and children tortured and slaughtered within just 3 months. The genocide left many people with severe disfigurements and disabilities, a constant reminder of the horror they must have endured. Many villages had a memorial beside the rows of graves; no village escaped the murder of some or all of the people.

We entered the Kigali Memorial overlooking the valley not knowing quite what to expect. It is hard to describe what I felt, the displays, information, video clips interviews of both victims and perpetrators, display of machetes, clubs, knives, and guns used in the slaughter of a million men women and children within a 3-month period as the world watched on TV from the comfort of their living rooms. Pictures of children, toddlers, babies, tortured and murdered a generation destroyed in 100 days.

Gorilla Tracking

Why did the rest of the world do nothing, why did we allow it too happen? I felt ashamed and an overwhelming sense of sadness knowing that genocide and wars will happen again. It is not a matter of if, it is a matter of when; we just do not seem to learn.

GORILLAS IN THE MIST

Situated on the borders of Congo and Uganda, Parc Des Volcans is home to the mountain gorillas made famous by the movie “Gorillas in the Mist,” which itself is based
Gentle Giant on the book by Dian Fossey. Towering volcanoes and an altitude of between 2000m -3500m dominate the Park. With an annual rainfall of 2,000mm, it is a typical bamboo forest and woodlands and we were prepared for a challenging hike up the mountain in search of the gentle giants.

After meeting up with our guide Fidel and other fellow travelers, we were briefed about Amahoro, the gorilla family who live on Mount Visoke, which we were going to track.

The climb up mount Visoke was challenging due to the muddy and rocky terrain in dense forest but after an hour and a half of puffing and grunting, I saw my first gorilla in the wild. The excitement in the air was palpable as we edged closer, the guides and trackers motioning to us to be quite but to keep moving slowly towards the gorillas. We broke
Tasty through a clearing and suddenly we were in the company of the gorilla family. It was incredible I felt overwhelmed, imagine being surrounded by 14 gorillas, it has to be one of the most exhilarating experiences one can have. Tom behind me just whispered breathlessly, “Now I can die.” It was truly, one of the most spectacular wildlife experiences we have had. The sun was shinning despite being in the gorilla “mist” wilderness, the gorillas enjoying the sunshine were romping, and playing out in the open and the view was glorious. Does life get any better than this?

The gorillas were totally unconcerned about our presence and came within inches of us. The younger gorillas were curious and gingerly came close, they were hilarious, playing with each other just as children do, jumping up, swinging through the shrub, climbing the bamboo, and taking a flying leap into the soft vegetation below. I was as close to heaven as it comes. After an hour, we had to leave as one may only spend an hour with these amazing animals.

Hitching a Ride on Mom

We celebrated with a lunch at the local restaurant back at Ruhengeri before leaving for Gisenyi situated on Lake Kivu.

NO ARGUMENT

The government tourist map indicated the road from Gisenyi to Gitarama was in good condition and tarred. So we headed south across central Rwanda. Soon the good road became a dirt road then the dirt road became a rocky potholed track then the rocky track became a narrow winding “hint” of a road. The scenery was spectacular and in a country known as a “thousand
Who is watching who hills,” this road wound over each and everyone. We came around one corner to meet a speeding military truck, Tom pulled to the side to allow them to pass. The revving of the military truck engine was broken by the sound of steel meeting steel.

Tom jumped out the car to be met by several soldiers waving rifles, “It is not my fault” bellowed the sergeant.

“No, no definitely not your fault” replied Tom, “it is the road’s fault.”

After examining the slightly damaged cruiser, Tom climbed back in.

Glancing at me he simply said, “You don’t argue with a sergeant surrounded by soldiers waving rifles”

I agreed.

Quiet Countryside

THE HUNTERS AND THE HUNTED

Nyungwe Forest National Park protects the largest single tract of montane forest remaining in east and central Africa. It is also home to 13 different primate species including the chimpanzee. The chimpanzee share about 98% of our gene pool, yep we are all closely related, and with this in mind, we set off to track these elusive animals.
With our guide and chimp trackers, we headed off for a hike down the mountain to the valley below in search of these fascinating animals. The hike was “brutal” steep, muddy, a tangle of dense vegetation, unable to see ones feet as we bush whacked our way down the mountainside, the trackers hacking a path through the jungle with machetes.

It's a Jungle Out There

For a forest with 280 species of birds it was eerily silent, “not a good sign” said the tracker. Chimp tracking is done by listening for their cries and calls, but the forest was silent. The trackers in the valley had located a chimpanzee troop, which was moving silently down the mountain making it difficult for the trackers to keep track of them. The vegetation is much too dense for them to be located by sight only.

After 3 hours of difficult hiking for a brief moment, we spotted a chimp, and while we stopped for a rest, the trackers went off to find out where the troop was heading.

The news was not good when they returned.

Pensive

“There is a troop of colobus monkeys not far away and when chimps are moving in for a kill, they do not make any noise. We will not be able to find them while they are quiet.”

Disappointed our guide radioed to the trackers of a troop of over 400 colobus monkeys to see if it was worth us making the hike down to see the colobus monkeys. Again, not good news.

“The monkeys know the chimpanzees are in the area and they are all hiding high up in the trees, making no movements or any noise,” came back the reply.

We had to be satisfied with the brief glimpse of the chimpanzee climbing down a tree only to disappear into the sea of green. As hard as the hike was, the stunning scenery made it all worthwhile.

Murambi Hill and School

BETRAYED BY THE WORLD

As we arrived at the Murambi Genocide Memorial, we were informed by an official that the memorial was not yet opened and was still in final stages of preparation for opening. However, he arranged for a survivor of the massacre to show us the site, warning of us what we would see.

The site of the massacre was the technical school located behind the memorial building. During the genocide between 40,000- 60,000 men, women, and children assembled in the school’s 64 classrooms and on the grass around it. They were lead to believe the school would be a “safe haven.” Two weeks later the “interahamwe” attacked, and within 4 days, most on Murambi Hill had been murdered.

We entered the classroom, the smell of lime and death filled the air, we could hear the children in the village beside the memorial playing and shouting, an ordinary sunny day.

Stillness on Lake Kivu

1,800 bodies of the 27,000 exhumed from a mass grave here have been put on display in the classrooms. It was so haunting in its simplicity. The skeletons, of a woman in a blue dress, a toddler in a stripped shirt, battered and broken bones each an eloquent reminder of what was allowed to happen here.

1,800 pieces of clothing hung out, a mixture of tattered and stained shirts, dresses, pants and skirts. There was no need for any words.

Rwanda continues to struggle to heal but there is hope that the peace will never again be shattered. The courage, compassion, and resilience of so many ordinary Rwandeses will help make this happen.