1994 Rwandan genocide testimony by Judith Mutegarugori

Judith Mutegarugori, a girl from Commune Mukingi in Gitarama Prefecture, describes how she started seeing Tutsi refugees from Commune Murama and Commune Masango passing through her neighborhood, then on April 23, 1994 her commune was attacked. She listened to Radio Muhabura broadcast hate speech and it scared many Tutsis even the more. Judith hid in trenches and was rained on most of the time before escaping to an apostolic church. In the meantime, neighbors looted her family's property. On April 27, 1994, while hiding at offices of Commune Mukingi, Interahamwe brought lists of people to be killed. They took some men to kill at Byimana market. A day later, the Bourgumestre of Mukingi brought a bus that took the Tutsis at the commune's offices to Kabgayi. Life at Kabgayi was very difficult and Judith describes how Interhamwe came in buses to take Tutsis to kill. However, Tutsi at Kabgayi normally fought back with sticks and stones when the Interahamwe attacked and even were able to kill a member of the Interahamwe. Judith explains that cholera and other diseases were prevalent and claimed the lives of many refugees. She left Kabgayi and escaped to Gitarama and then to Kibuye before crossing to Bukavu in current day Democratic Republic of Congo. She stayed there until she returned to Rwanda in February 1998.