Rwanda to digitise genocide memorial sites

Rwanda’s Government is set to digitise selected genocide memorial sites in the country as part of the efforts to preserve the history of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

It is also to ease visitors’ access to memorials, an official said on Friday.

Jean Damascene Bizimana, Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, made the remarks during an event to unveil a 10-year funding package for the project in Kigali.

“Digitisation will preserve history and provide visitors with electronic access to all information through videos and audio.

“It will enable people to visit these memorials without the need for a guide,” Bizimana said.

The move will start with three memorial sites, including Nyange and Murambi in western Rwanda, and Ntarama in the east.

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But with a target of covering other memorials across the country, according to the minister.

Bizimana said necessary data, including survivors’ testimonies, pictures, information about trials, and other relevant information, has been collected to ensure the successful implementation of the project.

The latest official figures show that there are more than 170 genocide memorial sites in the country.

Efforts are ongoing to merge some genocide remains from smaller sites to new standard sites with enough space to preserve genocide history.

The move will also create a memorial garden in order to ensure their proper preservation. (Xinhua)