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Pascal Gahungu
 
"He could not imagine they could kill him with a machete. Of course they killed him. They killed him without any emotion."
Pascal Gahungu and Caritas Mbunduguru
Pascal saved Caritas and her four children during the crisis. Pascal was honoured during a performance in Ruyigi in April 2006, when this interview took place.

Pascal: I am from Muriza, in Butaganzwa commune, Ruyigi Province.

Caritas: I'm from Kiyabu.

The Hutu were very angry. "Today you killed our President Ndadaye," they said. "You have to pay for it and you deserve to be killed. Every Tutsi, every member of the Uprona party must die."

We used to have many cows and servants. We went to my father. He was an old man. "You heard what they said," I told him. "All the cows we own are theirs. Why do you still take care of them. You should run away with us."

"Dear children," he replied. "Go and may god keep you safe. I can't follow you. I am old enough not to be afraid. I don't think that people who have been nourished by my cows' milk can hurt me." He could not imagine they could kill him with a machete. Of course they killed him. They killed him without any emotion. They went everywhere saying "We will kill you. We will kill all of you. Even babies in their mother's womb."

Pascal: At that time of crisis, it was around 11AM, people started to kill each other, to loot and burn houses, cows were killed. I saw hills burning, people running away, plantations destroyed, shops closed. It was a bad time.

Caritas: On that day we saw a mob running towards us. They were armed with machetes and bows and arrows. We were frightened and tried to run away. They killed every person they were able to. In my family they killed almost everybody: my uncles, my father, my mother, my brothers who were married and their children. I saw it with my own eyes and couldn't do anything. They would have killed us as well.

I think I have no friends and relatives left alive. I can't really tell you how horrible it is to remain alone with my children.
 



© Burundi Voices Project, 2006.