Preparation of the remains for the burial of the dead.

It is a large task that needs to be done with great care, when you are to prepare the remains of approximately 50000 people. This is what is being done at the memorial in Bisesero.  A ceremonial memorial burial will take place at the end of June, this year, in order to have an official mass grave for the survivors to come to.

Preparation of approximately 50000 remains from the genocide in Rwanda 1994 is in progress at the Bisesero Memorial. The official burial of the dead will take place in late June 2014.

#genocide #bisesero #rwanda #humanrights #memorial #photography #photojournalism #africa

Bisesero Memorial and the dead, Rwanda

Bellow the Memorial in Bisesero can you seethe remains of over 1500 dead people on display. 

It is a rather impressive display of remains you are met with if you visit the memorial in Bisesero. Then again, this is only one of many around the country. Later this month (June 2014) will most of the remains be buried. In the case of the bodies that have already been laid to rest, they will be reburied into the official mass graves.  #rwanda #bisesero #genocide #neveragain #africa #photography

Walking home.

A young child walking home from the Bisesero Memorial on April 7th 2014.

This little boy is walking home from the commemoration in Bisesero on April 7th 2014. You can see the people at the memorial sitting on the lawn in front of the memorial in the background. The landscape is hilly and beautiful. The history is brutal.
#rwanda #bisesero #genocide #neveragain #africa #photography #nikon #d810 #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #d4 #kigali #webster #aprilseventh

Child and Sheep, Bisesero, April 7th 2014.

This young person is walking home with a few sheep. It is the rain season and it is April 7th, 2014- 20 years since the the start of the genocide in Rwanda.

April is the rain season in Rwanda. This young boy was seeing his family sheep home on the day of commemoration in Bisesero, near lake Kivu. 

#rwanda #bisesero #genocide #neveragain #africa #photography #nikon #d810 #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #d4 #kigali #webster #commemoration #aprilseventh

Bisesero Evening Memorial, Rwanda

A small crowd of men had gathered at the top area of the memorial in Bisesero in order to commemorate 20 years since the genocide took place Rwanda. The village is located in the mountains near lake Kivu. The men are known to be strong- despite that, Bisesero did not escape losing thousands of women, children and men in the 1994 genocide.

On April 7th, the local community was organising an evening Memorial at the top of the Memorial in Bisesero, Rwanda. 

#rwanda #bisesero #genocide #neveragain #africa #photography #nikon #d810 #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #d4 #kigali #webster #aprilseventh #commemoration 

The official Burial of the dead in Bisesero.

Mucyo, the curator at the Bisesero memorial, standing in front of caskets contains the remains of around 50000 people. They will be re-buried into the new official mass grave at the memorial in June.

Mucyo, a survivor of the genocide, lost a leg during the war. Here, he takes time to show us how the memorial in Bisesero is designed to be functional as well as a place to use by the survivors in this small community. April 7th, 2014.

#rwanda #bisesero #genocide #neveragain #africa #photography #nikon #d810 #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #d4 #kigali #webster #commemoration #aprilseventh

Bisesero landscape and lake Kivu

If you ever travel and visit the little village Bisesero in Rwanda, then you will find amazing views of the (1000) hills in the surrounding area. You will also see the beautiful lake Kivu with Congo (DRC) in the background. This is also where resistance was stronger during the genocide against the Tutsi in 1994.

Lake Kivu seen from Bisesero with Congo (DRC) in the background (April 2014).

#rwanda #bisesero #genocide #neveragain #africa #photography #nikon #d810 #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #d4 #kigali #webster #lakekivu #kibuye #thousandhills #aprilseventh #commemoration

Rwanda Taxi

Arriving in Kibuye- meet the taxi.. It was not that easy to get both my luggage and camera gear onto the taxi going to my hotel... The ride was only about 10 minutes.

Fast and furious...at least quick and efficient would be my experience of the taxi in Kibuye, Rwanda!

#rwanda #bisesero #genocide #neveragain #africa #photography #nikon #d810 #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #d4 #kigali #webster #lakekivu #kibuye #thousandhills #aprilseventh #commemoration #taxi #motorbike

A rest, after walking a very long way...

Mars Mira is a very long walk, 120km and you walk through the woods, through hills and the temperatures may very well go beyond 40C. But this was the way where thousands tried to escape being killed in July 1995 fleeing Srebrenica trying to reach the next safe area, Tuzla.

A bit of resting feels like the right idea for this man after having walked for two days...one to go. Mars Mira/ Peace March July 2011. 

John at home, in the evening.

The days are long running Landmark Tea Room. And, it is a 7 day a week job, morning to night. Earlier, I showed you his "greeting committee, his dog Libbie! His girlfriend, Jane Ingabire, will also greet him. It is about 10 minutes walk between the tea room and John's house. The TV will run and John will contemplate about how to expand Landmark...!

John and Jane Ingabire at home watching TV

#rwanda #kabuga #genocide #neveragain #africa #photography #nikon #d810 #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #d4 #kigali #webster #home

Révérien Rurangwa, Switzerland, 2014

The other day, I got the chance to meet up with Révérien at his place in Switzerland. He has lived here for a long time and has a Swiss passport. He tells me that, his place, his home, is here, in Switzerland. Not so strange maybe. On April 20th 1994, 43 members of his closest family was brutally murdered in the Rwandan genocide. Just luck, perhaps, saved him from dying. More to come on his story. And, you can read his entire story in his book that he published in 2006. It is available in French, English, Polish and Swedish.
http://books.google.ch/books/about/Genocide.html?id=6agPAQAAMAAJ&redir_esc=y

Réverien Rurangwa, Switzerland, 2014

#rwanda #bisesero #genocide #neveragain #africa #photography #nikon #d810 #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #d4 #kigali #webster #reverienrurangwa

Broken Windows

Marie-Jeanne has a problem with some of the people in her neighbourhood. Several times has she been burgled in her modest small house. She has health problems. Here she shows how she is strengthening her windows. In 1994, she was maried to a Hutu man. He wanted to kill her as well as their children as  they were not "pure". As Marie-Jeanne did not divorce oficially right away, she can not claim compensation which again means that she is living in very basic conditions. No electricity, dirt floor, two rooms...and that is it. She lives with her young twin daughters.

Marie-Jeanne lives with her two twin daughters.

#rwanda #bisesero #genocide #neveragain #africa #photography #nikon #d810 #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #d4 #kigali #webster 

Workshop August 2014: Photo Expedition to Bhutan!

Isolated in the Himalayas for centuries and untouched by mass tourism, Bhutan is a hidden gem for photographers. 

"Set out into the kingdom of Bhutan to shoot images of its welcoming people, exquisite temples, timeless farming villages, and the towering Himalaya. Capture scenes from a lively market or crimson-robed monks against a backdrop of whitewashed dzongs. Capture the spirit of happiness in the smile of kids, in an archery game and the celebration of ancient ceremonies. Practice your photographic skills while learning about Gross National Happiness and discovering this breathtaking country"

On this workshop I will be travelling with Alvaro Moreno, an expert on tourism and sustainable travels... He spent a year working for the tourist authorities in Bhutan and knows the place better then most.. In addition, there will be a local English speaking guide who will help us navigate through some of the major sites worth photographing!

Bhutan- Workshop 11-21 August 2014

Practical info: Dates August 12-21 2014 (including travel time 1 week in Bhutan).
Price 2,445 Euros ( includes hotels, meals in Bhutan, English speaking guide, all road transport, all activities and visits, poverty alleviation fee as well as visa.
Group size 5-8. Flights are extra (economy flights would cost around 1.200 euro in addition if travelling from Switzerland). We will be able to help with organising all flights. Should you want too spend more time in Bhutan in addition to the workshop time, we can organise that too.

Deadline to register: June 20th 2014 on info@butanexclusivo.com 

Aaron Mukomeza walking home from the after the commemoration in Bisesero on April 7th 2014.

With the hills and lake Kivu as a backdrop, Aaron Mukomeza (the son of Aminadabu Birara, the chief of the civilian resistance against the genocide) can be seen leaving the  Bisesero Memorial after the day program was finished.

Aaron Mukomeza (left) walking home from the after the commemoration in Bisesero on April 7th 2014. 

The Rainy Season in Bisesero

On my visit on April 7th to Bisesero, the views were amazing and telling. It was fascinating to witness those spectacular views and simultaneously knowing I was there to meet people who are known to have greatly resisted the attackers during the genocide in Rwanda. The Rwandan flag is waving at the memorial while overlooking the hills and lake Kivu.

Lake Kivu and Congo (DRC) can be seen in the background from the Genocide memorial in Bisesero.

Getting Landmark ready...!

Not always easy to get things done on time... John wanted his new Tea room up and running by April 1st... It is open now- but there were lots to be done prior to open the doors to the public. Here are some of the builders getting the furniture ready. Not sure who had the winning argument here...!

Working under pressure at Landmark Tea room, Kabuga, Rwanda

John & Liberality "Libie"

Running the Tea room "Landmark" means long hours, every day. It is nice then to walk home and be greeted by Libie.

Libie greeting John at night

Landmark Tearoom

So, just a few days ago, Landmark opened. Landmark is the Tearoom that John runs in Kabuga, suburban Kigali. He had to relocate but is back in business, just off the high street. If you like Rwandan tea or want some other light bites, you should probably stop by sometime very soon!

The Landmark Tearoom was not up and running yet as I visited. Here is the view out on the street, just off the high street.

#rwanda #bisesero #genocide #neveragain #africa #photography #nikon #d810 #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #d4 #kigali #webster #kabuga

The children of Rwanda

The Generation of children in Rwanda counts for more then 50 % of the population. The past will not go away, but they face a whole range of possibilities. The project I am currently working on is focusing on this- how does the new generation deal with its past but stay positive about he the future?
On my last visit I visited this primary school and the children put on a great performance! More to come..

The new generation of Rwanda

"He did what he was told to do", he says.

As over a million people were brutally murdered, hundreds of thousands of men participated in the killings during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Raphaël tells me that "he did what he was told to do". His tools were a machette and a club. He has spent 12 years and six months in prison for what he did.

Raphaël

#genocide #storytelling #humanrights #photojournalism #documentary #potocari #july11 #20years #nikon #d4 #reportage #d810  #lifeaftergenocide #humanrights #postwar #rwanda #neveragain #africa #photography #d810 #d4 #kigali #webster #reverienrurangwa #nikonpro #bisesero #webster #rwandagenocide #april7