Rwandan Genocide Survivor Visits Calhoun, Mepham

Students enrolled in Bellmore-Merrick’s “Voices of the Past” social studies elective received a special visit from a Rwandan citizen who survived the genocide committed by Hutu extremists against his fellow Tutsi tribesmen.

Johnson Mutibagirana was nine-years-old when he witnessed his mother being executed along with 40 other Tutsi neighbors when Hutu’s began the politically-driven slaughter in 1994. His father, who had escaped the initial attack in his neighborhood, was later killed in another province of Rwanda during the 100-day genocide campaign that claimed the lives of nearly one million Tutsi Rwandans.

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Now 29-years-old and in the United States on full scholarship to Texas Christian University, Mutibagirana travels to tell his story and the story of Rwanda’s return to civility and peace.

Stating that he has let go of the anger over his parents’ murder at the hands of ethnically prejudiced Hutus, Mutibagirana answered questions from students at Mepham High School during a morning session at the school. Later, the guest speaker appeared before the “Voices of the Past” class at Sanford H. Calhoun High School, taught by Julie Rosslee.

Mutibagirana’s visit was organized by Calhoun social studies teacher Dr. David Goldberg, who arranged for him to speak to Stu Stein and Ed Grosskreuz’s co-taught elective at Mepham. Mutibagirana is studying law at TCU, where he plans to eventually earn a spot on the bench as a judge.

Submitted by Bellmore-Merrick Schools

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