Bisisero, Rwanda

Bisesero Genocide and Resistance Memorial - darkometer rating : 7 - Not only one of Rwanda 's six National Genocide Memorials, also a memorial to resistance against the Rwandan genocide – even though, in the end, it was largely unsuccessful. Still, the Tutsis who had fled to this hillside location managed to fend off the Hutu killers for almost three months. The memorial site is still under development, and thus – at least for the time being – one of the "lesser" ones on the dark tourism priority list. > More background info > What there is to see > Location > Access and costs > Time required > Combinations with other dark destinations > Combinations with non-dark destinations > Photos More background info: For general historical background info see Rwandan genocide (and Rwanda in general) – Bisesero is unique amongst the National Genocide Memorial sites in that it is as much a memorial of suffering during the genocide as it is one celebrating resistance. When the genocide sweeping across the country in April 1994 reached the Bisesero area, Tutsis from the region gathered in an effort to mount resistance against the killers coming after them. They used the steep hills, especially the one where today's memorial is located, as a retreat from where they could fend off their attackers by throwing rocks and sticks (apparently some were also armed with machetes and the like). This organized resistance effort is well known as the strongest stand Tutsis made during the genocide. After some initial successful battles, fortune turned against the Tutsis. Hutu reinforcements arrived in the form of more heavily armed Interahamwe supported by soldiers equipped with modern firepower and more forceful attacks were launched in mid May.