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| |  | | Consolata Mukangango | | | context : | Rwanda  | | judgement place : | Belgium | | status : | Sentenced | | particulars : | 15 Years Imprisonment | | position : | Benedictine Nun |
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| | | | Consolata Mukangango (Sister Gertrude) was born on August 15, 1958 in Gitarama.
She and Sister Maria Kisito (Julienne Mukabutera), both Benedictine nuns, were found guilty of having participated in the massacre of more than 7600 people at the Sovu convent in Butare. Sister Gertrude was the Mother Superior of the convent.
From 17 April 1994, many people sought refuge in the convent. They were divided into four groups: pilgrims, families of a few of the Tutsi nuns, the convent personnel and their families and finally fugitives fleeing the massacre. The latter group, on order of Sister Gertrude, were transferred to the health care centre adjacent to the convent in order to not disrupt the activities of the convent and to prevent the destruction of its buildings. She refused to provide food to these refugees even though there were sufficient provisions in stock.
On 19 April 1994, the interim President of Rwanda, as well as several members of the government made inflammatory speeches urging the Hutus to commit further massacres against the Tutsis. As a result the carnage was intensified in the Butare region.
The two nuns had a good relationship with the leader of the militia, Emmanuel Rekeraho. It was he who advised them that the health care centre was about to be attacked. This seemed to reassure the nuns. The massacre did in fact begin on 22 April 1994.It came in three waves.
The health care centre was attacked by the Interahamwe militia and members of the Hutu population. Whilst the massacre was underway, 500 to 700 fugitives sought refuge in the garage of the health care centre. Their attackers made the decision to burn them alive. To accomplish this, the two nuns themselves came with two jerry cans of petrol. Sister Kisito poured the petrol over the garage and set it alight. On that day alone, close to 7000 people lost their lives at the convent. Sister Kisito was able to check by means of the list at her disposal if the people mentioned on it had indeed been killed.
Three days later, Rekeraho and his men returned to the convent. The nuns explained to him that they wanted to be rid of those fugitives who were still alive on the pretext that they did not have sufficient foodstuff for them. Sister Gertrude then goaded the fugitives into leaving the convent. On doing so, 600 people were killed, and only the family members of the Tutsi Sisters were spared.
After this there were still thirty fugitives remaining in the convent. Sister Gertrude put a lot of pressure on the other Sisters to coerce them into handing over these fugitives as a means of saving their own lives. On 6 May 1994, she went to fetch the village mayor. He came with armed policemen and the Interahamwe militia which massacred these remaining fugitives.
On 1 July 1994 the convent was evacuated. The nuns were transferred to the Maredret convent in Belgium after transiting through Zaire and France. The Mother Superior of the Order and Sister Gertrude brought great pressure to bear on those nuns who had made serious allegations concerning the events at the Sovu convent A few nuns were even sent away to other convents in view of their incriminating statements.
Sister Gertrude was indicted for war crimes on 25 January by the Belgian examining magistrate. | |     click for more... | | Trial Watch would like to remind its users that any person charged by national or international authorities is presumed innocent until proven guilty. | |  |  | | nationality : | | | Rwanda | | | date of birth : | | | 15.08.1958 | | | also known as : | | | Soeur Gertrude | | | last time seen : | | | Belgium | | | period of charges : | | | 17.04.1994 - 07.05.1994 | | | judgement period : | | | 17.04.2001 - 08.06.2001 | | | charges : | | | War crimes | | | profile last modified : | | | 12.11.2009 |
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