Simbananiye, Cécile

Interviewee

Cécile Simbananiye

Interviewee Age

70

Interviewee Gender

Female

Interviewee Occupation

Farmer

Geographical Location(s) during the genocide

Gikiranya Village, Songa zone, the commune was Gitandu, Bururi Province

Current Geographical Location

Gikiranya Village, Songa commune, Bururi Province

Interview Date

3-29-2022

Interviewer Name

Interviewer: Florence Nitunga

Summary of Oral History

In 1972, Cecile Simbananiye lost her husband, his father-in-law and his brother-in -law. Working as a salesman in Bujumbura, her husband supported his family with everything they needed. Cécile was a farmer at Gikiranya village. In 1972, people came from Bujumbura and told Cécile that her husband was killed. She didn’t see him again and all of his belongings were looted. She saw him the last time before he departed to work in Bujumbura.When the tragedy began Cécile already had five births. Cécile didn’t know what was behind the death of her husband. Still questioning about that, she saw people arresting Hutus in her neighborhood. They came and took them away one by one saying ‘’go you will come back after’’ and they ( people) waited for them to come back in vain. They also took away his father-in-law and her brother-in -law who were at Bujumbura. They arrested only the Hutus but she didn’t realize why. After the tragedy, Cécile sent her two children to school. They passed the national test of sixth grade but their results were given to Tutsis who didn’t pass, so they were forced to drop out of school. One of her children said: “and now they again wronged me, the grades I had were given to someone else so I didn't go back there”. Cécile didn’t mourn the death of her husband. In that period, nobody was allowed even to cry.

Named Persons

Cecile Simbananiye her parents are Bariyakura and Kabura., Her siblings are Ncabugufi and Ndorere, her husband was Ntezahorigwa David., Nestor and Ntibasarira are victims of the 1972 tragedy (They were arrested and never came back), They arrested the father of Namani saying he was going to be interrogated but he didn’t return home., Ndabusuye her father-in-law was killed together with Havyarimana her brother-in-law.

Named Places

Gikiranya the village, Bihari or Rumira the village, Tara the village, Bururi the province, Songa the commune, Bujumbura the capital of Burundi, Mutanyerera the village, Kayogoro the commune of Makamba province.

Length of Oral History

00:20:15

Language(s) of Oral History

Kirundi

Language(s) of Transcripts

Kirundi, English

Translator for Transcripts

Pasteur Niyomwungere

Rights

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Recommended Citation

Simbananiye, Cécile, "Simbananiye, Cécile" (2022). 1972 Burundi Genocide – Oral Histories. 63.
https://neiudc.neiu.edu/burundi-oral-histories/63

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