Nzobonariba, Philippe

Nzobonariba, Philippe

Philippe Nzobonariba

Loading...

Media is loading
 

Interviewee Age

Born in 1955

Interviewee Gender

Male

Interviewee Ethnicity

Hutu

Interviewee Occupation

Worked in Central Bank, Member of Parliament (1998-2005) and General Secretary in charge of Communication in government

Interviewee Level of Education in 1972

Was in 10th grade at a Jesuit High School

Geographical Location(s) during the genocide

Bujumbura, Jesuit High School

Current Geographical Location

Bujumbura

Interview Date

12-18-2023

Interviewer Name

Dr. Sharon Bethea, Ph.D.

Summary of Oral History

Philippe Nzobonariba was born in Muramvya province, Mbuye commune, in Gasura village in 1955. During the tragedy of 1972, he was a student at the Jesuits high school which is called Holy Spirit or Lycée du Saint Esprit of Bujumbura. He was 17 years old and he was in tenth grade. At that school, many of them were foreigners, and their headmaster was called Father Seigneur, he was very important because when tragedy started, he decided to close the school. He forbid them to go out, no one could not enter into school and even those who were studying without living in campus at school, they tried to keep them in internal boarding school, in that way no military were able to take students away, except in beginning days when four students and one Burundian teacher were taken away to be killed. Afterwards it didn't continue, but the teachers who were just doing internships, who were from the University of Burundi, were taken and killed. The father Seigneur who was the headmaster responded quickly and just stopped killings; the situation became very hard when they went on the holiday. Some regions had been touched more than others for example Rumonge, Bururi, Makamba. When students went on holiday their parents were killed, others had fled to other countries; so instead of going to holidays, they went to Republic Democratic of Congo but some who managed to come back, they finished the year and they continued studying.

In Philippe’s family, a direct cousin was killed and in the region, there were those who were killed especially teachers, they killed about seven, because they were looking for people who were educated and those who were becoming a bit rich especially traders, so they killed seven teachers and eight peasants.

After they heard that Philippe’s cousin was killed, in his family, they were afraid. They thought Philippe was also killed and the killings happened in the months of May, June. In July when the students went on holiday, they just saw him and they were very surprised. When the other year started, they tried to prevent him from going back to school in September but finally they let him. When they went back to school those who went out of the school were killed by the military.

Philippe could not forget what happened in 1965, he was ten years old, he saw some of his teachers being taken away. He was in fourth grade and they said that there had been killings in area called Busangana in Bukeye commune, they saw people arresting other people took them away to kill them. Four of their teachers were taken and killed and there was also another elected member of the parliament who was killed: Benyuje Emile and others: The directors of school, the headmasters of the schools, those who were in the parish. It is in that period that his father in law was taken to Muramvya and killed; he was the judge in the court of Mwaro, his name is Gihwinyirira Raphael. His teachers killed were Nsezere Etienne, Zambiriti, Sabwigi, he was the headmaster of the school,                                                                      and two others, all they killed in their area were six. The house of the member of the parliament Benyuje was also plundered; it was near Kiriri, and even now their children are following the case in the court.

According to Philippe, in Burundi, a memorial should be built to remember people killed in those tragedies, and that in each province, this is how it is done even in other areas too. He wishes the best for Burundi where someone either the rich or the poor live peacefully and work without being accused or died because of his ethnic group.

Named Persons

Philippe Nzobonariba Benyuje Emile: Member of the parliament killed in 1965, Gihwinyirira Raphael: Philippe’s father in law killed in 1965, Nsezere Etienne, Zambiriti, Sabwigi: his teachers killed in 1965

Named Places

Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Belgium: Countries; Busangana: village; Bukeye: commune; Bururi, Mwaro, Muramvya

Length of Oral History

00:42:26

Language(s) of Oral History

Kirundi and French

Language(s) of Transcripts

Kirundi, French, and English

Field Folder Number

128

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT - EDUCATIONAL USE PERMITTED This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Download Philippe Nzobonariba – Oral History Transcript and Translation (Kirundi and English) (142 KB)

Nzobonariba, Philippe

Share

COinS