Zura Karuhimbi

Rwandan woman who saved over 100 people from being killed by Hutu militias

Zura Karuhimbi (c. 1925 – 17 December 2018) was a Rwandan woman who saved more than 100 people from being killed by Hutu militias during the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda. A traditional healer, she hid the refugees in her house and deterred attackers by masquerading as a witch. Her role was recognized in 2006 by the award of the Campaign Against Genocide Medal by Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

Quotes

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  • During the genocide, I saw the darkness of a man's heart.
  • I used to say, 'If they die, I will also die'.
  • I remember one Saturday, they came back again,I confronted them as usual, warning them that by killing the refugees in my house, they were digging their own graves.
  • I only believed in one God and the thing of magical power was just an invention and cover I was using to save lives.
  • I am not a witchdoctor.
  • One day, President Paul Kagame visited our village and said 'if everyone was a witch doctor like me, genocide could not have happened'
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