Nun Gets 30-Year Sentence For Aiding In Genocide

By ANTHONY MITCHELL
Associated Press

NAIROBI, Kenya — A Catholic nun has been sentenced to 30 years in jail for helping militias kill hundreds of people hiding in a hospital during Rwanda's 1994 genocide, an official said today.

Theophister Mukakibibi was sentenced by a traditional gacaca court for helping Hutu militiamen to kill ethnic Tutsis seeking refuge from the slaughter in Butare hospital, where she worked.

"She was responsible for selecting Tutsis and would throw them out of the hospital and the militia would then kill them," said Jean Baptiste Ndahumba, president of the local gacaca court in Butare town. "This nun was organizing people to be killed." She was jailed Thursday.

She would also hold regular meetings with Hutu extremist groups and denied food to Tutsis hiding in the hospital, he said by telephone. About 20 people testified against her, he added.

In the massacre, 100,000 people were killed in the southeastern prefecture of Butare.


When I was growing up, the religious instruction I received said Christians were supposed to protect and care for the poor and the needy, and turn the other cheek to their enemies. Evidently, this nun received a different kind of religious training -- one that would allow her to participate in a genocidal massacre of her fellow human beings.

Or is she just following an old Christian tradition? Many Christians love to point out the violence employed by other religions, such as the Islamic extremists who believe it is proper to kill those who disagree with them. But they ignore the fact that Christianity is historically one of the bloodiest religions existing.

Too often today, fundamentalists in many religions, including Christianity, believe it is OK to kill those who disagree with them. These religious bigots have discarded the parts of their religions that teach peace and love -- even for their enemies. Instead, they use their religion as a weapon to attack those they don't like.

I know there are many decent and loving Christians and Muslims out there. What I don't understand is why they don't take back their religion from the bigots who use it to justify their vicious actions. Why are they afraid to oppose the many bigots masquerading as religious leaders?

This nun stepped way over the line. I hope she has to serve every minute of her 30-year sentence.