Healing and Hypnotherapy Special Mega Annual Issue 21 June 2017 | Page 71

was staged after years of well planned discrimination and violence.
Outside Bugasera is one of the country´s 14 prisons with a majority of
genocide perpetrators. It has around 3000 prisoners.
The first time me and my colleague Murigo came we were shown into
the small common hall placed outside the high brick wall of the inner
secured parts of the prison.
One after the other come 60 inmates like marching in. They come in on
a row, all dressed in the conspiucous orange and pink uniforms: shorts
and short sleeved shirt. They make the uniforms themselves as part of
training tailoring.
They greet us very courteously, with one hand on the heart or two hands
together before sitting down on the low wooden benches. Several of
them have brought pen and paper for notes. Many have the Christian
cross hanging over the shirt.
An atmosphere of attention and curiosity fills the room. They look at me
with expectation, no suspicion it seems. It is not often a foreign visitor
comes to offer something.
They get even more astound when realizing that Murigo, herself an
orphan survivor, who lost all her family in the genocide has come to
deliver a tool for wellbeing to them – to them the perpetrators! First they
thought she was a spy from the government.
We start with a round of presentation. Name, profession, years in prison.
Experience of stress and trauma.
The first man to my far left stands up. Takes off his glasses and looks
me straight in the eyes.
_- My name is Manimana. I am a Doctor, a Muganga. I have been here
for 17 years. We are very happy to have you here. Many of us suffer
from nightmares, headaches. Some isolate themselves and do not want
to talk. Others get very easily angry. It is not easy.
Our families have rejected some of us and don´t visit. We do our best to
keep sane.
Others nod affirmatively.
Murigo tells her story and how she found healing through the technique
we are about to teach them.