Spotlight on Rwanda

Time for reconciliation in Rwanda

The tragic events in Rwanda claimed many victims. Frontline World presents the Rwandan tragedy in the personal stories of three different individuals: a human rights activist, a perpertrator of violence, and an innocent victim.

Portrait: Alys Habimana - a human rights activist

Portrait: Pacifique Mukeshima  - a perpertrator of violence

Portrait: Domina Nyirandayambaje - an innocent victim

Photo by Donald Miller (Used with permission.) See more photos of Rwanda
in his Photo Gallery.

Your thoughts:
What do you think it would be like to live in Rwanda today? From the readings, what kind of problems would you say people in Rwanda are facing now so many years after the genocide. Do you think reconciliation is possible?

Through the eyes of children

Unlike the boy in the photo, many Rwandan children were left orphaned after the genocide. Through the Eyes of Children: The Rwandan Project documents a photography project designed to help children in the Imbabazi Orphanage take pride in their country.

Thirteen Rwandan orphans used disposable cameras to take photographs of their community. Meet the children and view the photographs they took.

Photo by Donald Miller (Used with permission.)  See more photos of Rwanda
in his Photo Gallery.

Your thoughts:
What do you think of the project? What do you think the photos reveal about their lives?

What happened in Rwanda?

The sculpture in this photo depicts the agony of some of the victims. 800, 000 people were brutally killed during the 100 days of the Rwandan genocide. To learn what happened, watch a BBC Online slide show, Rwanda's 100 days of genocide. It tells the story in images and audio.

To learn more, go to The History Place and read Genocide in the 20th century - Rwanda 1994 – 800,000 deaths. If you are not sure where Rwanda is, click on the small map to see a larger one. To examine the causes of the genocide, read the BBC Online article, Rwanda: How the genocide happened.
 
Photo by Sue Nichols, University Relations, Michigan State University
(Used with permission)

Your viewpoint:
Do you think the genocide in Rwanda could have been prevented? Explain why or why not.

Survivors - reminders of genocide

Each survivor of the Rwandan genocide has a story to tell. View this BBC Online slide show to read some survivors' stories: In pictures: Rwanda--the survivors.

In Season of Evil, an article in the Village Voice, a young woman, recalls how she and her grandmother narrowly escaped being killed. She was 9 years old then.

Eyewitness: a survivor's story is a BBC Online story about an 11-year-old young boy who survived the genocide, but lost a leg.

Photo by Donald Miller (Used with permission.)  See more photos of Rwanda
in his Photo Gallery.

Thinking about it: 
How do you think it would feel to be a survivor? How do you think people might be able to overcome the emotional scarring caused by such horrific experiences?

Genocide: a survivor's story

A Michigan State University report by Sue Nichols, Senior Communications Manager for Science and Research at MSU, introduces Jemima Mukashyaka, a young woman from Rwanda who writes about her personal experiences before, during, and after the 1994 genocide.

Jemima narrowly escaped being killed, lost many family members, and suffered after the genocide period. Today, thanks to the coffee business she runs, her life is better.

Photo by Sue Nichols, University Relations, Michigan State University
(Used with permission)

Read more about the coffee project in the MSU webpage, Rebirth brews in Rwanda with a land-grant assist from MSU.

Your turn:
Comment on Jemima Mukashyaka's life experiences. What do you think of the coffee project, PEARL? Is this a good way to help people  in Rwanda? Why or why not?

Rwanda: Are you in the know?

Two young Korean girls keep informed on world news by reading the New York Times.

This edition of the New York Times has a front page article about violence in Darfur, Sudan in Africa. People are now comparing the situation in Darfur today to that of Rwanda ten years ago. 

Photo by Eun Jin Kim (Used with permission) 

To be in the know about what is going on in Darfur, check out online resources such as BBC's online article, Darfur, A Repeat of Rwanda? Is it genocide? Will nations intervene? Read what people are saying. For example, Romeo Dallaire, former commander of the United Nations force that was in Rwanda when the genocide took place, argues this is also genocide and intervention is necessary.

Be in the know! Check two more sources: BBC Online also published an article, Analysis: Defining genocide, that considers the meaning of genocide. The New York Times published an article, The New Rwanda, pointing out the indifference of world governments to the situation in Darfur

What do you think?
Is Darfur another Rwanda? Is it genocide? Should U.N. forces intervene?

What do you know about Rwanda?

 Check out Country File: Rwanda on BBC Online to get facts and figures about the central African country of Rwanda. Read background information to better understand the relationship  between the Tutsis and the Hutus and the events that led up to the genocide.

Photo by Donald Miller (Used with permission.) See more photos of Rwanda
in his Photo Gallery.

At Global Nomads Group, About Rwanda is a video conferencing educational program created to allow students from around the world to learn about Rwanda directly from the people who actually live there!

Go to Rwanda Alive Webumentaries to view short videos where Rwandan and American school children ask each other questions, and the Rwandans explain misconceptions about their country and discuss their experiences with genocide. Listen to sounds and images from Rwanda, take a drive through the countryside, and experience the country's nature and beauty.

Send a comment:
From reading and viewing the above resources, what is your impression of Rwanda today? What have you learned about this country that you did not know before?

One man made a difference.

Over 3 months in 1994, nearly 1 million people were slaughtered in a terrifying genocide in the African country of Rwanda.

Some people think movies are a good medium for making people better aware of news events such as genocide.

The movie Hotel Rwanda documents the story of a man who decided to save as many people as possible, even at great risk to his own life.

Watch a trailer of this movie at the New York Times and read about the movie plot  and Rwandan history on Wikipedia pages. CNN Online reviews the movie: Standout acting performances in important film, and BBC online reports on Hotel Rwanda as well as other movies that tackle the Rwandan genocide.

Read Hotel Rwanda: Interview with Paul Rusesabagina at OutNow to find out what the real-life hero of the movie has to say about the movie that told his story, the genocide, and his life today.

What do you think?

• Paul Rusesabagina repeatedly risked his life to rescue people from genocide while the governments of many countries chose not to intervene in the Rwandan genocide. What do you think moved Paul to act in spite of great personal risk?
• Why didn't Western governments intervene to save lives in Rwanda?
• What moves any of us to act, or not act, in these kinds of situations? Why do people sometimes choose to ignore terrible things that are happening to other people and not intervene?

Hotel Rwanda: movie with a message

Photo: New York Times movie page with a review of the movie

In the movie Hotel Rwanda, Don Cheadle plays Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager in Rwanda, who is shocked to learn other nations will not intervene in Rwanda to stop genocide and decides to do what he can to save people. He acts bravely, saving over a thousand people.

The movie sends a message that we must never forget what happened in Rwanda and intervene to save lives if there is ever another genocide situation.

Explore the official Rwanda Hotel movie site. View powerful scenes from this movie based on a true story and read background information that will help you understand how the story unfolds.

What do you think?
Discuss how this movie focuses our attention on the horrific issue of genocide and the bravery of one individual who risked his life to save many people.