Rwandan Genocide?

Question

How did you find out about the rwandan genocide? we were talking about school (i'm a senior), and i was interested in how much you were told about it.
anoter question: the us wastold by lawyers NOT to classify it as a genocide because then they would be legally forced to intervene. i just think this is horroible. whatdo you think?

Answer 1

There were news stories (network news not anything obscure) about it when it was happening (and after of course).

What has never been well reported are the civil war and impending government collapse that preceded the horror. Doesn't justify it but does help one understand how things got that bad. The Hutus didn't just wake up one morning with the thought "lets kill all the Tutsis today", a lot of stuff had to happen first.

As far as how it is classified, simply put it's a lot of responsibility being a world power. Look at how much controversy there is over Iraq. Imagine if that money was being spent and lives being lost trying to impose our values on Rwanda. Look at how little understood and ultimately completely ineffective the US involvement in Somalia was. Look at how all the World refuses to treat the Janjaweed slaughter of Sudanese of African descent as the genocide it is.

How many times in school does someone violate a rule that mandates they get expelled, but it is classified as some lessor offense so as not to force the school to exact maximum punishment?

The laws against genocide were put in place as a response to the Holocaust in WWII. Many Germans tried to argue that they just following orders. The new laws were designed to let everyone know that the next time World powers fought the "I was following orders" excuse would never be accepted. It was not intended to obligate World powers to go clean up at great time and expense of money and lives, the mess in every forgotten part of the Third World. The expedient but less than righteous way to do that was to call it something else.






The US news does a terrible job of reporting on events around the world. The BBC World News Service does a far better job, especially on events in Africa. Video can be found on public television for 30 minutes a day and by podcast. Radio can be found on Sirius Satellite Radio 24 hours a day as well as on the web at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/default.stm

Answer 2

I was a freshman in high school when the genocide occurred. I later became more interested and read more on the subject. I found out that in 1994, the story told by journalists was different than later investigations.
When the Tutsi-led invasion led to large numbers of Hutus fleeing into Zaire(Congo), much attention was placed on the humanitarian situation of the refugees. Many journalists covered the Zaire camps, while few western journalists were in Rwanda during the actual genocide.
I read in many publications where it simplified the situation as both Hutus and Tutsis killing each other as a kind of "tribal" warfare. I think even now, the genocide and resulting years of war in the region are still not fully understood. Films like Hotel Rwanda and authors such as Phillip Gourivitch try to narrow the issue to good guys vs. bad guys and it is not that simple.
As for your other question: it is horrible. Simply put, after the debacle in Somalia, Clinton was not willing another misadventure into Africa. The situation is more complicated, though. Americans have heavy corporate interests in that whole region, particularly, Congo. Western corporations, such as mining outfits, play to opposing sides in civil conflicts to maximize their own profit potential, regardless of human lives.

Answer 3

Rwandan Genocide is carried out by Muslims.

Answer 4

Sorry, the U.S. would only have gotten involved if Haliburton, Bechtel and Co. thought they could make a lot money. We don't help poor people who are getting killed. Never have, probably never will.

Answer 5

watch hotel rawanda good movie i had to do a project a bout that

Answer 6

i think its not are problem stop thinking so much about it .. remember nam? ppl die when you think about it to much its not our problem :D im not dying for someone from a different country.

Answer 7

I think your right.