Rwanda- Genocide and the Human Spirit

Our first stop in Rwanda was in Kigali to visit the Genocide Museum. For days before arriving here I considered whether or not it was in my best interest to go into this museum. I kept thinking of my friends and a conversation we had about how you can never un-see something. At the time we were discussing the Tsunami in Japan and the images being displayed on T.V. I had been warned that the genocide museum is graphic and would haunt the mind for years to come. I just wasn't sure I needed to see images of a genocide. After much debate, I decided I had to go inside. This human tragedy was different than the Tsunami because it could have been stopped. The international Community turned a blind eye while millions of people were raped, tortured and slaughtered. I decided that this indifference is exactly why it was important to SEE what happened.

The museum was incredibly well laid out. The main floor of the museum outlines the history of the Rwandan people from before their colonization to the present day. Originally the categories Hutu, Tutsi and Twa were socio-economic classifications which could change with personal circumstances. Under colonial rule, the distinctions were made racial. The colonial power identified anyone with ten cows in 1932 as Tutsi and anyone with less than ten cows as Hutu, and this also applied to his descendants. As time went on the Belgian colonial rulers and the catholic church began to support Hutu rule and the Tutsi people were increasingly marginalized. Propaganda spread rapidly in newspapers and on the radio encouraging Hutu people to shun their Tutsi neighbors. The 'Hutu ten commandments' circulated widely discouraging Hutu people from marrying, befriending or hiring a Tutsi. Doing business with them was also considered wrong and the armed forces were to become completely Hutu. Then on 6th April 1994, President was flying into Kigali and the plane was shot down. Within 45 minutes roadblocks had been constructed throughout Kigali and houses were being searched. Shooting began to be heard within an hour. The militia were armed with the intent to kill all Tutsis and mass genocide was instantaneous. They estimate 2000 people were killed per half hour in the early hours of the conflict. UN commander Lt.Gen.Dallaire called for help numerous times. He estimated that as few as 5,000 troops with authority to enforce peace could have stopped the genocide. Instead, the UN mission was recalled and the world ignored Rwanda. Many people assumed the root cause of the genocide was "ethnic strife" but in truth it was a civil war. The top floor of the museum builds a bigger picture linking this history with other genocides such as Nazi Germany, Cambodia, Armenia, Kosovo and others. There is also a children's room, where pictures of children are displayed along with their favorite things to do and eat. The last line tells how they died.

Despite this horrific history, the people of Rwanda are among the friendliest people we have met in Africa.The people ask us all the usual questions, where are you from? What is your name? But nonchalantly they add a new one to the list... Do you have parents? This is because most people here of a certain age lost their parents. Many in fact, saw them murdered. Yet one young man explained to us that he has a choice to make. He could spend his days looking into the eyes of men wondering who killed his family searching for the eyes that lurk in his nightmares or he can continue on and forgive. He has come to realize that it doesn't matter who killed his parents... He understands that if you lived through such tragedy, you are a walking miracle. With this comes a responsibility to live well, with compassion and love for all people around you. Today, all people are Rwandan, all people share a devastating past and all are united in improving their future. They are slowly rebuilding their lives and their communities. In the local food market a young boy asked not for money, but for a job! People work hard in cooperatives to fund their communities and provide for the ever growing population. The government have family planning initiatives in place as well as excellent environmental policies. For example, plastic bags are illegal. On the last Sunday of every month everybody participates in community work where they all CLEAN up the streets and their surroundings. Every Friday afternoon, work stops so that people can get out and exercise. Everybody seems to be working together for a better future. This country has been a breath of fresh air, the human spirit here is stronger than I ever thought possible. To fully understand what happened in Rwanda please visit the genocide museums website, all the information we saw on display is available online.
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