The Importance Of Prevention Of Genocide In Hotel Rwanda

My text is based on the movie ‘Hotel Rwanda’ which is a based on a true story, movie about the genocide that occurred in Rwanda in 1994.

Key question One: How and why did the genocide in Rwanda start? Key points Source

• Rwanda’s colonial period had was a massive part of the deep divide between the two ethnic groups, “exacerbated the tendency of the few to oppress the many”. ((2009, October 14). Retrieved September 30, 2019, from History website: https://www.history.com/topics/africa/rwandan-genocide)
• Neighbouring Burundi’s brutal massacre of 80,000-100,000 educated Hutus in 1972 pushed Rwanda’s Hutu majority to feel a strong feeling for revenge. (Shalom, Stephen R. ‘Genocide in Rwanda.’ Genocide, edited by Christina Fisanick, Greenhaven Press, 2007. Contemporary Issues Companion. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010078208/OVIC?u=per_k12&sid=OVIC&xid=16d357af. Accessed 7 June 2020. Originally published as ‘The Rwanda Genocide,’ Z Magazine, Apr. 1996.)
• Foreign involvement played a massive part it who got into power and had control of Rwanda, this is especially true for France. (Shalom, Stephen R. ‘Genocide in Rwanda.’ Genocide, edited by Christina Fisanick, Greenhaven Press, 2007. Contemporary Issues Companion. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010078208/OVIC?u=per_k12&sid=OVIC&xid=16d357af. Accessed 7 June 2020. Originally published as ‘The Rwanda Genocide,’ Z Magazine, Apr. 1996.)

My judgements and conclusions on Key Question 1

Nearly all my sources agreed that the oppressive regimes of the early German and Belgium colonizers played a major role in creating the deep racial divide between the Hutus and Tutsis ethnicities, which was the bases of the genocide. The decades of the Tutsis minority rule over the Hutu majority caused a strong hatred towards the Tutsis, which would typically be the landlords while the Hutus were workers of the Tutsis owned land. This brewed hatred for generations along with the sudden introduction of freedom and democracy/majority rule gave all the oppressed Hutus the power to form extremist groups and seize power. It is from this information that I conclude that the oppressive systems of the Europeans colonizers and then a sudden and unregulated switch in power are the primary causes of what came to be known as the Rwandan genocide although foreign interests also play a vital role in creating a stage for a genocide.

Key question Two: What are the causes and effects/impacts of genocide? Key points Source

• Hutu extremist militias that remain active until this day in large areas of South Kivu province, East democratic republic of Congo. Preventing Genocide. (2012, March). Retrieved from United Nations (UN) website: https://www.un.org/en/preventgenocide/rwanda/pdf/bgpreventgenocide.pdf
• An economically ruined country which effectively have little to no infrastructure even for a developing nation. EFFECTS OF THE 1994 GENOCIDE [Web log post]. (2007, February 18). Retrieved from Blogspot: https://effectsofthegenocide.blogspot.com/2007/02/effects-of-1994-genocide.html
• A country full of orphans and traumatized citizens which also lacks male populations problem. EFFECTS OF THE 1994 GENOCIDE [Web log post]. (2007, February 18). Retrieved from Blogspot: https://effectsofthegenocide.blogspot.com/2007/02/effects-of-1994-genocide.html

My judgements and conclusions on Key Question 2

My sources pointed out the fact that in the aftermaths of the Rwandan genocide there were multiple impacts, including: Armed militia groups in Congo, ruined Rwandan economy, orphan problems, traumatized citizens, deficits in the male population and a lot of destroyed infrastructure (Churches, schools, hospitals, businesses). All of these events make it very hard for the current Rwandan government create a fully functional country again, especially seeing that Rwanda was a only a developing country before the genocide started and was struggling to catch up to the western countries. It is clear that this genocide has had detrimental impacts of the entire central African region which is already a highly unstable region, nevertheless this whole genocide did helps the RPF to gain control of the government and end the racial divide that had already been going on for so long now.

Key question Three: How can future genocides be prevented? Key points Source

• By making the safety of civilians one of the highest priorities and using UN peacekeepers to protect civilians in armed conflicts. Preventing Genocide. (2012, March). Retrieved from United Nations (UN) website: https://www.un.org/en/preventgenocide/rwanda/pdf/bgpreventgenocide.pdf
• Making sure those responsible get punished through national or international courts. This is to deter those in charge of leading genocides, if a state is unable or unwilling to exercise legal jurisdiction, the ICC (international criminal court) may investigate and prosecute those most responsible. Preventing Genocide. (2012, March). Retrieved from United Nations (UN) website: https://www.un.org/en/preventgenocide/rwanda/pdf/bgpreventgenocide.pdf
• Taking decisive action and military action if required, being early to take action to stop the governments from slaughtering their own citizens. Preventing Genocide. (2012, March). Retrieved from United Nations (UN) website: https://www.un.org/en/preventgenocide/rwanda/pdf/bgpreventgenocide.pdf
• Preventing armed conflicts/racial disagreements because genocides are most likely to occur while a country is in times of war. Preventing Genocide. (2012, March). Retrieved from United Nations (UN) website: https://www.un.org/en/preventgenocide/rwanda/pdf/bgpreventgenocide.pdf
• Changing future UN mandates to allow international soldiers to intervene in the slaughtering. Shalom, Stephen R. ‘Genocide in Rwanda.’ Genocide, edited by Christina Fisanick, Greenhaven Press, 2007. Contemporary Issues Companion. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010078208/OVIC?u=per_k12&sid=OVIC&xid=16d357af. Accessed 10 June 2020. Originally published as ‘The Rwanda Genocide,’ Z Magazine, Apr. 1996.

My judgements and conclusions on Key Question 3

My sources highlighted the importance of prevention of genocide very clearly and agreed that there should have been a bigger effort from the international community to prevent the genocide that occurred in Rwanda. This genocide could so easily could have been prevented if countries with high influence in the region (e.g. France) had cut off weapons supplies into the country, or foreign aid had been reduced (Rwanda was heavily reliant on foreign aid), it could of convinced the government to stop the killings. My research has shows that foreign interference played a massive role building up to the genocide and could just of easily have prevented it. I also feel if the United Nations should have deployed more troops to intervene, although the UN is meant to remain as close to neutral as possible in a country, I feel like there should be certain exception for troops if a country is actively committing genocide.