Genocide

 I feel most of my posts have been about me and not about the Rwandan people or its history. I feel I have done a terrible job at explaining it, even neglected it, probably purposefully because of its brutality. But it should be addressed because people should know.

People can only see the images on the news so many times before they stop thinking how sad and accept it as reality. I want to remind you that although the Genocide was 18 years ago people are faced with its memories every day. Before I came here all I knew is what I had seen in the movie Hotel Rwanda, but being here for 6 weeks has shown me as an outsider looking in I know nothing, most people know nothing. Since I have been here I have been in search for some understanding, some insight, maybe a moral, or a lesson, or a clue about how to behave in this world. I got here and honestly had no clue how to confront the genocide.  I was told it is “taboo” to talk about. Even if people didn't talk about it directly I have yet to have a conversation of substance where the genocide did not surface or at least quietly, as a point of reference for understanding, or in most cases misunderstanding in humanity. But after being here I now embrace the stories rather than avoid them, because avoiding them makes me more uncomfortable about its existence.

The first day I arrived I met a man in the airport from Rwanda. We had the usual conversation and I explained I was from the U.S. His response was what a great country, so “humane”. I found it funny he  used the word humane to describe a country that still uses capital punishment. Until recently I thought that comment was odd. Rwanda is such a beautiful country with tea plantations, rain forests, volcanoes, and small villages. Not to mention the governments progress since 1994, everything must be ok right? I now have some insight into that comment. I can image how this country might feel empty. People lost everything. People killed neighbors, schoolmates, friends, even family. Hate doesn’t discriminate, no one was left unaffected. The 1994 genocide still leaves it mark, amputees and people with deforming scares walk among the streets, bullet holes remain in houses, and still there are a countless amount of orphans. Your next question as well as mine was why didn’t someone do something, or how could this even happen? Surely people know the difference between right and wrong. If you were Tutsi you were killed, if you were a Hutu that didn’t agree with the killings you were killed. I read at the Kigali memorial the amount of people being killed accumulated at nearly 3 times the rate of Jewish dead during the Holocaust. It was the most effective mass killing since the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. My mind is blow how this happened. Mass killings are surely organized, it doesn’t occur aimlessly. Throughout my stay several people have explained to me it was not just 1994 when all the destruction happened. Apparently this hatred was deeply rooted. People had been brainwashed to except it and accept it. I mean this with sincerity when I ask, in a country dominated by Christianity aren’t we all created equal, aren’t we all gods children? How can we go against our own faith and do this to each other?

Currently the Congo is facing similar issues. It was not been officially declared a genocide but hundreds of people are being killed each day but the rebels. I believe there are over 8 wars going on right now, all over possession of minerals. The same minerals that are used to manufacture our electronics. We are indirectly supporting a genocide and don’t even know it. People are fleeing for their lives and crossing into Rwanda. Ever day I run I see refuges crossing the border. A UNICEF camp is set up within a mile of where I live, and a huge refugee camp housing hundreds of people is within 10 miles of where I live. Once again western countries know this is happening. We know the Congo is a ticking time bomb but because its been bad for so long we accept it as reality. Something needs to be done, someone needs to help countries like the Congo and Rwanda so they can help themselves. Give them the means to thrive so they can stop relying on foreign intervention. Give people the chance to return to their own country and make it strong. Everyday I see refugees and their living conditions. I hope I never forget this experience because it puts my life into perspective. People are being tortured, raped, starved, and killed. I need to reevaluate my problems.

I will admit Rwanda is on the upswing, and compared to most African Countries is doing pretty well. Still there are several things within the government I question. For  the sake of remaining neutral while I am here I will reframe from talking politics.

Although its history is dark hopefully its future will be bright. I don’t now how accurate this really is but I read in the news the Rwandan Government has a goal to turn Rwanda into a middle income country, the project is called vision 2020. It emphases equality, anticorruption, and development etc. Statistics say since implementation life expectancy has increase to 65, poverty has decreased and per capita income has increase to 900 USD. Something also very interesting about Rwanda is as of 2008 45 of 80 seats of parliament are women. Rwanda is the only country in the world whose parliament contains fewer males than females. The mythology behind this is women would never allow the mass killing that occurred during the genocide.  Out of curiosity I looked up the US, we have under 20 percent females representatives.

I will be leaving here very soon, too soon. There is still so much for me to learn, to experience. Honestly I love home and I am so grateful to come from a country where I have choices. But how can I go back to a place where people take so much for granite, where people live within their comfort zones and don’t stop to thin about how others live. I hope I never forget what I have learned here, the value of life and freedom and how precious it is. I will return in the future to work or volunteers, maybe not here but somewhere that is equally as vulnerable. As for right now the Rwandan people should be applauded, considering their size, lack of resources,  and the genocide, these people continue to amaze me with all they have achieved.