Gommel: Rwandan Genocide

Boubacar Boris Diop “is both fascinated and horrified by the role that the media played in the Rwandan genocide. While soccer matches keep the rest of the world entertained, in Rwanda the radio takes on a most sinister role…goading people to murder.”

The Rwandan genocide that culminated in 1994 with the deaths of nearly a million people strikes at the core of one’s being. Boubacar Boris Diop in Murambi, The Book of Bones brings to the forefront the agony of fear and loss during the three month reign of terror upon the Tutsis. His detailed account of the horror is evidenced through the eyes of several different characters both Hutus and Tutsis. But especially gruesome are the accounts of the malicious treatment of the Tutsi women. Hotel Rwanda brings this fear to life in visual images seen through the lens of Paul Russesabinga, the manager of the Milles Collines hotel. Russesabinga was a Hutu married to a Tutsi who risked his life to protect his family and to save both Tutsis and Hutus that took refuge at the Four-Star hotel in Rwanda. Initially there was protection provided by the West-the United Nations, France and Belgium. But when U.N. members were killed, the world assembled and the West decided that the blacks of Africa with their savage behavior was not worth fighting for or protecting; and deserted Rwanda. One of the most disturbing scenes after the West left was when Paul and Gregoire traveled to get supplies. Paul screamed at Gregoire because he evidently drove off the road. To his dismay, he found they were on the road, the tumultuous jolts to the vehicle were from the bodies of the slaughtered Tutsis covering every inch of the road. How could anyone continually maim one person after another, and so up close and personal with the use of machetes, sticks and studded clubs? This was truly inhumanity at its lowest degree.

Yet it is unbelievable how this genocide even came to pass. It was not a story of ethnic hatred from "time immemorial;" as Africans are wont to being depicted. It was basically a product of Belgian colonization in 1959 that brought division between the people primarily because of differences in physical attributes. The Belgians gave authority to rule to the Rwandans that looked less “other” than themselves. Those lighter skinned, taller Rwandans that had finer noses and smaller lips were given the ethnic identity of Tutsi. The “other” darker skinned Rwandans excluded from governing were called Hutus. The division to some degree wrought hatred, jealousy, fear, and ostracism. However the tables later turned when the Hutus came into power. Power can bring corruption; although to many the ethnic titles made little difference in regards to friendship and even marriage. Yet some play upon such division and foster that mindset unto their children forming prejudices and “otherness” asserting no commonality, as could be seen in the character of Faustin Gasana, in Murambi.

Faustin Gasana was a Hutu Interahamwe militia man. His story begins with all the meetings he is attending to plot the massacre of the Tutsis. The Hutu’s proclaim their president has been murdered by the Tutsis who shot the president’s plane down; thus escalating the need for retaliation. However the prospect has been in the making for some time with murders and fear rising. Faustin’s father is a Hutu patriot with a picture of President Habyarimana above his bed. His father despises the Tutsis and will not even say the word, preferring to call them cockroaches – Inyenzi. Father has fostered great prejudice in his son as well. They hold no respect for the Tutsis perpetuated by the resentment of the divisions made between them by the West. Father doesn’t hold much respect for his son either, as a leader in the Interahamwe. He calls his son’s generation incompetent idiots, believing the younger generation is not serious enough about the work of killing “all” the Tutsis. Getting drunk in preparation is ignorant. They must be superbly organized or ultimately they will be unsuccessful like Hitler for he didn’t kill all the Jews. “You cannot fail.” I find Faustin becomes slightly hesitant about all of this when he begins to think “ –strange ideas begin to assail me,” after his father refuses to take his hand. He realizes he might have to kill, though he says it won’t bother him since this hateful prejudice had been drilled into him by his father. He even remembers some people say we can get along. He’s a little resentful of his father’s behavior, and it seems he ponders why I am I so coerced by this man who only insults me and offers no encouragement. Faustin is just a pawn to do what his father’s generation couldn’t. Faustin sees the concern of his family. His mother won’t even make eye contact with him. Of course he said how his Father was always cruel to his Mother, but she never said anything. So perhaps no eye contact shows she disagrees with his Father. Yet he sees the neighbors watching and thinks they are proud of him and he is intoxicated by this. How odd it is that he eats at a Tutsi owned restaurant knowing he will destroy its owner tomorrow. But he must hurry out with the tension of the owner. Of course, his girlfriend reassures him. She understands “the country is living a decisive moment.” She nonchalantly speaks of how excited the young men are that they get to rape any woman they want whenever they want. They find it pleasant that they don’t have to worry about having a long, intimate, complex, often discouraging relationship with a woman. Marie-Helene just doesn’t want Faustin to get caught up in that. He promises, but who knows. But reassured by his girlfriend, then cheered on by his men thus building up Faustin’s self-esteem and his desire for revenge (or justice) they will now play with their machetes to the battle cry of Tubatsembatsembe! Let’s exterminate them!

The book did not only focus on the three months of massacre, but fast-forwarded to four years later where Cornelius and all of Rwanda had to deal with the repercussions of the Rwandan genocide while the world was watching the World Cup in America. Simeon gives us a glimpse into what will be entailed to avoid genocide in the future: We must realize that, “Evil is within each one of us.” You cannot rely on revenge for it is a continual cycle of evil. “You have suffered, but that does not make you any better than those who made you suffer.” This can be a hard concept to imagine. But he tells Cornelius (and us) we must remember we are all people, “that you are not better than them… There comes a time when you have to stop shedding blood in a country. Each one of you must have the strength to believe that that moment is here.” I believe Boubacar Diop wants each one of us to have the strength to share that message.