"When I was a child, in many cases you could not go to secondary school if you were a Tutsi. This means you had to automatically forget about university and international scholarships. Now, Rwandan children receive a universal primary education without regard to their ethnicity because they all must have an education."
Edouard Kayihura
Edouard Kayihura
"I am not Hutu; I am not Tutsi; I am Rwandan."
Edouard Kayihura
Edouard Kayihura
The genocide made the country of Rwanda visible to a world audience for the first time. Speech is not entirely free in Rwanda; following the Genocide, the silence of dissent was generally agreed upon. President Kagame purposefully set out to quell any future dissent by forbidding Rwandans to mention the groups “Tutsi” and “Hutu” whatsoever. The majority of Rwandans today say they would trade free speech for safety. It is a fear that if the “tribal names” are mentioned, a new conflict may be introduced.
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Since the genocide, The U.N. has reacted to international conflicts more abruptly and willingly.
“The genocide in Rwanda left a legacy of guilt within the international community.”
Action on Armed Violence
Action on Armed Violence
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Machetes were originally used as a tool on farms, but they are no longer seen in that light: only as weapons. Some churches were seen as sanctuaries where Tutsis thought they would be safe, but they were slaughtered. Those churches no longer exist.
"You can't see things like regular farm tools without thinking they're weapons of murder."
Andrea Frantz |
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A survivor and perpetrator standing side by side.
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"You can imagine there is still a great deal of resentment and tension between the ethnic groups. But the current government of Rwanda tries to minimize this by no longer identifying people according to the ethnic group, by discouraging people from talking about their ethnicity, and encouraging everyone to think of themselves as simply Rwandan today. The government has done its best to put on trial and punish major perpetrators and to encourage reconciliation between formerly warring groups. The remarkable economic recovery of Rwanda since the genocide also has helped to dampen, though not entirely eliminate, lingering resentments."
Donna Maier |
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The Rwandan Genocide was one of the most horrific events of the 20th Century.
In 100 days, the nation was violently torn apart and irreversibly changed.
We must remember this tragic chapter in history to ensure it never happens again.
In 100 days, the nation was violently torn apart and irreversibly changed.
We must remember this tragic chapter in history to ensure it never happens again.
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