Global Connect

Being myself last night, with my International Political Economy professor still in Bosnia (grading my International Monetary Relations test), I decided to take a detour from mindless fiction film moire and turned Hotel Rwanda in. I remember first seeing this movie in theaters during high school- wondering why my friends Lara and Andrew were calling Bill Clinton an asshole (because he was a Democrat, not because of the lack of U.S. involvement in the Rwanda genocide). Oh the wonder years, when you thought all young people were liberal. Apparently I forgot that I went to a Catholic high school in suburban Denver. Well, I must say that seeing this movie after finishing my undergraduate work, and now being in my graduate work, really opened my eyes to the complexity of the 1994 Rwandan Massacre. It’s really weird to say this, but I remember going to see this movie expecting a Schindler’s List-type drama. Although the theme was somewhat similar, I must say that the Holocaust was much grander in scale- still as inhumane and unthinkable.

Colonialism in Africa, and pretty much anywhere else, is a troubling topic. In respect to Rwanda 1994, we must remember that the story goes back to AT LEAST the late 19th century. The glory days of Europe and Bismarck. It’s sick that the European powers sat down around a map of Africa and drew lines demarcating “their” territory. In short, the Rwandan people, who were part of the Taganyika region (including present-day Burundi) were bounced from the Germans to the Belgians, with the Belgians exasperating the existing differences between Hutus and Tutsis. Post-colonialism, the Tutsi minority experienced an uprising by the ethnocentric Interahamwe Hutu militia and Hutu-led military. Close to 1 million Tutsis and [sympathetic] Hutus were killed.

I have 2 points here:

1.  It isn’t our fault colonialism happened and

2. This doesn’t wash our hands of ignorance.

1. I’m not too sympathetic to the idea that somehow the world now has to pay reparations for past actions. In this sense, it really isn’t our fault that our ancestors from the 19th century were living in a far more realist-driven international system. This doesn’t necessarily excuse their actions, but it doesn’t mean its “our” fault either. However, before I get people shaking their heads, please listen. This may draw down the severity of what many people past and present may live through, but I can’t think of any other way to put it. These things are learning experiences. We know colonialism was, at many times, barbaric and immoral. We don’t need to assume responsibility for our ancestors actions, but we still must meet, head-on, the challenges that face the world today. You may sit comfortably in the developed world, but in many ways its because we are sitting on the shoulders of many people in poor countries (or even our own). This doesn’t mean we have to give up what we already have, it simply means we have a duty to help those below us.

2. The lack of intervention in the Rwandan genocide is a perfect example of Western ignorance. There was a conversation in Hotel Rwanda between Paul Russesabegina (sp.?), played by Don Cheadle, and U.N. General Oliver (based off of General Dallaire), played by Nick Nolte. The general explains that the European intervention force arrived to evacuate Western citizens, not Rwandans. He says, “we failed you, [the West] thinks your dirt because your Black. Your not even a n*gg$!, your an AFRICAN.” This quote really disturbed me, probably because it was true- whether General Dallaire said it or not. Had Rwanda been a wealthier country, or even a “more Western” one culturally, do you think the same thing would’ve happened? I know Pres. Clinton had some reservations given the failure of the U.S. intervention in Somalia, but why didn’t that stop him in the Balkans?

I’m still pondering this one…

On a lighter note, Hotel Rwanda is the 17th most rented film on Netflix. You should go see it! Or suggest it for classes on colonialism, African Political Economy, etc.

Take care.