the legacy OF THE TUTSI GENOCIDE for Rwanda ITSELF
Though there are many horrors of the Genocide in Rwanda there were more positives out weighing the negatives. Needless to say, the loss of nearly one million people created a great vacuum of talent. But the rape of hundreds of thousands of women, left the country with thousands of unwanted babies. Now many of these babies are 20 years old and still feel displaced or are in orphanages. Villages that were once primarily Tutsi were either taken over or completely taken over by Hutu's. Thousands of Rwandans fled the country and remain in exile. Most of them are Hutus who had no part in the killing and feared they would be killed; and the killers that fled continue their activities in the east of Congo in gangs. But on the positive side is the commitment the nation had made to the remembrance and reconciliation. For example, the use of the words"Hutu" or "Tutsi" is forbidden, which means that young people are learning that old tribal designations are gone in favor of "we are all Rwandans." Peace Clubs, sponsored by local governments and by churches, have been organized in Rwanda to teach young people the value of peace and reconciliation. Also the entire nation sets aside 100 days each April to July for Remembrance; during this time people gather in places where people were killed and recount stories about those who perished. All of which is to say, Rwanda as a nation is making a conscious effort to heal itself from the wounds of violence and to teach its children to live peaceably with each other. Consequently, Rwanda today is one of the most stable and vibrant nations in Africa.
THE LegacY OF THIS GENOCIDE for the rest of us
Remembering Rwanda is absolutely necessary so that people will: never forget, never repeat, and never turn a blind eye again. Within our global community we all must begin to assume more responsibility for each other. The richest countries, particularly nations of North America and Europe, must be more aware of Africa and the long lasting effect of colonization and slavery. Above all the United Nations must be given total support to intervene is situations in Rwanda, Cambodia, Serbia, and Croatia. Thus, it may be that the legacy of the Tutsi Genocide of 1994 will be a renewed commitment to global peace and cooperation.
In a more legal way, the convictions of participants in the Rwanda Genocide by The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda set a standard for judging human rights violations. Needless to say, the leaders of the Hutu government were charged and convicted with mass murder based on violations of international laws about human rights violations. That in itself is significant, in spite of the time these trials took. However the conviction of the heads of Rwandan television and print media for acts of genocide set a precedent for holding media responsible for their role in the killing. Equally important was the conviction of men for inflicting sexual violence based solely on ethnicity; it was the first time rape was to be considered an act of genocide.
In a more legal way, the convictions of participants in the Rwanda Genocide by The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda set a standard for judging human rights violations. Needless to say, the leaders of the Hutu government were charged and convicted with mass murder based on violations of international laws about human rights violations. That in itself is significant, in spite of the time these trials took. However the conviction of the heads of Rwandan television and print media for acts of genocide set a precedent for holding media responsible for their role in the killing. Equally important was the conviction of men for inflicting sexual violence based solely on ethnicity; it was the first time rape was to be considered an act of genocide.
Sources:
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2009/0407/p06s11-woaf.html
http://www.msf.ca/en/article/rwanda-20-years-later-legacy-rwandan-genocide
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/07/world/africa/rwanda-genocide-reconciliation/
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJAuyIRfYIM
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/un-flag.jpg
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2008/10/13/rwanda460x276.jpg
http://blogmedia.eventbrite.com/wp-content/uploads/shaking-hands.jpg
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2009/0407/p06s11-woaf.html
http://www.msf.ca/en/article/rwanda-20-years-later-legacy-rwandan-genocide
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/07/world/africa/rwanda-genocide-reconciliation/
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJAuyIRfYIM
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/un-flag.jpg
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2008/10/13/rwanda460x276.jpg
http://blogmedia.eventbrite.com/wp-content/uploads/shaking-hands.jpg
