"If the pictures of tens of thousands of human bodies being gnawed on by dogs do not wake us out of our apathy, I do not know what will," stated Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General of the United Nations (Melvern 235). In 1994, the Rwandan Genocide, caused myriads of deaths within three months. A genocide is a crime and is meant to kill members of a group in society. Unfortunately, the majority of people today have little to no knowledge of the Rwandan Genocide. The United States should have intervened in response to the Rwandan Genocide, which led to numerous issues because of the horrific effects on the people that constituted the genocide and the failure of other countries to intervene.
Prior to colonization, Rwanda, located in Central Africa, …show more content…
In fact, more than one million innocent people died during the event; about eight-hundred thousand died within one-hundred days, mostly Tutsis. Search teams were sent to houses and people were horribly tortured and killed. Ironically, “the professions most closely associated with valuing life—doctors and nurses, priests and teachers, human rights activists—got embroiled in… the Rwandan genocide” (Mamdani 6). Some doctors who were extremists such as Dr. Sosthene Munyemana, refused to treat sick Tutsis or killed patients. The hospitals turned away refugees who needed a place to hide. Refugees (mostly Tutsi) went on marches, but not all were able to survive in the conditions. In addition to doctors, teachers killed others as well- their own students, resulting in about three quarters of the students to run away. People left their homes and were in constant worry because there were no safe places to stay- people even got killed in churches. At least a quarter of the clergy members/ religious leaders died; unexpectedly, clergy members also killed others. Additionally, there were many intermarried couples and families that contained both Tutsi and Hutu members. Wives, husbands, and even neighbors were killed for being Tutsi. Seeing such horrible sights scarred the people and traumatized the children of Rwanda, the future generations. Angelique Umugwaneza, a thirteen year old Hutu who lived through the genocide, recalls that both Hutus and Tutsis were dying (not just Tutsis) and that there were “rivers of blood” (McKenzie 1). Therefore, the people of Rwanda suffered great losses and were realty affected by the
Prior to colonization, Rwanda, located in Central Africa, …show more content…
In fact, more than one million innocent people died during the event; about eight-hundred thousand died within one-hundred days, mostly Tutsis. Search teams were sent to houses and people were horribly tortured and killed. Ironically, “the professions most closely associated with valuing life—doctors and nurses, priests and teachers, human rights activists—got embroiled in… the Rwandan genocide” (Mamdani 6). Some doctors who were extremists such as Dr. Sosthene Munyemana, refused to treat sick Tutsis or killed patients. The hospitals turned away refugees who needed a place to hide. Refugees (mostly Tutsi) went on marches, but not all were able to survive in the conditions. In addition to doctors, teachers killed others as well- their own students, resulting in about three quarters of the students to run away. People left their homes and were in constant worry because there were no safe places to stay- people even got killed in churches. At least a quarter of the clergy members/ religious leaders died; unexpectedly, clergy members also killed others. Additionally, there were many intermarried couples and families that contained both Tutsi and Hutu members. Wives, husbands, and even neighbors were killed for being Tutsi. Seeing such horrible sights scarred the people and traumatized the children of Rwanda, the future generations. Angelique Umugwaneza, a thirteen year old Hutu who lived through the genocide, recalls that both Hutus and Tutsis were dying (not just Tutsis) and that there were “rivers of blood” (McKenzie 1). Therefore, the people of Rwanda suffered great losses and were realty affected by the