Hotel Rwanda

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Hotel Rwanda

• 2004

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• "... the international community, together with
  nations in Africa, must bear its share of
  responsibility for this tragedy, as well. We did
  not act quickly enough after the killing began.
  We should not have allowed the refugee camps to
  become safe havens for the killers. We did not
  immediately call these crimes by their rightful
  name genocide. We cannot change the past. But we
  can and must do everything in our power to help
  you build a future without fear, and full of hope
  ..." Bill Clinton, 1998

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• Between April and June 1994, an estimated 800,000
  Rwandans were killed in the space of 100 days.
  
• Members of the Tutsi minority group are
  slaughtered by the Hutu majority.

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Terry George

• 1971 Arrested as a teenager for suspicion of
  involvement with the Irish Republican Army (IRA).
   
  
• Became involved with the Irish Republican
  Socialist Party arrested and sentenced to six
  years in prison.  
  
• 1978 Released for good behavior.  
• 1981 Moved to NYC.  
• 1985 Made American stage debut as playwright of
  "The Tunnel", a drama based on his imprisonment
  in Belfast  
  
• 1986 Researched and wrote with Shana Alexander
  the non-fiction book "The Pizza Connection".  
  
• 1993 Debut as screenwriter and assistant
  director, "In the Name of the Father" directed
  and co-written by Sheridan.  

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• 1996 Feature directing debut, "Some Mother's
  Son" also scripted.  
  
• 2000- Executive producer and co-creator of the
  CBS fall drama "The District".  
  
• 2002 With Billy Ray, received screenplay credit
  for the WWII drama "Hart's War".
  

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1916

• Belgian colonists arrived.
• Despite the similarities between the two ethnic
  groups in the region, Hutus and Tutsis, the
  Belgians saw the groups as distinct.
  
• Belgians considered the Tutsis as superior to the
  Hutus. As a result, they enjoyed better jobs and
  educational opportunities.

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• Resentment among the Hutus gradually built up,
  culminating in a series of riots in 1959. More
  than 20,000 Tutsis were killed, and many more
  fled to the neighbouring countries of Burundi,
  Tanzania and Uganda.
• When Belgium relinquished power and granted
  Rwanda independence in 1962, the Hutus took their
  place. Over subsequent decades, the Tutsis were
  portrayed as the scapegoats for every crisis.

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April 6, 1994

• Rwandan President Habyarimana and the Burundian
  President are killed when Habyarimana's plane is
  shot down near Kigali Airport. Hutu extremists,
  suspecting that the Rwandan president is finally
  about to implement the Arusha Peace Accords, are
  believed to be behind the attack. The killings
  begin that night.

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April 7, 1994

• The Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR) and Hutu militia
  (the interahamwe) set up roadblocks and go from
  house to house killing Tutsis and moderate Hutu
  politicians. Thousands die on the first day. Some
  U.N. camps shelter civilians, but most of the
  U.N. peackeeping forces (UNAMIR--United Nations
  Assistance Mission in Rwanda) stand by while the
  slaughter goes on. They are forbidden to
  intervene, as this would breach their
  "monitoring" mandate.

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April 8, 1994

• The Tutsi Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF) launches
  a major offensive to end the killings and rescue
  600 of its troops surrounded in Kigali. The
  troops had been based in the city as part of the
  Arusha Accords.

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April 9-10, 1994

• France and Belgium send troops to rescue their
  citizens. American civilians are also airlifted
  out. No Rwandans are rescued, not even Rwandans
  employed by Western governments in their
  embassies, consulates, etc.

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April 11, 1994

• At the Don Bosco school, protected by Belgian
  UNAMIR soldiers, the number of civilians seeking
  refuge reaches 2,000. That afternoon, the U.N.
  soldiers are ordered to withdraw to the airport.
  Most of the civilians they abandon are killed.

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April 21, 1994

• The U.N. Security Council votes unanimously to
  withdraw most of the UNAMIR troops, cutting the
  force from 2,500 to 270.
  
• The International Red Cross estimates that tens,
  perhaps hundreds of thousands of Rwandans are now
  dead.
  

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April 28, 1994

• State Department spokeswoman Christine Shelley is
  asked whether what is happening in Rwanda is a
  genocide. She responds, "...the use of the term
  'genocide' has a very precise legal meaning,
  although it's not strictly a legal determination.
  There are other factors in there as well."
  However, a secret intelligence report by the
  State Department issued as early as the end of
  April calls the killings a genocide.

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April 30, 1994

• The U.N. Security Council passes a resolution
  condemning the killing, but omits the word
  "genocide." Had the term been used, the U.N.
  would have been legally obliged to act to
  "prevent and punish" the perpetrators.
• Tens of thousands of refugees flee into Tanzania,
  Burundi and Zaire. In one day, 250,000 Rwandans,
  mainly Hutus fleeing the advance of the Tutsi
  RPF, cross the border into Tanzania.

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May 11, 1994

• At a State Department briefing, Mike McCurry is
  asked, "Has this government been able to
  determine whether any of the acts committed in
  Rwanda since April 6 constitute genocide?" He
  answers, "I don't know that they've made any
  legal determination on that."

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May 17, 1994

• As the slaughter of the Tutsis continues, the
  U.N. finally agrees to send 5,500 troops to
  Rwanda. The Security Council resolution says,
  "acts of genocide may have been committed."
  However, the deployment of the mainly African
  U.N. forces is delayed because of arguments over
  who will pay the bill and provide the equipment.
  
• The International Red Cross estimates 500,000
  Rwandans have been killed.

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Dehumanization

• is a psychological process whereby opponents view
  each other as less than human and thus not
  deserving of moral consideration.
  
• Mass killings require dehumanization.

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Strategies of Dehumanization

• Attribute less than human (animal) qualities
• Negative stereotypes
• Displacement of Blame for socioeconomic
  conditions
  
• Indoctrinate soldiers