Rwanda – Reconciliation Still Tenuous a Decade after Genocide

Rwanda – Reconciliation Still Tenuous a Decade after Genocide

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Paul Rusesabagina — Inspiration for the film Hotel Rwanda; Founder of the Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation; Author of An Ordinary Man

Over one-tenth of Rwanda’s population – 800,000 people – were killed during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Over a decade later, tensions between the warring Tutsis and Hutus groups continue, despite attempts for justice in Rwanda.

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda has convicted only 27 people since its creation.  The tribunal has been criticized by groups like Human Rights Watch for not providing justice to the victims of the Rwandan massacre.

This month, the Rwandan government will release 8,000 prisoners who have been convicted or charged with taking part in the genocide.  The prisoners will go through a month-long civic “sensitization” program before being released back into society.

Paul Rusesabagina is the former hotel manager that inspired the film “Hotel Rwanda.”  He’s the author of an autobiography called “An Ordinary Man.”  And recently, he has founded the organization “the Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation.”

He told Reuters last month that he feared that Rwanda is now headed towards another genocide.  I asked Paul Rusesabagina why he thought that violence was on the horizon in Rwanda.