Learn From Rwanda

The Washington Post ^ | April 6, 2004 | Bill Clinton

[neverdem]

This month marks 10 years since the advent of the Rwandan genocide, a cruel, violent and well-organized rampage that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women and children and the total disruption of Rwandan society. Over the past decade, scholars and advocates have rightly reflected on the reasons that the international community and nations in Africa must share the responsibility for this tragedy. As I said during my trip to Rwanda in 1998, "We did not act quickly enough after the killing began. We should not have allowed the refugee camps to become safe haven for the killers. We did not immediately call these crimes by their rightful name: genocide."

The death and destruction that began in April 1994 still haunts Rwandans and all of us who failed to respond. It is important to remember the horrors of that period with clarity and honesty, both to benefit from the lessons learned and to honor the memory of those who perished. But it is also important for the world to focus on the progress that has been and can be made in what is still viewed by too many as a small and remote country in central Africa.

[neverdem]

I never thought I would post an article by this POS, but Rush made a remark about how this editorial undermines Kerry by reminding people how completely useless the rats and the UN are when something needs to be done regarding foreign policy, IIRC. Any corrections to my recollection are welcome.

There was a program on PBS' "Frontline" about the genocide in Rwanda. Madeline Albright was tripping all over herself trying to avoid saying "genocide" because to say "genocide" demanded a significant response by the UN, which meant the US would have to do something. This was in the aftermath of the debacle in Mogadishu, aka "Black Hawk Down". So to avoid saying "genocide" per se, she repeatedly said "acts of genocide", a distinction without a difference.

As an aside, Alan Keyes, when questioned about gun control in Atlanta during the 2000 Republican Primary, made the observation that the genocide in Rwanda was mostly done with machetes. There were 800,000 killed in about 3 months. That rate surpassed the Nazis in World War II.

Clinton also wrote about the new scourge in Rwanda - AIDS - and the benefits of antiretroviral therapy. Talk about closing the barn door after the horse is out of the barn. Was there any mention of the remarkable success of the ABC program in nearby Uganda that decreases the spread of HIV/AIDS? You must be dreaming.

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[anniegetyourgun]

We are still dealing with the damage this man wrought on this nation.

[neverdem]

after the horse is out of the barn.

after the horse is out the door.

Pardon me.

[Tacis]

Not only POS Willie, but the fully segregated, step-n-fetchit, colored only Congressional Black Caucus. They and each one of them stood by and said nothing, shining Willie's shoes, lying for him, bad-mouthing Starr/Tripp/House Republicans, while almost a million Africans died.

These folks make Amos and Andy look like real achievers. They lied to cover Willie's lies and said nothing to oppose his filth. And, while frying chicken, playing b'ball and eating watermelon (what was the joke that Ike's Secretary of Agriculture , the Mormon, told?), there was genocide! "Hey, Maxine, step on over there and fetch me a friendly reporter."

And, had Bush been President, these same dregs would have complained about him putting Marines on the ground to stop it. The next time one of these racists complains, ask them what they did during the genocide!

[Alberta's Child]

One compelling point about that PBS program that I immediately noticed was the lame "apology" offered by Clinton years later. His statements clearly reflected some kind of pathological need to distance himself from the actions of his own administration -- using terms like "information was passed too slowly," "Congress did not provide clear direction," "by the tme we decided to react it was too late," etc.

What made this particularly preposterous (and I still can't understand why PBS would have been so blunt about this) is that the viewer was hearing these statements after already having been shown that the Clinton administration knew damned well what was going on and deliberately covered it up.

[SJackson]

Kind of like Nobel Laureate Carter. Task Force 80 to prop up the "anticommunist" Khymer Rouge, but nary a word from anyone about what was going on there. Except George McGovern, who ironically wanted to take military action. Of course I'm not sure how effective either party is on genocide. Alan Keyes observation on Rwanda and machetes, essentially addressing the ability to defend oneself could easily apply to the Sudan.

[swampfox98]

You're right. Over 800,000 people were slaughtered in Rwanda while the UN stood around not knowing what to do. The UN is worthless, as well as John Kerry who is more than worthless.

[tjg]

I saw the Frontline to which you are refering and I was surprised at what this show left out of the story. The two main questions it left me with:

1. Where was the rebel army (that eventually won the civil war) during this three month period?

2. How did the Hutus kill 800k people with machetes? Did anybody fight back? A machete is not high tech weaponry. One could organize at least a partially effective defense with clubs and stones. They never did present any hard evidence of the magnitude of the slaughter, so I'm a little skeptical.

Frontline is maybe the most solid documentary show on TV. I have to say that I thought this particular show was way below their usuall journalistic standards.