Kendra Fuller
In conclusion the Interahamwe were not at fault in this situation, because we were up against a wall, we had to fight to protect ourselves and our families. The NRMD started the fighting, and then convinced us to join in, the Tutsis were already mad at us Hutus, if we didn’t join we were probably going to be killed by them anyway.
The NRMD trained and armed us, they told us to kill or be killed by the NRMD. They trained us as well. The NRMD, France, and Belgium all armed us.
Now as for the UN, (I am using a metaphor again) the Interahamwe was a new force. Most of them had little to no fighting experience; this is their first time doing anything. They knew no other way to deal with this situation. They just wanted to make a difference, and support their political opinion. Think about a high school, if a student is lashing out and bullying, would you rather a guidance councilor help to stabilize the problem or just quit because they don’t want to be bullied.
The RPF shot down our president’s plane, after making a peace treaty with us; by doing this they lengthened the war.
I am including my sources and in parenthesis how to get to the relevant text I am referencing.
http://www.cccsd.org/webpages/szenkert/files/Genocide%20in%20Rwanda.pdf power point (6th slide 2nd bullet point)
http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/12926 armed by France and Belgium (3rd paragraph down)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/evil/interviews/gourevitch.html Interahamwe were forced to fight, because they were told that they could be killed by any Tutsi they saw. (Under heading “who was the Interahamwe?” entire paragraph)
http://www.bnaibrith.ca/league/hh-teachers/guide07.html show that the NRMD did have control over the nation (press ctrl + F then type “1973 in Rwanda”)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/rwanda/etc/cron.html shows we were trained by the NRMD (press ctrl + F type “Rwandan army begins”) also know that the Rwandan army was also known as the NRMD.
you still state that the NRND brainwashed you to "kill or be killed, even after the fact you showed us your article and circled in the article it clearly stated that you were the one's forcing other people to "kill or be killed."
ReplyDeleteMRMD* (sorry, computer malfunction)
ReplyDeleteWithout context, you do not know if we were using it as a warning to our friends and families. Because we were told the Tutsis would kill any Hutu they saw, so natually we would kill them so they wouldn't kill us. As a group things get done faster, so we were telling our neighbors "to kill" as in the Tutsis, or "be killed" as in the Tutsis will kill you if you don't get to them first.
ReplyDeleteThe war was not lengthened by the RPF shooting down the plane. It was just sparked up.
ReplyDeleteDo you honestly think it would've gone on as long if the president was not shot and the two groups confirmed a peace treaty?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Justin that the war was sparked by the RPF shooting down the presidents plane and not lenghthening it since I have an article that states it. I think That your position is correct that you were being forced to fight by the NRMD. I still dont think what you did was right though.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see the proof that the Tutsis would just kill any Hutu they saw. How could they feel threatened my a group that you were quickly eliminating.
ReplyDeletei think either way the interhamwe were at fault, it doesnt matter if the NRMD conviced them to join or not they still did and didnt have too.
ReplyDeleteMason, We felt threatened because that is how the NRMD told us to feel, they said kill or be killed, (Rachel posted proof of this in Ann's post) but not in the warning context as we have said. they meant kill them or we will kill you. And I don't know about you but I would rather die, in the hopes of protecting my family than just be killed by some commanding NRMD officer because I refuse to kill. I would do anything for my family.
ReplyDeleteMadeline- The NRMD didn't convince us to join they forced us.