Rusesabagina deems the actions, of lack thereof, of the United Nations and the church Rwanda reproachable. He however also credits the people of Rwanda's knowledge of their history. Hutus and Tutsis were both aware of Belgian divide that took place in their nation (divide and rule!) and the flip flopping of power ever since. Was there a chance the 1994 genocide could have been avoided if they simply put their differences to rest?
Jordan
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One of the events/factors leading up the genocide mentioned in An Ordinary Man that I had not heard cited before was the mass importation of machetes and other weapons in the months preceding the genocide. (I think the author mentions you could buy a grenade off the street for something like $1.) While machetes are common tools for Rwandans, the massive amount suddenly being ordered should have been a cause for alarm on multiple on levels - the company manufacturing the tools/weapons, customs officials at the export country, customs officials in Rwanda, etc. It's doubtful that simply cutting off the supply of new weapons would have prevented the events entirely. However, the fact that so many weapons were so readily available allowed the individuals committing these acts to work with unbelievable "efficiency" - 800,000 murdered in 100 days. Knowing how slowly international bodies such as the UN operation even in dire circumstances (i.e. Darfur) - perhaps if even a little more time had been made available, an intervention could have been mounted.
Yes, reading about the mass import of machetes was agonizing. What was planned with this huge influx of potential weapons prior to the president's death? It's as if these people were ill-fated from the beginning. A hopeful compromise seemed to be taking place between the two groups. However the assassination of Habyarima was the catalyst that made a tense situation a murderous one. It also makes me take a double look at France during this crisis, who, according to the author, had a heavy influence on Rwanda, Hutus and Tutsis alike. In the end the international community as a whole should sink in shame. It is of course solemnly recognized after. Always after.
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