Having just watched the documentary based on the book, and discussed a bit of the background to the Rwandan Genocide of 1994, what do you think? Why do you think it happened? What might have prevented it? What could prevent it from happening again somewhere else? What do you think of Dallaire? Leave a comment with your thoughts.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Shake Hands With the Devil
Having just watched the documentary based on the book, and discussed a bit of the background to the Rwandan Genocide of 1994, what do you think? Why do you think it happened? What might have prevented it? What could prevent it from happening again somewhere else? What do you think of Dallaire? Leave a comment with your thoughts.
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I thought the movie showed how we should always remember the past so it doesnt happen again. and the things that happened in rawanda were terrible
ReplyDeleteThis was a very powerful movie seeing what has happened in Rwanda it was a good movie and it is sad to see that Canada and the USA had no effect over there!
ReplyDeletethis movie was really inspiring
ReplyDeleteRwanda was an easy issue to solve but put Canadian or American soldiers at risk of fatality...
ReplyDeleteI personally thought that this was a very powerful documentary. I am personally interested with the civil wars going on throughout africa. I personally hope to one day go and help , just as Romeo Dallaire did. I found him to be a great help to the Rwandans. I wish more could have been done.
ReplyDeleteThat was crazy, I have no clue how someone could go through that and not go insane. The only thing i want to know is how it all ended. What caused it all to stop?
ReplyDeleteAfter watching this movie I can't belive the UN, who were suppose to be peacekeepers, didnt step in and stop this. I feel that most of the blame should be put on them and not Dellaire because he couldnt do anything to stop it with what he had.
ReplyDeleteRwanada could have been avoided if our world wasn't completely f*cked. Sometimes we all need to come together and help people in need. And stop being selfish p.o.s's.
ReplyDeleteThis movie was very touching, it really shows the other sides of humanity. How could anybody be so cruel and act so selfish? I'm happy that this was somewhat fixed and someone actually took a stand and tried to help out. I hope nothing like this actually happens again and if it does then someone needs to stop it before it gets very dramatic like that again. R.I.P to all those who have died and lets prevent this from happening as a civilized world.
ReplyDeleteit was a good movie but i don't like the fact it showed skulls and people being killed
ReplyDeleteI thought that the movie was very depressing,seeing all the dead bodies everywhere because people didn't stand up to help people of Rwanda when they were need. It could of been prevented by having a structured rules in Rwanda. Dallaire did what was right, to try and help them unlike some other countries and people.
ReplyDeleteI have watched Hotel Rwanda before, but this documentary made the whole genicide feel more real. I found the real footage they used to be pretty disturbing. I don't think Dallaire should be blaming himself, though. He did all he could do with the resources he had, and I think the blame should be put solely on the rest of the world that pretty much turned a blind eye to the entire situation.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching Shake Hands With the Devil, I feel decidedly unsettled and sick. I'm not sure exactly what my thoughts are on the subject, to be honest. The first thought I have is how preventable the whole genocide was- if the United Nations had properly funded Dallaire how many lives could have been saved? There are so many "what if?"s that one has to wonder how exactly Romeo Dallaire is still alive today. I think that the whole thing is a powerful reminder to the UN and the countries of the western world that involvement is A GOOD IDEA.
ReplyDeleteDallaire is a very strong man, to have survived that and then to have survived himself afterwords.
After the movie I thought about many ways this could have been stopped or prevented this from happening. One way to prevent this from happening was that the belgums could not have made the two people to fight against one another. If troops were sent to rwanda this could have been prevented
ReplyDeleteI think that the Rwandan Genocide was a brutal time for the people of rwanda. the were basicly told to fight eachothere. the UN also schould have helped rawanda/ Dallaire. As they said in the movie the church had a strong influnce on the people they could have told the people that this was against the will of god but the perists were even killing. I hope that nothing like this ever happens in canada. I personaly think Dallaire did a good job considering that it was his fisrt mission and the resorses the UN gave him.
ReplyDeleteI thought this documentary was really sad and left me quite shocked that something so horrible could happen in such a short time or at all. I think it happened because the Hutu people who were considered lower class thought they were the more powerful and better race. I personally feel they took it to an ultimate extreme that wasn't necessary. I think that if more of the world got involved it would have helped much more and it could've been prevented.
ReplyDeleteI believe the rwandan genocide, was a sad mistake on the part of all countries involved. I also believe the genocide was caused by frustration with Rwanda's poor living quality and control. I think that if the UN had steppeed up and provided Dallaire with a bigger force it would have possibly saved some lives, I do not believe however that the genocide could have been fully prevented. What could prevent it from happening somewhere else? I think if a genocide happens there is very little you can do, but increasing UN presence in tense countries such as the Congo may aid in the prevention. I think Dallaire was a general. I don't view him as special in any way.
ReplyDeleteI think it was a horrific event. It is hard to believe that people can even do stuff like that.. it's horrible. I think it happened because the government encouraged it, and did nothing to stop it, and also because of the historical conflict between the Hutus and the Tutsis. I think if the government had done something, or if the church had said something, it would have stopped. The western powers would not be necessary to send in if that happened.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Dallaire is a very brave and good man. I'm surprised that he did not go insane or something to that extent; he seems like he's handling it well.
I think it was caused by the failure of the U.N and Belgium's earlier involvement in causing Hutu and Tutsi problems. I don't think it was preventable, by the effects could have been lessened if the U.N had followed through with their efforts.
ReplyDeleteWatching this documentary really opened my eyes and made me feel rage towards Canada and the rest of the nations that just sat back and watched this genocide take place. I think Canada especially should be ashamed considering they pretty much just sent Romeo Delaire to a peacekeeping mission without backing him up. I strongly believe if Canada and the rest of the world just opened their curtains of their fancy offices and realized their degree of stupidity and actually made an effort to help there would have been no such thing as the horrific event that took place in Rwanda. I am personally ashamed and see Mr. Delaire as a true hero in my eyes and wish maybe some day Canada will realize that. If a SS11 student can see that then what's wrong with the rest of the world?...
ReplyDeleteTo prevent another genocide, the information on the international failure must be presented to youth around the world. Also, people must realize that a person is a person and not colour, status, or wealth counts for anything.
ReplyDeleteStay Frosty
I really enjoyed the movie; although, it made me disgusted to think that humans would do such a thing to others just over the fact of different belief systems or looking different. I think that it couldn't have been stopped, but i don't think such an event like this will ever happen again.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Dallaire is a hero, most people would of bailed at their first chance.
ReplyDeleteIt showed very powerful images of the atrocities performed based mainly on racial definitions and gives insight into the emotional and mental toll it took on those who witnessed it
ReplyDeletethe movie was really sad and i think that it could have been prevented by people actually caring about others and not being racist. just saying.
ReplyDeleteI think that if the UN had actually been in their right minds, and took the time out of their day to help the hundreds of thousands of people that needed them, this could have been stopped much earlier. As much as Dallaire says he wasn't, he seems like a hero. He stuck through to the very end and did everything in his power to help these people. If the UN had actually found the humanity to do something about this, Dallaire could have ended it much sooner.
ReplyDeletethe documentary was really sad but even more sad than what happpened was how the world responded. We are supposed to be world leaders we took the easy road and let horrible things happen under our watch. I think that as the next generation it is up to us to change things and make sure this never happens again.
ReplyDeleteI think that Dallaire is a really good guy and that he did his best to stop the genocide and that he shouldn't blame himself for not being able to stop the genocide. I think that the other countries should have stepped in and helped out so that way the genocide wouldn't have happened as badly as it did.
ReplyDeleteRwanda was a reminder to the world of what can really happen when we choose not to get involved. I was shocked when countries started pulling out their own troops, and leaving Rwanda behind. We were waiting for them to slaughter each other. I feel like if the world had taken the conflict more seriously, and not hesitated to take action, then it could have been prevented. The world should have made sure that the interhamwe were held back. Combat is not always a solution, but when an entire ethnic group and thousands of lives are at stake, i think it is neccissary to protect the tutsis. . Romeo Dallaire is a remarkably strong person to not lose his sanity through all of that.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Rwanda was one of the greatest failures, and one of the greatest successes, in world history. I know success is not the first or even the last word that comes to your mind when you think about Rwanda, but it has succeeded in that it has opened some peoples eyes to the truth and brutality of the world and human nature. I say the word 'some', knowing full well that many people still refuse to embrace the fact that we screwed up. We screwed up so badly, and people refuse to accept that fact. Honestly, I don't blame the people of Rwanda if they feel badly towards us, because they have every right to. I think I would hate the world too if they had left us behind, said screw you, fend for yourself , and sat back and watched as countless atrocities were committed. I too would feel like the world didn't care. It was a failure, in that it was a genocide -- but also in that we did nothing about it. I respect General Romeo Dallaire so much, because he actually did something -- he tried so hard to save as many people as he could, and he did save many lives. General Romeo Dallaire is a true hero for refusing to stop trying when the rest of the world gave up. People say that there was no point to what he did - that thousands of people still died and he didn't save them all. But it matters to the people he did save, no matter how small or large the number of people it is. No one could have saved everyone, but if we had done what was right we could have saved so many more. If we had payed attention to the situation, if we had done something, anything....but we didn't, and 'what if's' do nothing. I am ashamed for my country, the world, and myself and wish that somehow we could turn back the clock and start over, but we can't. There is no point in looking back so we have to look forward, but in order to prevent atrocities from happening again and again we first have to heal past wounds, and Rwanda, although it's getting better, still needs to be seen and recognized by the rest of the world. There will always be a scar, but we have to try and do a better job of healing it.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the book and seeing the Hollywood movie of Dallaire's experiences, the documentary provided a fascinating insight to the lives of Dallaire and other key figures from the genocide after the massacre. It allows one to fully see how this event has shaped their lives. Most important of all, though, is the ability to see Rwanda ten years later and how they have healed. They have stepped beyond the anarchy that covers most of Africa and has become a beacon of hope, reminding the West that Africa is not a lost cause. If only we put effort into the continent, most of their issues could be solved.
ReplyDeleteHowever, if we do look forward, we must also look back and see where we have failed, and unfortunately, that is a very long list. In Rwanda alone, the UN has shown its weakness: the shadow of the old League of Nations. How could they have turned a blind eye to the slaughter of a million? The only reasonable answer is that they don't care. Yugoslavia may have been crumbling and there was racial violence; the exact same thing was happening in Rwanda, yet all UN resources went to Yugoslavia. Why? Because they are European. Because they have international influence. Because they were a reminder of the old Cold War. There were endless excuses for the imbalance yet excuses should never be made. Rwanda was only a tiny African Nation, so in the eyes of the UN, why should they matter. When people are suffering and dying shouldn't it be the job of the United Nations to bring stability and persecute those who started the bloodshed? Thanks to the Rwanda Genocide, the UN has lost all credibility in its mission of unity and peace.
No matter what Dallaire said or did in the nation, the mission was doomed because the UN simply wasn't interested. If the same thing happened again in Africa, I wouldn't expect the corrupt organization to act any differently. Unless the world brings radical changes to them, the UN will continue to abuse their power. One million Rwandans died in vain and the UN has their blood on their hands. They just haven't acknowledged it yet.
I think this documentary paved the way for a younger generation to look at the human race as all equals. Hopefully this transfers into a real change in UN affairs as well as providing aid in foreign countries. And most importantly not to give up, just like Dallaire did.
ReplyDeletei think this movie was very distubing and sad. i think it is a video everyone should watch though, it tells us of how wrong things can go and how we can change things to be good if we want. we should talk the right actions eventhough theres nothing in it for canada.
ReplyDeleteI loved this film because of what it represents. It displays a man who tries to redeem himself in the most public way possible to all those wronged in rwanda. While his journey throughout Rwanda was a journey that some took a liking to, there was also open hostility among the rwandan ranks, and even among the UN people. He recognizes his mistakes and attempts to atone for them which is something i find inspiring to me. He was singled out as the only person who understood the situation and while he didn't always make the correct move, he never came under the influence of the darkness around him. Romeo Dallaire says he's not a hero, and that might be true, but he is a pure hearted human being, which is just as good.
ReplyDeletei thought the movie was terribly morbid and unfortunately eerily truthful. this abomination of genocide i think resonate with the entire class over the course of an hour and a half. However there is an upside. by being aware of the rwandan atrocities and standing firmly against it now i believe that echo generation, and the generations that will follow will be more incline to take the action needed to counteract the darkness of ignorance and hate.
ReplyDeleteShake Hands with the Devil showed exactly how horrible a human can be if it allows it's inner demon to come out. It shows to remember our past no matter how horrible it is, to help make sure it never happens again. Dallaire seems to be a person that has seen things you're not supposed to see. His life has been changed because of Rwanda and shows us exactly how horrible this genocide really was.
ReplyDeleteI think that was a time where the rest of the world didnt want to get their hands dirty so they turned their back on Rwanda. This issue could have been solved peacefully and many countries could have stepped in and been greatly rewarded for their great efforts but it turns into a genocide and many fathers mothers and children were killed for other nations failing to help.
ReplyDeleteI think that is was a tragedy and I was shocked the people would do this to each other. I think it happened because of resource scarcity and racial division.
ReplyDeleteDallaire did the best he could do with what he was given, but I would like to see a different perspective on his actions . The belgian general who said Dallaire had a chance to stop the genocide, but didn't, showed some of this opposing perspective. However, I think it is true; when Dallaire says he was only following orders from the UN I understand, but I wonder if he had the chance to redo it whether he would go against the orders to stop the genocide.
I believe that the Belgium man who accused Dellaire was wrong to do so. Yes D could have made better decisions but humans aren't perfect and a clear example of this was the genocide. The Belgium man should have been blaming his own country for backing out of Rwanda and thank Dellaire for at least trying to save the people of Rwanda.
ReplyDeleteThe event was Horrific and wrong and I believe the Belgium government started it by turning Rwandans against each other. I am perplexed that humans can be so racist and cruel and am terribly sad that such a thing could happen. I believe that the UN should be looked over because obviously there are things wrong with the system that NEED to be dealt with.
After watching the movie it opened my eyes to a horrifying event that happened in past history. The terrible massacres that happened really makes me appreciate my life and the things that are easily taken for granted. It is crazy to think that there is one "type" of person that is "normal", and then placing everyone else into a single group and creating this idea that they're not the same is outrageous. If that idea was proposed in Canada at this time it would be considered so crazy. Its sad that humans would do this to another human. Its also sad how the UN would leave Rwonda when they knew that many would die as a result. A comment that made me think during the movie was how someone on the UN forces stated that there were too many people there anyways. Each life should be valued as an individual life instead of just another person to add to the death statistics
ReplyDeleteDellaire is a very strong person. In the documentary, you could tell that he was very emotionally effected by the genocide but he still managed to present himself in a pretty composed manner. Dellaire did everything humanly possible to stop the situation in Rwanda and I respect him a lot for that.
ReplyDeleteThe genocide in Rwanda was very dark, frightening, sick and embarrassing piece of the world's history. Humans will be humans; and it appears from many past events we kill brutally and on mass.
ReplyDeleteThe Rwandan genocide occurred for a variety of reasons, all debatable. Ethnics groups of different believes never fail to have hard feelings for one another. And when the Belgians took over Rwanda they started a "factual" study on why both Hutus and Tutsis were different. And when they left Rwanda, they left it in a mess. The disorder and hatred that festered between the two groups was bound to boil over.
The rest of the world turned a blind eye on the African nation.If only they had the courage and could have put their racial notions against the black community, Rwanda could have had a different future.
That was one of the most saddest things I have ever seen. Seeing all those bodies of men, women, and children was a horrible site. I find that it was terrible that there wasn't much other nations could do. I think Romeo Dallaire could have done more then just come back and apologize. I didn't feel like he did much. Yes he tried and came back but that doesn't make up for what happened 10 years ago.
ReplyDeletei hate natives
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