Reviews

• ルワンダの大虐殺

  1994年のルワンダでの大虐殺についての本です。植民地時代から， 1997年頃までの大虐殺後の混乱（政治的混乱やキャンプやその他で の小規模な虐殺）が続くルワンダと周辺国の情勢について、一通り の知識を得ることができます。 特に，印象的であったのでは，難民ミャンプを支援する援助団体が， ルワンダから逃れてきた犯罪者を結果的に支援することになり，事 件後の混乱を長引かせてしまっていたことです。こういったことは， 我々が持つ「難民」という言葉からはイメージしにくい状態で，新 聞記事で難民ミャンプといわれても，中に武装したグループが力を 付けていったとは絶対に分からないでしょう。この本では，その辺 りのこともうまく描かれており，具来的なリポートならではです。 しかし，この地域は，これからどうなっていくのか。 かつては日本や欧米でも内乱やら虐殺事件等の歴史を経て，現在の なんとか安定した社会を形作ってきたのだと思いますが，アフリカ では今がその安定化した社会への過程なのだろうか？

• A true story

  In this well researched and beautifully written book about the genocide in Rwanda, Philip Gourevitch did a brilliant job not only in telling us about the genocide, but also in making us understand the intricate history of the land that made the genocide possible and the aftermath of the genocide. The book moved me from the opening to the last pages. What I particularly liked about this work by Gourevitch is the fact that it is easy for a non-African or non-Rwandan mind that has no knowledge of Rwanda to understand the story. The analysis was perfect and the criticism deserving. There appears to be a pattern of international detachment in all the contemporary genocides our world witnessed. DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE, EYE-WITNESS TO GENOCIDE, POL PLOT CONFIRM THOSE PATTERNS. It is appalling to learn that the Rwandan genocide happened in the presence of French soldiers, news agencies and international humanitarian groups. It is even more disheartening to learn that the UN was aware of what was going on and the big powers did nothing to stop it.

• 内容は文句なし

  筆者の立場はRwandan Patriotic Front（ルワンダの現政権）寄りで、執筆当時副大統領兼ルワンダ軍最高司令官であったカガメ現大統領を始めとする政治活動家から農民に至るまでの数多くのルワンダ人や現地の国際援助機関に対するきめ細かい取材に基づく充実した内容となっている。当時、先進諸国に対して必ずしもよい印象を持っていたわけではないRPFに、アメリカ人ジャーナリストとしてここまで入り込めたことには驚かされる。現代のアフリカで、ナチスドイツのホロコーストかそれ以上に匹敵する惨事が起きた事は由々しき問題で、これを知るためには絶好の書だと思う。 難点としては、複数の話題が、交互に、とぎれとぎれに登場する構成を採っているにもかかわらず、目次・見出し・索引が一切なく、前に読んだ部分を探し出すのが大変だった。あと、表紙下端に引用されている書評にあるGourevitch's beautiful writingは、個人的には、決してわかりやすい英語ではないと思う。

• 面白かったです、しかし…

  読みやすい本です。特に第一部は、ルワンダの一連の事件を全く知らなかった 私には非常に勉強になりました。ただ、第二部、内戦の終結以降は、 筆者が何を伝えようとしていたのか、よくわかりません。 「戦後」という時代は、得てして分かりにくい時代なのかも知れませんが…。 ポール・カガメ氏が手放しで讃えるられているのも気になりました。 これは筆者自身も言及する、援助対象に外交団体が無批判に肩入れしてしまうという Clientitisと同様の症状に思われました。 最近のカガメ氏の動向も、選挙妨害をしたりといささか問題があるようです。 フツ族たちの視点も、もう少しあって良かったように思います。 とにかく、ルワンダについてはもっと読んでみたくなりました。 その点で、おすすめです。

• Great insight

  This book gives a fascinating insight into the Rwandan genocide and associated subjects like the questionable motives & destructive actions of international aid organisations & the UN (and Western governments), the broader conflict in the region in the 1990s and the social and political development of Rwanda itself. The scope of the book is broader than the genocide itself but far from being a meandering detour the post-genocide story of the camps- the Hutu extremist groups reforming in exile and the eventual return is a compelling one in itself and without it any account of the Rwandan genocide is incomplete. Not quite as necessary is the coverage of the relief organisations but I think the issues the author has highlighted are very worthwhile considering. We're used to thinking of relief organisations as infallible, benevolent and also neutral actors in disaster situations and we also take their knowledge of the situation as Gospel, yet accepting the authors views as correct, the various NGOs collectively and their staff individually were creating a very dangerous situation and had a wholly inadequate understanding of what was happening around them. Arguably they were in the process of underwriting and unwittingly facilitating a second genocide before military intervention came. Though it's an allegation not made explicitly, the author hints at a financial motive (not personal corruption I might add) to the various aid agencies continuing their work, describing the work more than once as "lucrative". Also the policies of various Western governments and the UN, whether by design or effect, were heavily pro-Hutu, even following the genocide and this is deservedly highlighted in the book. These aspects are not absolutely necessary to the narrative of the genocide itself but they're certainly not superfluous given the wider scope of the book and I think to be properly informed of the genocide you should be aware of this element of the story. I was surprised to read the criticism of the book detailed on its' Wikipedia page and I fundamentally disagree with it. While not going into a huge amount of detail of the act of genocide itself the book gives a detailed account of the political and social history of Rwanda taking complexities and nuances into account and identifies the trends that led to the genocide. I agree with the author that it's not simplistic to identify as principle villains those who destroyed a society by inducing the majority to hack hundreds and thousands of their neighbours and friends to death with machetes, even in a region as bloody as this. The author generally does take positions on many issues surrounding the conflict, whether you agree with him or not that is to be appreciated in an age when journalists (then, like now) are determined to find the middle ground on many stories even when the narrative that results is clearly ridiculous and itself biased. No doubt the fact the author takes positions will itself be described as "biased" by some but the author makes a very strong case for each of his positions and his own thoughts are not hidden in biased language or questionable assertions. The reader can make up their own mind on the authors views. The author does not delve deeply into the specific details of the killing as a whole, as he points out it was designed to look spontaneous, but you do get a sense of the sheer terror felt by the victims through the many people he interviews. Their accounts are harrowing and the accounts of the violence are bad enough but what I found most shocking was how devious many ostensibly respectable turned out to be. Their duplicity, especially when it came to old friends and neighbours, is difficult to accept on a human level. For example there is the account of a massacre in which it's alleged a preacher encouraged his co-religionist Tutsis, many known to him, to shelter in a particular Church compound before he returned with machete wielding gangs to murder them. This is a truly excellent book, my worst criticism of it would be that some sentences aren't well written and lead to confusion, and I'm glad I read it, it has engendered in me a much greater interest in this part of the world and serves as a jumping off point for many other subjects; 19th century colonialism, pre-European African society, the ongoing conflict that has claimed millions of lives and more broadly subjects like psychology and sociological areas like tribalism, social structure and so on.

• A wonderfully-written book on the Rwandan genocide.

  I have been interested in the Rwandan genocide because my Barnard anthropology prof, Miss McLellan told her class in 1960, that there would be a blood bath there. She had done field work in Rwanda several years earlier. Also, I heard Romeo Dallaire speak when he came to Yellowknife about 10 years ago. This book was fascinating to read. The author has gone to great lengths to tell a very in-depth story. I feel so much better informed about this topic now that I have read his history of the genocide.

• Must read

  Must read to understand the hard realities of the world. Should be read by everyone to ensure it doesnt happen again, anywhere in the world

• Harrowing

  This is a necessary and harrowing book. It will break your heart and your mind. But it is essential reading. A horrific genocide which we must NEVER forget. Shame on every country who twiddled their thumbs while people were slaughtered. Bless the souls of those who perished. And all strength to the relatives and friends who survived.

• Must read

  Really good book

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