Recitation #2

Genocide in Rwanda

Read the following article from Atlantic Monthly.  It's 20 pages, so allow yourself enough time.

www.theatlantic.com/issues/2001/09/power.htm

The objective of this recitation is to examine how this conflict emerged and how it reflects more general global political-economic relationships.

Write 1 paragraph answers to the following questions and turn them in at the beginning of your recitation this week (January 28-February 1).

1) How does Belgium fit into this story?  Why would the Belgians be concerned with Rwanda?

2) Another genocide that occurred during the 1990s was in the area formerly known as Yugoslavia (most notoriously in Bosnia). The West (N.A.T.O. and the US) has been heavily involved here (south-central Europe, a.k.a. the Balkans) as opposed to very little involvement in Rwanda. Why was there international intervention in Bosnia and not Rwanda (what might explain the geographic pattern of intervention)?

3) What could the countries neighboring Rwanda do to help prevent the genocide there?  Think about the training and equipment that the African
peacekeepers had compared to those of the Belgians.

4) Is it the moral responsibility of humans to try and prevent genocide?  At what cost?