> Features > Pg 2 Feature Stories > Genocide in Darfur is Rwanda all over again
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Genocide in Darfur is Rwanda all over again
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Paul Rusesabagina autographs Westfield resident Laurie Williams' book titled "Not on our Watch," written by John Prendergast and actor Don Cheadle, who portrayed Rusesabagina in "Hotel Rwanda." Reminder Publications photo by Natasha Clark
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By Natasha Clark
Assistant Managing Editor
SPRINGFIELD In 1994 Paul Rusesabagina managed to save 1,200 refugees from being slaughtered along with 1 million other Tutsis and moderate Hutus in East Africa.
Over the course of 100 days in 1994 a Hutu paramilitary force started ethnic cleansing of the Tutsi population in Rwanda. Rusesabagina saved his family and 1,200 other refugees by barricading them inside H tel des Mille Collines, where he was a manager. His actions were captured in the 2004 film "Hotel Rwanda."
Thirteen years later, his mission of helping others has not changed. Touring internationally as the voice of displaced Africans still reeling from the aftermath of the ordeal and a country in political turmoil, Rusesabagina brought his message to the city through Springfield Public Forum, a free lecture series hosted at Symphony Hall.
In his talk titled "Hotel Rwanda: Lessons Yet to be Learned," Rusesabagina makes no distinction between what happened in Rwanda and the current predicament in Darfur.
"Is this not a shame to mankind?" he asked the audience.
He explained that what happened in Rwanda is the same failure in Darfur, where government backed militias have wiped out entire villages, destroyed food and water supplies, and systematically murdered, tortured, and raped hundreds of thousands of Darfuris, according to Amnesty International.
Looking around the auditorium filled partially by young college students Rusesabagina said, "We have in this room future ambassadors, congressman, why not a U.S. President? You are the future leaders. Do you want to make it a better world?"
Patricia Canavan, executive director of the Springfield Public Forum, stated that the issue of Darfur is pressing and prominent, and that having a lecture aimed at the topic of genocide in Africa has been on the radar screen of the Board of Directors for some time.
"Our primary hope was raising awareness and dialogue amongst the community," Canavan told Reminder Publications. "Get people to talk to each other and think of issues in our time."
At the Oct. 18 event, Rusesabagina encouraged the audience to speak out. He said even though former Secretary of State Colin Powell declared what is happening in Darfur as genocide in March 2005, "no action has followed those good words."
He called Powell's words good, because he said the United States, along with other international communities, had been late to respond to the mass murders in Rwanda or to refer to it as genocide.
"No one raises a finger to say that this is a crime," he said. "As long as the truth never gets out, things will never be better. "
Rusesabagina said there are three things citizens can do to help the effort to end genocide in Darfur: petition, demand the restriction of finances and hold demonstrations. He suggested the signing and sending of petitions to state representatives, congress and the Administration.
"Tell them [the Sudanese government] they are not above the law," Rusesabagina said.
He explained that assets are often stolen by the Sudanese government from taxes paid by the poor and institutionalized in places like the World Bank.
"Money that they steal they bring it to America and Europe. Ask our leaders to freeze those assets," he urged.
On Oct. 23 the Massachusetts Senate enacted Senate Bill 2255, a bill to divest Massachusetts' public pension funds from companies bankrolling genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. The bill requires the Pension Reserves Investment Management Board to divest from roughly two dozen "highest offending" companies doing business in Sudan.
Daniel Millenson, national advisory director for the Sudan Divestment Task Force (based in Washington D.C.), said this bill affects "companies with the highest business relationships with the government of Sudan who have not taken any steps" to help the situation.
"These are the companies providing Sudan's government with the bulk of the revenue it uses to commit genocide," Millenson said.
Millenson explained that these monies are only a "tiny percent" of the Pension Reserves Investment Management Trust, but with an approximate value of $54 million, would have a substantial impact on the Sudanese government.
"It affects $54 million of assets, a tenth of one percent. There's no adverse financial impact [on Massachusetts]," Millenson said. "Massachusetts has a $50 billion pension fund. I hope it sets an example to other states."
According to information released by the Sudan Divestment Task Force, of the 20 states that have adopted Sudan divestment policies, 13 states have adopted "targeted" divestment policies similar to this legislation.
As of press time Gov. Deval Patrick had eight days to sign
the bill.
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> Features > Pg 2 Feature Stories > Genocide in Darfur is Rwanda all over again
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