serendipityoucity

most of us living in Rwanda and in the region with the legacy of the genocide even after 14 long years, feel that the international community’s - the UN and the United States - utter failure should have been on the bench for the accused and convicted along with Bagosora.

General Romeo Dallaire’s account of his desperate efforts to warn the looming cataclysm to the power-that-be of the day fell on deaf ears and the world just stood by and watched as Bagosora and his militia systematically slaughtered innocent Tutsis and moderate Hutus over a period of 100 days.

It is appalling to see how fast the UN and the EU and others are moving to protect their interests from the clutch of Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden as the spectre of Rwanda unfolds in Darfur.

Having said that, today’s verdict also gives hope to many around the world that people like Bagosora will no longer be able to live with impunity and have to pay for their crimes sooner or later.

SOPHIE GEBREYES, KIGALI (Comment on BBC article)

I cannot agree with her more!  In the west we are busy trampling each other to death to shop at Walmart for cheap Xmas deals, wondering where shortest WII lineup is, missing important issues as we discuss prorogation, let billions get siphoned by rich crooks, bail out the car industry who can’t seem to keep up with the times and ignore critical information on population health and the cost of the health care system while we bake cookies.  In fact, I think we are being entertained into a state where we cannot see let alone care that our sisters and brothers in other parts of the world are suffering.  We discuss recession while it is the whole system of - dare i use the C word and possibly be called a Marxist pinko lefty greeny gay loving pot smoking supporting liberal (not the red ones!)  - capitalist fundametalism and disturbing wealth accumulation by a few while the many are being duped into over credit and being unable to pay back their dept! What the hell is wrong with this picture!  I can’t be the only person incensed.

I just watched Triage, about the work of James Orbinsky and his colleagues in Somalia & Rwanda, and I still find it hard to look at the smallness of what I do on a day to day basis compared to these people.  We are in this mess together, and we can only get out of it together.  What will it take for us to care enough to prioritize what really matters in the very long run?  What will it take me to get out of this state and get a move on, on the important stuff. Ahhhhh! I am outraged and disgusted. (as if that makes a difference!) Bleick!