The Rwanda Development Trust: The Association of Disabled People in Rwanda
www.charitynet.org/~rwanda-dt
The events that occurred within Rwanda in 1994 shamed humanity. The 'civilised world' sat back and ignored what turned out to be the fastest genocide in human history. Confronted with incontestable evidence of massive human rights violations and proof of the unfolding genocide, the international community failed to honour it's duties in accordance Article 1 of The Genocide Convention and come to Rwanda's aid. In 1994 Rwanda was of no economic or strategic importance to the 'West' and consequently the lives of the seven million people were adjudged to be of insufficient value to warrant intervention. Governments that have both previously and subsequently been all to eager to 'intervene' in conflicts under the auspices of protecting fundamental 'human rights' when conflict occurred in the middle east or other sufficiently lucrative areas turned their backs on Rwanda.
Historically the country had been beset by ethnic tension associated with the traditionally unequal relationship between the dominant Tutsi minority and the majority Hutus. The shooting down of the plane carrying President Juvenal Habyarimana near the capital Kigali in April 1994 triggered what appeared to be a premeditated clinically planned attempt by Hutus to eliminate the Tutsi population. By July an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus had been brutally exterminated in the most efficient and complete genocide of modern times. As these events gradually became big news in the West and horrific images started to appear on TV screens, governments began to make token gestures of relief and support in order to placate growing domestic pressure. This belated International response unfortunately represented too little too late; massively insufficient in terms of scale and funding and badly co-ordinated the relief efforts did, in certain aspects, arguably prolong the conflict. Already a poor country with little infrastructure, a ravaged and forgotten Rwanda achieved the unenviable title of poorest country on earth following the genocide.
Although
Rwanda has received significant financial and professional aid
from the international community in the wake of the genocide and
subsequent traumas there is still an enormous amount of work to
be done. The One Percent Scheme has forged a partnership with
the Rwanda Development Trust (RDT) that will enable us to work
directly with The Association of Disabled People in Rwanda . The 1994
genocide that subsequently became known as ' Africa 's Machete
War' (such was the nature of the horrendous events) left a huge number
of victims, including a high proportion of children, badly maimed.
This Rwandan run organisation aims to assist these tens of thousands
of people that struggle through daily life without even the most
basic care, wheelchairs or prosthetic limbs.
I personally became interested in Rwanda when I read ''Me Against My Brother'' a truly remarkable and extremely moving book by Scott Peterson, an independent Journalist who travelled Africa for a year covering various conflicts. Although the stories he relates are truly harrowing they are nevertheless highly compelling, relentlessly begging the question 'How did the world let this happen?' The rays of optimism that do shine through parts of the book are particularly touching. The post-1994 government led by Paul Kagame has received high praise from the international community as it has successfully achieved what would have seemed impossible and fostered a genuine climate of reconciliation and hope amongst the population.
Marcus Fairhurst - April 2003.
Other interesting reading on the subject :
'A people betrayed. The role of the West in Rwanda 's genocide.'
by
Linda Melvern.
'We wish to let you know that tomorrow we will be killed along with our families.'
by Phillip Ourevitch.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF VSO & RDT