The Rwanda Crisis: History of a Genocide

by Gérard Prunier

In the spring of 1994 the tiny African nation of Rwanda exploded onto the international media stage, as internal strife reached genocidal proportions. But the horror that unfolded before our eyes had been building steadily for years before it captured the attention of the world.

In The Rwanda Crisis , journalist and Africa scholar Gérard Prunier provides a historical perspective that Western readers need to understand how and why the brutal massacres of 800,000 Rwandese came to pass. Prunier shows how the events in Rwanda were part of a deadly logic, a plan that served central political and economic interests, rather than a result of ancient tribal hatreds―a notion often invoked by the media to dramatize the fighting.

The Rwanda Crisis makes great strides in dispelling the racist cultural myths surrounding the people of Rwanda, views propogated by European colonialists in the nineteenth century and carved into "history" by Western influence. Prunier demonstrates how the struggle for cultural dominance and subjugation among the Hutu and Tutsi―the central players in the recent massacres―was exploited by racially obsessed Europeans. He shows how Western colonialists helped to construct a Tutsi identity as a superior racial type because of their distinctly "non-Negro" features in order to facilitate greater control over the Rwandese.

Expertly leading readers on a journey through the troubled history of the country and its surroundings, Prunier moves from the pre-colonial Kingdom of Rwanda, though German and Belgian colonial regimes, to the 1973 coup. The book chronicles the developing refugee crisis in Rwanda and neighboring Uganda in the 1970s and 1980s and offers the most comprehensive account available of the manipulations of popular sentiment that led to the genocide and the events that have followed.

In the aftermath of this devastating tragedy, The Rwanda Crisis is the first clear-eyed analysis available to American readers. From the massacres to the subsequent cholera epidemic and emerging refugee crisis, Prunier details the horrifying events of recent years and considers propsects for the future of Rwanda.

Genres: History, Rwanda, Africa, Nonfiction, Cultural, Research, 20th Century

424 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Gwilym · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good. It covers not only the unravelling of order fuelled by civil war and ethnic propaganda but presents the wider history so that those interested in the field can understand how and why such egregious crimes against humanity could ever develop.

That the author is an ex-associate of the French government gives a gripping - and shameful - insight into the role France played in the affairs of Rwanda. Ultimately the expose is not on the evils of either Tutsi or Hutu but how tragedy arises from geopolitical and economic meddling in areas deemed to be a "sphere of influence" by former colonial powers.

[Geordan Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading this book, it is clear to me that the history of Rwanda is far more complicated than it first appeared. It is clear to me now that a history of Rwanda is almost meaningless without a more general knowledge of the Great Lakes region. The book ends abruptly roughly six months to a year after the genocide and much of the latter part is still covered in a fog of war. The author himself was mainly concerned his critique of France's involvement in the Rwandan genocide and of French African policy writ large. The author does use a large variety of primary sources, mainly derived from his connections in Uganda.

[Dan E · Rating 4 out of 5]

At once sweeping and granular, The Rwanda Crisis, covers the social, cultural, and political history of Rwanda from colonialism through the genocide of the 90’s. It also touches on central and east Africa politics insofar as they impact the banyarwanda Hutu and Tutsi dichotomy. I was impressed with the breadth of this book as well as the succinctness with which Prunier maintained his singular focus. I wanted to learn, and still want to learn more, about the Great Lakes region and central Africa simply because it is a fascinating and underrepresented (in the west) region of the world, and Prunier has given me an excellent primer. The. There is the actual topic which is horrifying, graphic, but not gratuitous or exaggerated. The author makes it very clear that the hell which descended on Rwanda was not really spontaneous but rather a controlled, released impulsivity that took on nearly everyone in the densely populated, well-ordered nation. With the caveat that the book doesn’t go into post-genocide history, I’m struck by how measured, responsive, tactful, and yet shadowy a figure Paul Kagame appears. In my view, he is something of a shadow hero figure in this whole story. I also have to say I’m grateful and impressed with Prunier’s courage to write this book. It was published in 1995, literally just after this whole shocking episode took place. The freshness, rawness, personal effect of everything is apparent and touching to a reader even though she managed to remain objective and to-the-point in his analysis. It was an excellent history of a brutal catastrophe.

[Bookhard · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is very well written, informative, and stands as rationally as possible from a scholarly standpoint, quite different from the journalistic chronicle books of the same genre. But I don't recommend starting with this book to read about the Rwandan massacre; the friendliest introduction would be "We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed with Our Families:Stories from Rwanda" - then you can come back to this book and, having already established a preliminary understanding of the Rwandan issue, you will be able to see more clearly the history, and the dry material described in the book becomes flesh and blood in your eyes. I was particularly impressed by the author's severe criticism of the Mitterrand government from his own experience as a French expert on Rwanda, whose arrogance and foolishness before and after the incident is clear.

[Toni Puig · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an interesting book about the history of Rwanda since the colonial days under Germany and Belgium until the sad episodes of 1994 with the terrible genocide undertaken by the Hutus over the Tutsi minority. The explanation of the background about how the country came into such conflict situation between the two ethnic groups goes into the smallest detail of the political of the country, which makes it sometimes too difficult to follow.
The author tries to prove the facts that drove to the genocide, but in many moments the reader gets lost into the myriad of names and places.
All that being said I still have enjoyed it and I have definitely learnt a lot about the country and its people and how the European countries in special France did nothing to stop the killings and still today had not acknowledged it.

[Ngozika Anthonia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't have money to buy the book and I desperately need it. How do I read it.

[Eugenia Montiel Aceti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read some of the chapters of this book in order to write an undergraduate university paper.

[Richard Marney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clearly written history of this repugnant episode.

[Ed Crutchley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gerard Prunier explains in very readable detail the intricacies leading up to, during, and briefly after the genocide in 1994, starting with the German colonisation a hundred years before. The history is complex, there are no simple explanations except that the population of Rwanda is divided into two ethnic groups – the majority Hutus and the taller and different-looking gifted Tutsis said to have once migrated from lands further north. By 1994 the country was being run by the majority Hutus, with the danger of invasion by the Tutsi RPF from its bases in Uganda. The minority Tutsis, who happened to be in power in neighbouring Burundi, had ruled before. Now they were being largely subdued and many had fled during previous confrontations. A rapacious Hutu clique with links to President Habyaramina’s wife saw itself losing hold, firstly after the dramatic fall in price of coffee and other key commodity exports, secondly as a result of being threatened by the impending Arusha agreements that would accommodate the Tutsi opposition. They started a programme of demonising the Tutsis and those Hutus considered moderates. A combination of strong civil organisation, heavy population density, absence of places to escape to, coupled with a naturally compliant Hutu population, all favoured their message that eventually corralled Hutu communities into “bush clearing” (killing men) and “pulling out the roots” (women and children) using machetes massively imported by the government, and aided by the actions of better-armed militia and army forces. All it took was the assassination of President Habyaramina who, although providing an obstacle to Arusha, had a stabilizing effect on the situation. For geo-political reasons (the so-called ‘Fashoda complex’ - a pathological fear of encroaching Anglo-Saxon influence, in this case via the RPF links with Uganda) France was already a compliant benefactor, and its resulting unwillingness to stand up to the regime and prevent the madness constitutes a major theme in the book. Even after the massacres, and the realisation of French military personnel landed during Operation Turquoise during the later stages, that they had effectively given a hand to the perpetrators, President Mitterrand was deviously referring to a ‘double genocide’ by vastly over-exaggerating the retributions enacted by the victorious RPF whose takeover effectively brought an end to the massacres. The extraordinary aftermath included 1-2 million fleeing Hutu refugees who, even in their camps in Zaire, Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi, remained under control of the same men who had pushed them into slaughter. For all that might be said against him, Tutsi President Paul Kagame has since overseen a general rise of fortunes in the country, but one wonders how easily it could all happen again. The reason for Kagame’s recent thinly-veiled attack on France during the 20th anniversary of the genocide can be understood.

[Jan Notzon · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look into what brought on the genocide in Rwanda. The author tends to put the blame on the Belgian colonization, their shoring up the Tutsis as the superior race and the Hutus in a subordinate class, almost creating a caste system. I wonder how accurate a picture it is. A very interesting read, at any rate.

[Joe O'Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best piece of literature on the Rwandan Genocide I have ever read. My only small complaint is that this is the 1995 version, written almost immediately after the genocide. It provides good perspective at the time but leaves a lot to be desired. Thankfully, Prunier writes a second book talking about the Congo Wars which fits nicely into this.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, go from 0 to 60 in your understanding of the Rwandan genocide. Also, excellent detail of the French role in the whole thing, since Prunier is French and was working in the government at the time of the genocide. Very interesting insider's perspective, very critical of French foreign policy.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was interesting--but way too detailed. It really helps you understand how Rwanda got to the point of the 1994 genocide. But there were a lot of political details--too many for me. I ended up skipping entire sections.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

French Historians take on the long build up to the 1992-3 genocide. Shows it to be a lot more complicated and inevitable than presented by media at the time. Suffers slightly from dry nature due to subject matter.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like his book on Darfur, this book is the only complete history of the culmination of Rwanda's genocide. This book will tell you everything you need to know and more.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a lot from reading this book.

[Gideon Arulmani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genocide... the real perpetrators were the intellectuals - from both sides.

[Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really informative read about the Rwandan genocide