What do you think?
Rate this book
Intent to Deceive: Denying the Genocide of the Tutsi
A shocking exposé of genocide denial
It is twenty-five years since the 1994 genocide of the Tutsi of Rwanda when in the course of three terrible months more than 1 million people were murdered. In the intervening years a pernicious campaign has been waged by the perpetrators to deny this crime, with attempts to falsify history and blame the victims for their fate. Facts are reversed, fake news promulgated, and phoney science given credence.
Intent to Deceive tells the story of this campaign of genocide denial from its origins with those who planned the massacres. With unprecedented access to government archives including in Rwanda Linda Melvern explains how, from the moment the killers seized the power of the state, they determined to distort reality of events. Disinformation was an integral part of their genocidal conspiracy. The génocidaires and their supporters continue to peddle falsehoods. These masters of deceit have found new and receptive audiences, have fooled gullible journalists and unwary academics. With their seemingly sound research methods, the Rwandan génocidaires continue to pose a threat, especially to those who might not be aware of the true nature of their crime.
The book is a testament to the survivors who still live the horrors of the past. Denial causes them the gravest offence and ensures that the crime continues. This is a call for justice that remains perpetually delayed.
It is twenty-five years since the 1994 genocide of the Tutsi of Rwanda when in the course of three terrible months more than 1 million people were murdered. In the intervening years a pernicious campaign has been waged by the perpetrators to deny this crime, with attempts to falsify history and blame the victims for their fate. Facts are reversed, fake news promulgated, and phoney science given credence.
Intent to Deceive tells the story of this campaign of genocide denial from its origins with those who planned the massacres. With unprecedented access to government archives including in Rwanda Linda Melvern explains how, from the moment the killers seized the power of the state, they determined to distort reality of events. Disinformation was an integral part of their genocidal conspiracy. The génocidaires and their supporters continue to peddle falsehoods. These masters of deceit have found new and receptive audiences, have fooled gullible journalists and unwary academics. With their seemingly sound research methods, the Rwandan génocidaires continue to pose a threat, especially to those who might not be aware of the true nature of their crime.
The book is a testament to the survivors who still live the horrors of the past. Denial causes them the gravest offence and ensures that the crime continues. This is a call for justice that remains perpetually delayed.
- GenresRwandaNonfictionAfrica
272 pages, Hardcover
Published February 25, 2020
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 4, 2022
Epa, se calhar isto é escrito a pensar em pessoas que já sabem muito sorte o assunto, não é o meu caso. Assim, um livro que fala sobre genocídio dos tutsi pelo hutu sem explicar quem colonizou o Ruanda, porque é que no Ruanda existem hutu ou tutsi, quem é que começou a classificar a população nestas categorias é demasiado curto. Ficam também por contextualizar as posições e interesses de França, Bélgica, UK, EUA e Canadá, ou explicar quem eram os vários grupos armados durante a guerra. Muito facto pequenito, pouco contexto.
June 25, 2022
Durísimo de leer pero buenísimo, ojalá lo tradujeran al español y así lo leyera más gente. No sé nada de genocidios, pero me atrevo a decir que es de los más complejos de la historia. Excelente investigación.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews