Friday, January 08, 2010

Carl Wilkens: The last American to stay



The other night I had the opportunity to hear Carl Wilkens at one of the local homeless shelters in my hometown. Now prior to hearing him speak I didn't know much about him, the extent I knew of him at that time was what was mentioned on Facebook; an adventist pastor, a speaker and then I saw something else the only American to stay in Rwanda during the 1994 genocide (underline for emphasis).

The only American to stay in Rwanda during the genocide, one of the worst genocides of the late 20th century, I had to hear him speak. One of my NYE/NYD resolutions for this year goes as follows; To be more active -- politically; whether it's by way of writing letters to state Senators or by protesting/marching against things the government stands for but I do not, I want to step it up more than just talking politics. Well I figured that part of my NYE/NYD resolution could be partially achieved with hearing Carl speak, since I have been learning more about genocides and how our government has been involved as well as not involved, plus I didn't know that much about the genocide in Rwanda apart from brief snippets in one documentary I saw as well as the movie Hotel Rwanda.

Well I arrived there a little late and I wish I didn't, there were more people than I expected and certainly more people than they expected. I talked a little bit to a couple I know and shortly there after Carl Wilkens was introduced and then he started his presentation.

Carl Wilkens was quick to state that the Rwandan genocide and genocides of past do not occur quickly, but rather they are planned and premeditated way in advance. He mentioned that some of the people who premeditated the genocide attended a university in Toronto, to which some people are trying to figure out the classes they took et al. but they're hitting some walls because of privacy rules pertaining to students in general. The genocide inflicted upon the Tutsis by the Hutus occurred as a result of differences that they themselves did not create, but rather the Belgian/French government stated differences which was put onto the I.D's of the Rwandans which stated whether they were Hutu or Tutsi.


The sad factor of the genocide was that there was a presence of foreigners; Carl expressed that the genocide probably could have been avoided by way of Americans and others just being there, he said that presence (and not a military presence) could have been the deciding factor whether that genocide occurred or not. Another factor to outside help that could have prevented this genocide was by simply standing up (metaphorically) and stating that no, we as a group of people will not let this happen, we will stop it...but it never did happen, there wasn't help from outside countries, but rather the UN and troops from outside governments came in to take out those who were foreigners to begin with, not to deal with the growing tension of the Hutus to the Tutsis.
As a result of what was done as well as what wasn't done, 800,000 people died in 100 days (the length of the genocide). As I listened to what Carl had to say, my heart was filled with pain as to what wasn't done by outside countries (especially the American government), but also just the sheer hatred among groups of people.

***

I don't know how the 21st century will be perceived, I don't know if the next 100 years will top the prior 100 years as being the bloodiest, but I will do my part to make it better. I am only one person, but it takes people like me and people like you to make this world a better place, not just for those you love and hate but also for those I love and hate. Genocide's stem from thinking that the world would be better without (insert group of people here), as an individual I aim to keep from thinking that and encouraging others not to think that way, to embrace difference no matter how different it is.

This is what I learned in more detail from Carl Wilkens, I'm glad he came to speak.

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...
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Ρωμανός ~ Romanós said...

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