Sitting on a Volcano
The Rwanda Series
Only fifty years after the Holocaust, the world has allowed another genocide to take place, this time in Rwanda. In April 1994, the international community sat by and watched while a million Tutsi men, women and children were massacred in the central African nation. Sitting on a Volcano, the first volume in the three-part Rwanda series, follows the exodus of hundreds of thousands of Hutus who fled Rwanda to take refuge in neighbouring countries. One year after the slaughter, they find themselves trapped beween gangs of Rwandan war criminals in control of the refugee camps and their country's new masters, …
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Hand of God, Hand of the DevilYvan Patry , Sam Grana , … 1996 50 minIn April 1994, the international community sat by and watched while a million Tutsi men, women and children were massacred in the central African nation of Rwanda. Hand of God, Hand of the Devil, the second volume in the three-part Rwanda series, explores Canada's role in the development of the genocidal ideology that took root in Rwanda, which was considered the "jewel" of Canadian aid in Africa. This video focuses on the murder of two Canadian missionaries, killed for having protested against corruption and human rights violations. Brother François Cardinal, who worked at the controversial Rwandan college, funded by Canadian aid money to the Rwandan president's advisors. Like countless others in Rwanda, his killers were never found. Father Claude Simard, the only Canadian to have stayed in Rwanda during the 100 days of genocide, was murdered in 1994--after the regime responsible for the massacre of Tutsis had been overthrown. Since Simard had risked his life to rescue Tutsis, the Canadian government concluded that his killers must have been Hutus who feared being identified for their crimes. However, the video uncovers evidence that Simard died at the hands of the new government, upset by the Canadian priest's objections to its reprisal killings of innocent Hutus. Hand of God, Hand of the Devil raises disturbing questions about Canada's role in Rwanda. Having assisted the former regime, will Canadian aid now sow the seeds for a new crop of killers? Volume 1 of the series. -
Sitting on a VolcanoDanièle Lacourse 1996 55 minOnly fifty years after the Holocaust, the world has allowed another genocide to take place, this time in Rwanda. In April 1994, the international community sat by and watched while a million Tutsi men, women and children were massacred in the central African nation. Sitting on a Volcano, the first volume in the three-part Rwanda series, follows the exodus of hundreds of thousands of Hutus who fled Rwanda to take refuge in neighbouring countries. One year after the slaughter, they find themselves trapped beween gangs of Rwandan war criminals in control of the refugee camps and their country's new masters, who show little interest in reconciliation. Sitting on a Volcano criticizes the international community, which continues to feed the killers in the refugee camps and refuses to acknowledge human rights violations in Rwanda. The video makes a strong case that until those responsible for the genocide are brought to justice, Rwanda cannot begin to heal itself. Volume 2 of the series.
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Chronicle of a Genocide Foretold - Part 1: Blood Was Flowing Like a RiverDanièle Lacourse & Yvan Patry 1996 1 h 3 minThe cornerstone of The Rwanda Series, this volume in three parts recounts a horrifying crime that could have been prevented by the international community and international law. Shot over three years, Chronicle of a Genocide Foretold follows several Rwandans before, during and after the genocide. Part 1 explores the genesis of the genocide in two key regions of Rwanda, Kibuye and the Bugesera, where "blood was flowing like a river" and "Rwandans will never again be the same."
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Chronicle of a Genocide Foretold - Part 2: We Were CowardsDanièle Lacourse & Yvan Patry 1996 43 minThe cornerstone of The Rwanda Series, this volume in three parts recounts a horrifying crime that could have been prevented by the international community and international law. Shot over three years, Chronicle of a Genocide Foretold follows several Rwandans before, during and after the genocide. This documentary examines how and why the international community abandoned Rwandans to their killers. Focussing on the largest massacre in Kigali and featuring unique footage shot by a UN peacekeeper, this part looks at the experiences of UN soldiers who pulled out of Kigali, and of the victims who were left behind. Part 2 of Volume 3 of the series.
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Chronicle of a Genocide Foretold - Part 3: We Feel BetrayedDanièle Lacourse & Yvan Patry 1996 56 minThe cornerstone of The Rwanda Series, this volume in three parts recounts a horrifying crime that could have been prevented by the international community and international law. Shot over three years, Chronicle of a Genocide Foretold follows several Rwandans before, during and after the genocide. Following the genocide, the Hutu majority is subjected to crimes against humanity perpetrated this time by the new Rwandan government led by Tutsi extremists. This documentary records the search for justice in a land where reconciliation is still a long way off. Part 3 of Volume 3 of the series.
In April 1994, the international community sat by and watched while a million Tutsi men, women and children were massacred in the central African nation of Rwanda. The Rwanda Series, featuring Hand of God, Hand of the Devil (1996), the three-part Chronicle of a Genocide Foretold (1996) and Sitting on a Volcano (1996), offers a record of a horrifying crime that could have been prevented by the global community and international law. These important films follow several Rwandans before, during and after the genocide.
