We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda

A truly insightful look into one of the worst tragedies of our times.

This book presented some of the facts and the reasoning that led up to transpired during and even now as the country is coming to grips with the legacy of western imperialism/colonialism. How many of the so called caring and liberal minded nations actually stood by and watched like old mates at a football match at the entire incident. It does mention specifically how the so labeled Democratic Party with all of its bluster and concern with regard to downtrodden minorities stood by and not only failed to lift a single finger to assist, but to add insult to injury set roadblocks in the deployment of others to step in and send aid to the country. While this book is not perfect, it does tell much more than the media then and even now with regard to the events that occured during that April. Perfectly normal people murdering thier nieghbors, family members and friends is not uncommon and in some places it is led to be perfectly acceptable. If you want to learn more about what is going wrong with the worlds second largest continent, then you need to read this book.

Philip Gourevitch's book is an incredible look at the worst genocide after the Holocaust. The book is not so much about the killings, but the personal stories of survivors, killers, RPF leaders, politicans who implemented the genocide, and aid workers. The book is a great analysis of how people could murder 1 million of their friends, neighbors, and co-workers in 100 days while the world turned away. If you've ever wanted to study the Rwandan genocide in depth, you must read this book.

Before I read "We wish to inform you..." I had only a vague notion of the events in Rwanda: mass-slaughter, Hutus and Tutsis, a river full of bodies. After reading it, I feel I know not only what happened but also why and even, to some extent, how. How a majority population (the Hutus) could kill 800,000 of their neighbors (Tutsi), not with bombs and missiles, but up close, with machetes and guns.

Gourevitch tells the tale from every available perspective: historical, political, economic, and personal. He repeats key points when necessary but never hammers away needlessly. His journalistic restraint is impressive, given the scope of the horrors he is relating. It's as if he knows that, after all of the meticulously researched and presented background, it is the small details, the personal stories and anecdotes of the survivors, that will really stick with you. He's right, it's the woman in the yellow dress swallowed up by the crowd, the pile of bones in a churchyard, the split bodies in hospital beds and similar scenes that prove indelible.

Using every tool available to him as a journalist, Gourevitch thoroughly debunks a conventional wisdom on the conflict that is not only wrong but also patronizing, hypocritical, and dangerous. The pernicious myth that these are little more than primitive tribes that just can't help tearing each other apart is crap. Gourevitch knows it and anyone who reads this book will know it too.

I encountered this book when searching to find out more about the "Hotel Rwanda" movie. I decided to read this before watching that movie and am glad that I did. This book gives a glimpse of what happened and the history behind how it came to pass. Interestingly enough, I found the book to be more factual than political giving the reader the opportunity to make sense of the international response and subsequent treatment of the refugees. As with most book reviews, I am skeptical of reviewers that provide their own political commentary about what is right and wrong so I won't voice mine here. Regardless of where blame lies you can't go away form this book without feeling terrible yet amazed that this could take place in modern times. As for "Hotel Rwanda", I eventually saw it and think it is a great movie. Reading this book helped give a good background into the conflict. For those who have seen the movie, Paul Rusesabagina is mentioned briefly in the book and is a true hero. My point is, the movie is only one of many stories that came from this horrific event.