Melanie Rose B.

Juantala International Political Economy

AB in Foreign Service 301 Sir. Jumel G. Estrañero
March 24, 2018

The Genocide in Rwanda:

“Analyzing the importance of peace and the insignificance of war through understanding
the concept of security in relationship to peace and economic development”

“A genocide begins with the killing of one man--- not for what he has done, but becasue
of who he is.” -Kofi Annan

The movie Hotel Rwanda shows the trouble and complex dynamics of genocide in two of
the opposing groups in Africa way back in 1994. Introducing the majority group of the “Hutu
power” and the minority group of the “Tutsi cockroaches”, a civil war began. The Tutsi, or
originally Cushite are people who migrated to Rwanda from the southern Ethiopian highlands.
They never exceeded 15% of the population. Belgium give control over Rwanda and increase the
tension between the division of the Hutus and the Tutsis. Civil war had emerged as ideological
misunderstanding were established creating thoughts that they are threats to each other’s ruling
power. The Hotel des Mille Collines became a historical place as 1,268 people took refuge inside
the building. It was led by Paul Rusesabagina who works for the Interhamwe militia (Hutu
paramilitary organization) and a house manager at the Hotel des Mille Collines in Kigali was
regarded having a hutu power. However, his wife Ttaiana and her family are tutsis which made a
conflict to either hold on his integrity and dignity as a militar or be a father and a husband to his
family. Although he was reluctant at first to help other tutsis, he was still moved to help them in
the best way he can. His identity, connection, and negotiation with other people becomes one of
their hope to survive as they lack food supplies. Paul’s determination is legendary to think
selflessly during a state of war. Leaving his family and staying in the hotel to guide and protect
the others is a heartwhelming scene. His negotiation is also remarkable to deal with the millitary
for the protection of his family. In some point, it made me realize how money is powerful and how
money becomes useless.
Security is one of the most important aspects in state development. People view it to
achieve tranquility as an assurance to be safe. In the case of the Hutus and the Tutsis war, Africa
became fragile as economics decline because of its effects in trade. Local and foreign businesses
were forced to shutdown due to the destruction of establishments. Therefore, security can attract
ivestors and can also repel them from investing. When this thing happens, there will be a domino
effect in the economic industry. Investors will repel, businesses will shutdown, loss of jobs will
caus high unemployment rate, goods will be hoarded, service fees will increase, citizens will not
afford it, poverty and hunger will emerge, rebels will be triggered, government will retaliate, war
becomes inevitable. Because eventhough we already surpass the era when man’s will is only for
survival, we are still humans who will fight for our lives and is capable to assault each other. As
Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs placed security in the 2nd row as one of the basic needs for
an individual, it only indicates that it is really essential to achieve self-fulfillment. Thus, a state
needs to be secured individually and as a whole to sustain its economic growth for state’s
development.
Asia Pacific comprises 46 countries that includes the rising giant “China” and the nuclear
powered country “North Korea”. Considering the present timeframe, conventional warfare is more
feasible as security becomes one of their major concerns. People should first know, identify and
engage with the problem in order for it to be resolved. In this case, conventional warfare put a limit
to lessen the damage in a state of war. With this, one might conclude that peace development
comes after realizing and understanding that concern in conventional warfare is one of the steps to
attain it.
In the Philippine context, people should first be a aware that the need for security is
definitely necessary to enable as to grow and be productive. Rallies, act of insurgencies and rebels
should be prevented as soon as possible because it might lead to a bigger problem which will
decline the state’s economy. As an island country, it is difficult to monitor what happens in one
locality to another that is why, reporting and communication is very much important. It is better
to prevent than to cure. The government should negotiate and instill peace talks in order for both
parties to know ecah other’s advocacies, rights, and limitations. The media should be in charge to
help in the peace building rather than favors one side of the story. To learn that civil war and world
war will never bring any good for the development of a state, everyone should do their
responsibilities to show that humanity still exists.