Hotel Rwanda: "Must-See" Cinema

We just saw the movie "Hotel Rwanda" last night. It is absolutely must-see viewing for anyone who thinks that the U.N. is the solution to all of the world's problems.

The movie depicts the amazing courage of one man, Paul Rusesabagina, a manager of the Milles Collines Hotel in Kigali, who saved 1268 souls from certain death by sheltering them in the hotel and bargaining for their lives. Don Cheadle played Rusesabagina and gave an amazing performance. He definitely deserves an Oscar for Best Actor. It probably helped that Rusesabagina was a consultant on the film and spent time with Cheadle.

My husband thought that casting Nick Nolte as the lead U.N. peacekeeper was also brilliant. Nick personifies the 'has-been' impotence of the U.N. in the face of crisis. His character provides a striking counterpoint to Rusesabagina. The U.N., with all its appearance of power, was totally ineffective in protecting the Tutsis from Hutu slaughter, while Rusesabagina, despite his lack of traditional power, used his wits to stave off the attackers.

The actual Rwandan situation was even more horrifying than depicted in the movie (hard to believe for those of you who've seen it). The U.N. refugee camp, presented as a safe haven (I won't spoil the ending), was, in reality, a death sentence to many who managed to find their way there. Thousands of Tutsis were slaughtered within the refugee camps, under the noses of the U.N. 'peacekeepers'.

This is not a criticism of the movie. However, people need to know that there is more to the story.

What's more, the French (that nation whose approval is so ardently sought by John Kerry and his ilk), were supplying arms to the Hutu rebels, who slaughtered more than a million of their fellow countrymen. Jacques Mitterand's son, Jean-Christophe, (reminiscent of Kojo Annan) was an arms dealer at the time, and was rumored to be involved in illegal drug trafficking with the Rwandan military.

This is addressed briefly in the film when the Belgium hotel owner is able to call off the Hutu assassins by placing a phone call to someone in the French government. Though not explained any further, the point is made.

How many times do we need evidence of the French profiting from human misery and defending their behavior with high-handed malarkey? Why would we care one iota about what these people think of us? The more they disapprove of us, the more I believe that we are doing the right thing.

Their totally secularized approach to morality has failed. If this is the next step in the social evolution of man, I think I'll pass.

And what about the U.N.? Story after story of corruption, ineffectiveness and worse yet, abuse of the very people they are chartered to help. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse (Oil for Food), we now discover that U.N. peacekeepers sexually abused Congolese women, boys and girls.

I would strongly recommend the book, We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with our Families by Philip Gourevitch for anyone who would like to know more about this subject. Philip is a staff writer at The New Yorker magazine and spent time in Rwanda a year after the genocide. It may totally change the way you think about the U.N., so read it at your own risk!