Killing Neighbors

Ann Fujii Lee

Description

In the horrific events of the mid-1990s in Rwanda, tens of thousands of Hutu killed their Tutsi friends, neighbors, even family members. That ghastly violence has overshadowed a fact almost as noteworthy: that hundreds of thousands of Hutu killed no one. In a transformative revisiting of the motives behind and specific contexts surrounding the Rwandan genocide, Lee Ann Fujii focuses on individual actions rather than sweeping categories.Fujii argues that ethnic hatred and fear do not satisfactorily explain the mobilization of Rwandans one against another. Fujii's extensive interviews in Rwandan prisons and two rural communities form the basis for her claim that mass participation in the genocide was not the result of ethnic antagonisms. Rather, the social context of action was critical. Strong group dynamics and established local ties shaped patterns of recruitment for and participation in the genocide.This web of social interactions bound people to power holders and killing groups. People joined and continued to participate in the genocide over time, Fujii shows, because killing in large groups conferred identity on those who acted destructively. The perpetrators of the genocide produced new groups centered on destroying prior bonds by killing kith and kin.

Sujets

• Sociologie, société et politique
• Ethnic studies
• Central Africa
• War crime
• History of Africa

Informations

• Publié par: Cornell University Press
• Date de parution: 15 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780801458613
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

Extrait

Killing Neighbors

Killing Neighbors

W E B S O F V I O L E N C E I N R WA N D A

Lee Ann Fujii

Cornell University Press

Ithaca and London

Copyright © 2009 by Cornell University

All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, address Cornell University Press, Sage House, 512 East State Street, Ithaca, New York 14850.

First published 2009 by Cornell University Press

Printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Fujii, Lee Ann. Killing neighbors : webs of violence in Rwanda / Lee Ann Fujii. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 9780801447051 (cloth : alk. paper) 1. GenocideRwanda. 2. ViolenceRwanda. 3. Ethnic conflictRwanda. 4. Political violenceRwanda. 5. Rwanda HistoryCivil War, 19901993Atrocities. 6. RwandaHistory Civil War, 1994Atrocities. 7. RwandaEthnic relations. I. Title.

DT450.435.F85 2009 967.57104'2dc22

2008034134

Cornell University Press strives to use environmentally responsible suppliers and materials to the fullest extent possible in the publish ing of its books. Such materials include vegetablebased, lowVOC inks and acidfree papers that are recycled, totally chlorinefree, or partly composed of nonwood fibers. For further information, visit our website at www.cornellpress.cornell.edu.

Cloth printing

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

1 2 3 4 5 6

Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations

Contents

Introduction: Genocide among Neighbors Conducting Fieldwork in the Aftermath of War and Genocide Violence and Identity in Historical Perspective Local Narratives and Explanations The Enigma of Ethnicity The Power of Local Ties The Logic of Groups Conclusion

Dramatis personae Glossary of Kinyarwanda Terms References Index

vii xi

1 23 45 76 103 128 154 180

191 193 195 203

Acknowledgments

This book is born from the support of many. I must first thank the funders who made the project possible. Fellowships from Fulbright; The Africa Pro gram at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; The Insti tute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies at George Washington University; and the Deans Office of the Columbian College of Arts and Sci ences at George Washington University provided support for fieldwork in Europe and Rwanda and for the drafting of early versions of the manuscript. Michael Moses and Iva Beatty in the deans office also provided moral and financial support during the very early stages of this project while Carol Sigelman, chief research officer, provided generous support during pro duction. In Rwanda, the Ministry of Local Government, Community Devel opment and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Internal Security, and the Office of the Proceurer Général de la République kindly granted me permission to conduct fieldwork in two provinces and two central prisons. Stateside, I was fortunate enough to have the support of a diverse group of people who read drafts of chapters, lent an ear, and provided wise coun sel at critical moments. This group includes Deborah Avant, who has been a constant source of encouragement and insight; and Bidisha Biswas, Stephen Lubkemann, and David Newbury whose valuable comments on early drafts of chapters helped to steer me in the right direction. For their methodological mentoring from afar, I owe a special thanks to Kristen Monroe, who was a huge help to me long before we had ever met in per son, and to Dvora Yanow, who, at later stages, helped me to articulate my methods and approach more clearly and I hope, more convincingly. For her able research assistance in both French and English while I was a fel low at the Woodrow Wilson Center, I wish to thank MariePierre Dunand,

viii

Acknowledgments

who was also a wonderful teacher when it came to answering my many questions about language and translation. For making sure I made it to and from Rwanda in one piece, I thank Susan Wiley, Patrick Bond, Cristin GuinanWiley, Zeinab Said, and Sunni Khalid, who all know Rwanda now, even if they have not yet been there. For their friendship, I thank Theresa and Paul DeGeest who always knew the right thing to say to make me laugh and keep a proper perspective. For her ace proofreading and for knowing more about the genocide than anyone else in Seattle through her own reading, I thank my mother, Mitsie Fujii. The fact that this project sparked her interest in a country that most, including myself, could not have located on a map before 1994, reminded me of the importance this project has had in drawing attention to events and places that most of us might prefer to forget or ignore. I am also grateful to the many people who helped me on my way to Rwanda and after my return. For early guidance on sources and other foun dational questions, I thank Filip Reyntjens and Danielle de Lame, who were both extremely welcoming to this firsttimer to Belgium. I also wish to thank Catherine André for our email and phone conversations and for sending me articles. For her advice on finding the right interpreter and other concerns in the field, I thank Jennie Burnet. For his assistance with my very first trip to Rwanda in 2002 and all his accumulated wisdom and advice since then, I thank Scott Straus whose own work has set the bar extremely high for every researcher who has followed him. On my return, I was lucky enough to meet Major Brent Beardsley, former ambassador to Rwanda David Rawson, and fellow researchers Omar McDoom and Eugenia Zorbas at various confer ences. I spent many enjoyable hours with all these people hearing new and fascinating details about the genocide and their own personal experi ences in the country. I look forward to many more such conversations in the future. A special indebtedness goes to the people who made my stay in Rwanda so pleasant, especially in those moments when it was difficult to be there: An Ansoms, Heather Baldwin, Anne Brandstetter, Sue McLain, Betsy Levy Paluck, Lars Waldorf, and Sarah Wells. A special thanks to Sue and Ben for their hospitality in Roo and to Sue, for her help with lastminute transla tion questions and for sharing her photos with me. I also wish to extend my gratitude to John Donaldson, Stephanie McNulty, and Michelle Moyd for their steadfast friendship during our respective time in the field email ing across four continents (Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Europe). All these people helped me in innumerable ways during my time in Rwanda, through endless conversation, ongoing moral and logistical support, and

Acknowledgments

ix

kind encouragement. I cannot imagine how I could have survived my time there without them. I also thank the Rwandan friends and colleagues I made during my stay. These people treated me with generous hospitality and helped me in both large and small ways. They include the staff of the Political Affairs Of fice at the United States Embassy as well as friends from outside the em bassy: Antoine, Immaculée, Védaste, Richard, Théogène, Katos, Féfé, and Geoffrey. A special thanks to Védaste Kabasha for his assistance in helping me secure all the necessary permissions from the various ministries and for his helpful input on the use of certain Kinyarwandan words. My thanks also to Marie Claire for last minute corrections and translation help. I also wish to thank my two language teachers, Louise Nibagwire (in Maryland) and Geneviève Mukandekezi (in Rwanda), with whom I spent countless hours conversing in rusty French and beginner Kinyarwanda. The person most responsible for the success of my fieldwork was my in terpreter and research assistant, who prefers that I not use her name. Her hard work, dedication, professionalism, and kindness were invaluable every step of the way. Whether helping me navigate rural life in Rwanda or find ing me fast and reliable braiders, she was there as both able resource and reliable friend. The afternoons she and I spent with our friend, Immaculée, in my cozy apartment, reviewing field notes and sharing a meal, were some of the happiest moments during my time in Rwanda. The people most responsible for the quality of this book were those who read the entire manuscript (sometimes more than once) and offered in credibly smart and insightful comments. This group includes Nathan Brown, Danielle de Lame, Alison Des Forges, Martha Finnemore, Richard Grinker, Charles King, René Lemarchand, Mark Lichbach, David Newbury, Libby Wood, and one other (still anonymous) reviewer from Cornell Uni versity Press. I am honored by the generosity and encouragement all these scholars have shown me and only hope that I did justice to their fine com ments and suggestions. Finally, I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Rwandans who gave so generously of their time to talk with me over many months, patiently answering all my questions and even asking some of their own. I dedicate this work to these people as well as all the Rwandans I will never know be cause they perished in the genocide.