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Originally Posted by Mr Mephisto
That doesn't make them the "real criminals".
The genocide took approximately four months. Not that long a time to organize international intervention. By no means am I excusing what happened; indeed, I think it's a travesty of the greatest order. But I don't believe the international community can be characterized as criminals of a greater order than those who actually planned, organized and carried out the genocide.
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I don't really want to paint this picture in this way, but it is the easiest way for me to describe my position:
When a child goes on a rampage in a school yard by throwing things at other kids, pushing other kids, stealing other kids toys, you are upset and dissappointed with the kid. As a teacher, you would punish the kid in some fashion. If it happened often, you would hold the kids parents responsible for their child's behavioral problems.
The West created the environment and then turned their backs when it got real ugly, real quick. The West is the real criminal.
Sounds interesting. Thanks I'll check it out.
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The class divisions existed long before the arrival of the "Western" powers. The Belgians certainly emphasized, exploited and enriched from it. But create it they did not.
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True. What I meant is that the Belgian exploitation of the class division created the environment that led to the genocide. For example, while the Belgians colonized Rwanda, they placed minority Tutsis in charge. When the Belgians left, they turned everything over to the majority Hutus, who then proceeded to exact revenge for the way the Tutsis (by proxy the Belgians) ruled the country.