Shake hands with the devil

A week ago I finished Romeo Dallaire’s book entitled “Shake hands with the devil”. Some years ago I saw the documentary when he returns to Rwanda for the first time since the genocide. Already don’t remember much, but what I do remember is the thought that this is a haunted man. Well, the book explains more in details why he is haunted.

It is not easy to sum up this book, but if you are looking for a detailed description of the Rwandan genocide, you need to read this book. Obviously, keep in mind, that just as any other, this is a subjective description. As far as I am concerned this makes it even more valuable.Dallaire struggles to keep the country in one piece, implement the Arusha peace agreement and later tries to prevent or reduce the scale of the genocide. He fails, but as I see it: he did his best. While he was trying and sometimes managing to save lives, others did not care, were off in Nairobi in fancy hotels, while UN SC members were playing the “game” until it was too late. Sometimes I still see the question in articles about the genocide in Rwanda : “How could the world let this happen?”. Dallaire’s book just answers this question.

After loosing some of his men, several suicide attempts and homeless episodes, I wonder if Dallaire could go back to the past, would he change his to a 9-to-5 pencil pushing office job? After reading his book,  I think the answer is no.

In the conclusion of the book he describes a method used by the Canadian Forces to teach recruits about the nature of the world. I found this method very easy and conclusive. “If the entire population of the planet is represented by one hundred people, fifty-seven live in Asia, twenty-one in Europe, fourteen in North and South America, and eight in Africa. (…) Fifty percent of the wealth of the world is in the hands of six people, all of whom are Americans. Seventy people are unable to read or write. Fifty suffer from malnutrition (…), thirty-five do not have accessto safe drinking water. Only one has university or college education.” Something to think about.