Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda

by Alison Des Forges

Leave None to Tell the Genocide in Rwanda

Genres: Rwanda, Africa, Nonfiction, History, War

789 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1999

Reviews

[Nick Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh, this one was pretty hard to get down. This week's Economist offered its obituary page to Ms. Des Forges, who under the auspices of Human Rights Watch (who have the biggest clusterfuck of a publications department I've encountered recently, realized while attempting to score a bound edition of these 800 grisly pages) compiled the authoritative work on the Rwandan month of nightmare (Leave None to Tell the Story can be found here, where I originally read it four years ago; anyone interested ought also check out the Report of the UN Inquiry and of course We Regret to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with our Families). Be warned that a few days spent reading deep into the Land of a Thousand Hills's recent history left even my outlook on humankind (a rather callous and indifferent one, all told) scarred, my soul deflated, and my weekend wrecked such that no consumption, however conspicuous, could lift those spirits.

Oh well, it's still a spot better than your miserable life in the fetid shithole that is Rwanda coming to a horrific and hypovolaemic end under the business end of your neighbor's panga, or collinear hoe, or pointed stick. Existential malaise regarding the human condition beats burying your freshly-skewered children before you're gangraped and gangmutilated pretty much any day of the week. Say what you will about the Khmer Rouge, at least those nasty maniacs had an ethos. Having read at least two thousand pages on Rwanda, 1994-04, and studied all the claptrap about decade-old-grievances whose details had been long forgotten, the scariest thing is that the genocide's perpetrators really just seemed...bored out of their minds. Don't think West Virginia's immune, boyos.

It is probably not worth pointing out that the Interahamwe do have about the fourth most flamboyantly awesome team name I'm aware of (outside, of course, of the Ramblin' Wreck of the Georgia Institute of Technology, w00t):

1) 义和团, the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists (Boxer Rebellion)
2) The Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, الجماعة السلفية للدعوة والقتال‎ (Active Algerian insurgency)
3) St. Louis College of Pharmacy Eutectic (NAIA / KIAC athletics, presumed narcoterrorist activity)
4) Interahamwe, Those Who Attack Together (Kinyarwanda) (Rwandan Genocide)
5) Omega 7 (Utterly failed right-wing Cuban exile organization, 60's)

So, they have that going for them.

[Alex]

This is not easy; I forced myself through this 600 page document over several months. To be strict, this Human Rights Watch report is not intended as an introduction to the terrible events of 1994 for the lay reader. Rather, it is a dispassionate and rigorous documentation in almost mind-numbing detail of the incidents that led up to and took place during the Rwandan genocide. The names of participants and victims, dates and precise site names of several of some of the worst massacres are recorded with supporting evidence and eyewitness accounts. Yet it is this almost clinical level of detail that makes it such a harrowing, and important, read. In many instances, the stories of what happened are so horrific that it's almost unbelievable - which is exactly why it's so essential that the genocide is not forgotten. Having said that, I would not recommend this to anyone wishing to learn about the genocide for the first time. Instead, perhaps try Philip Gourevitch's "We Wish To Inform You..." for a superbly written and perceptive analysis of the emotional, social and political impacts of the genocide. Romeo Dallaire's autobiography is also recommended; it gives an insightful eyewitness testimony of the shameful political wrangling and international failures that led, directly, to the deaths of 1 million Rwandans.

[Kenneth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although reasonably well versed with the subject, the grimness can't help but get to you. It's a supremely difficult document to get through; masterful but relentless. It's page after page of rigorous, painstaking examination of terror and indifference. A seminal document if ever there was one.

[Andrew Daniels · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is written to persuade people that the Rwandan Genocide really happened, a sort of "Inconvenient Truth" for 1994. It makes this a really really tough read, and so I wouldn't recommend it as a first book on this topic. There are graphic, horrifying descriptions of atrocity after atrocity. Much of the book came across an encyclopedic catalogue of horrors, and there are way more books that will give you a great overview, context and explanation. This book is weaker on explaining all the reasons it happened, 1990-1994, and you should really read Prunier's book Rwandan Crisis first, also Silent Accomplice, and if you want to go farther, then Dallaire's Shake Hands with the Devil.
Only then, would I say give this book a go, and only if you are determined.
There are some problems in her knowledge and perspective, some of her stuff has tainted origins, which may not be apparent to the casual reader.

Her book on Musinga is first rate, and brilliant and for everyone, whereas this book is only for a certain niche.

[Kirsten Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Considered by many to be the authoritative account of the Rwandan genocide, this book, using a variety of sources pieces together the events leading up to the genocide, the events that took place during the genocide, and the reaction (or non-reaction) of the international community. Not an easy read, but one well worth the effort.

[Sumner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't finished this book yet - it's really long - but I've read parts of it and it gives good historical perspective on Rwandan economics, politics and society. Defintiely worth checking out.

[louisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Far and away, the most comprehensive and well-documented monograph on the Rwandan genocide.