Memorials stand where fighting once took place and the memory of those who died in the 1994 Rwandan genocide hasn’t faded

Paul Rusesabagina, the real-life hero who was the inspiration for the movie “Hotel Rwanda,” will speak about the Hutu government-orchestrated genocide in which nearly one million people died.

In April 1994, Rusesabagina moved back into the Mille Collines Hotel in Kigali, where he was previously assistant general manager before he and his family were forced to leave their home. Sheltering Tutsi refugees and using his social and political connections during the 100 days the genocide lasted, he was ultimately able to save nearly 1,300 people from certain death.

Patricia Miller, program manager for the lectures committee, said when choosing speakers for the World Affairs series, Rusesabagina was the top of the committee’s list.

“It’s a remarkable film and story,” Miller said.

She said she expects a large turnout because of the broad response she has been receiving from both students and members of the Ames community.

Rusesabagina was traveling and could not be reached for comment.

“The chance to listen to a guy like this talk is awesome,” said Andrew Haugen, graduate student in political science.

Haugen, who said he spent three weeks traveling through Rwanda in the spring of 2004 – including Kigali and Gisenyi where major fighting took place – said despite the beautiful countryside he could not let himself forget the brutality of the genocide.

“When [I looked] at people, it was hard for me not to wonder if they were a part of the killing,” Haugen said.

He said encountering children with visible handicaps in other countries, he had never stopped to question how they had become disabled. In Rwanda, he said it was different.

“If you saw a child begging without any limbs, you knew why,” Haugen said.

He said memorials have been set up to remember the victims, particularly in places that have been widely publicized, but bodies still remain unburied, a reminder of what took place.

Members of Time for Peace, a student activist organization, and other volunteers will be sleeping out and distributing information regarding current refugees during their mock refugee camp this week, with a focus on those affected by the Rwandan genocide on Wednesday.

Peter Erickson, senior in religious studies, said because he is at such a distance from real refugee camps he is not able to be as involved and make a direct difference.

He said he hopes by volunteering he can help raise awareness of the struggles and dangers refugees must face.

“[I want to] re-invoke that feeling that something real is happening from it,” Erickson said.

Rusesabagina continues to work with charitable organizations aiding survivors of the Rwandan tragedy and has set up the Rusesabagina Foundation to help the Rwandan relief effort.

His lecture is at 8:00 p.m. Wednesday in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.