Educational Media Reviews Online

General Roméo Dallaire’s memoir of his service as the first Canadian to command a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Africa is a harrowing and heartbreaking story of failure, catastrophic violence, extraordinary courage, and moral sensibility. The UN believed the mission to Rwanda would be an “easy peacekeeping mission that could be “done on the cheap.” A peace accord had been signed by the opposing factions, yet unfortunately the world failed to recognize the simmering intensity of ethnic hatred that would erupt and cause the deaths of over 800,000 people in 100 days. Instead, as Dallaire said, “Paradise was assaulted by the Devil.”

Belgium’s administrative policy of preferential treatment for Tutsis during colonial rule had fostered a toxic legacy of hatred between Rwanda’s two major ethnic groups—Hutus and Tutsis. France had fed the flames by arming Rwandan Hutus; the incendiary language of the Rwandan media further encouraged violence. The United Nations and the nations of the west failed to heed the warning of intelligence reports coming from moderate voices in the country that violent reprisals would be directed against Tutsi and moderate Hutus.

An intensely honorable man, Dallaire was almost destroyed by his African experience. Corpses were so abundant that disposal became impossible. Packs of howling dogs devoured human flesh, and the miasmatic smell of death hung over the UN camp. Traumatized by his inability to prevent the genocide, Dallaire finally asked to be relieved of his command and returned to Canada burdened by post traumatic stress that twice almost took his life. Even today Dallaire believes that he failed as a military commander; he failed in his mission to protect the people of Rwanda.

This film is both the story of Dallaire and the story of Rwanda. The general was given an impossible mandate without the men and materiel necessary to carry out his mission, and as Rwanda descended into chaos, the world ignored Dallaire’s increasing desperate appeals for help. It took ten years for Dallaire to achieve a measure of recovery from his experience; Rwanda is still recovering from its nightmare. Given the reality of the African political situation today, it’s hard not to come to the conclusion that in the eyes of the world Africa doesn’t really matter. Shake Hands with the Devil should be required viewing for all who are concerned about human rights and the future of Africa.

A final cautionary note, this film is difficult to view and contains scenes of extreme graphic violence and may not be suitable for younger viewers.

Awards:

• Winner, World Documentary Audience Award, Sundance Film Festival