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‘This book takes us into hell, into humanity, into the horror of the crime of genocide. . . The account is forceful, the power of the expression shakes the soul, because it touches the greatest depth of the human being, of humanity. Like the Jewish holocaust, like other genocides, the genocide in Rwanda is of concern to all societies.’ Mission de L’Eglise

‘Readers of this book have a chance to share [the author’s] journey and, as they deepen their understanding of the Rwandan tragedy, to renew their own commitment to the ideals of justice, peace, and reconciliation that fired the spirit of André Sibomana.’ Alison Des Forges, from the Foreword

André Sibomana was a remarkable man. A Rwandan Catholic priest, journalist and leading human rights activist, he was one of the very few independent voices to speak out against the abuses perpetrated by past and present governments in Rwanda.

Hope for Rwanda is his personal testimony and the first major English-language account of the events surrounding the 1994 genocide in Rwanda by a Rwandan national. Sibomana offers a personal reflection on the issues surrounding the genocide, as well as confronting many of the preconceptions and stereotypes that are evident in the West’s portrayal of the genocide. In an acclaimed testimony, Sibomana addresses controversial topics such as the role of the church in the genocide, the failure of the international community to prevent massacres and the human rights record of the new Rwandan government. Despite the inhumanity of the massacres and the endless suffering of the Rwandan people, Sibomana offers a strong vision of hope for the future of his country and for the future of humanity.

Hope for Rwanda was published to great acclaim in France. This English edition includes a new postscript which describes the circumstances of Sibomana’s death and an updated chronology and additional chapter by the translator which summarises some of the more recent developments in Rwanda.

'For those of us concerned with the brewing violence in our own societies (and where it might lead), for those interested in the politics of contemporary Africa or what happene in small Rwanda in the 1990s,.. for those active in building organizations for human rights and peac, Hope for Rwanda is a crucial, and ultimately inspiring text.' Peace News

About The Author

Andre Sibomana was an outspoken human rights activist, journalist and a Catholic priest. He worked tirelessly for independent investigations into human rights violations in Rwanda. He died in March 1998. Laure Guilbert is a French historian and Herve Deguine is a French journalist. Both are based in France.Carina Tertsakian researches on Central Africa for Amnesty International. Alison Des Forges works for the human rights organization Human Rights Watch, based in New York .

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