Radio In Rwanda Analysis

Radio played an important role in the Rwandan genocide. According to Darryl Li, “[r]adio acted as a medium through which Rwandans experienced and enacted the genocide.” (Li, 2004: 24) Therefore, through a close reading of Li’s work by using examples from the film Sometimes in April, one will prove that radio played a purposive role in the Rwandan genocide.

Radio was used to spread Hutu ideology before and during the genocide. It helped unify the Hutu against the Tutsi. In the film, the Tutsi are called “cockroaches”, “inenzi” and “devils” in a bid to dehumanise them. They are also blamed for everything from whipping to taxes. (Peck, 2005) This shows the active engendering of Tutsi- hatred by Hutu extremists through radio. Why was radio more effective than any other propaganda? (Li, 2004: 12) The answer to this lies in looking at the dominant post-colonial discourse in Rwanda in terms of history,

democracy and development.

Hutu radio stations narrated a history where they could be seen as victims of the Tutsi. This is seen in the film when a radio broadcast announces: “Rwanda, a country of milk and honey before those snakes made blood flow….” (Peck, 2005) This hints at Tutsis being aggressive to the Hutu throughout history. They argued that they were being re-victimised and therefore, needed to take up arms like they did in 1959. (Li, 2004:13) Through retelling history on the radio, the Hutus legitimised their hatred and justified their cruelty to the Tutsi.

Radio presenters manipulated the link between ethnicity and politics. The Hutu were the majority. Because of the fractured history of Rwanda, political standing in 1994 was closely linked to ethnicity. Radio presenters called for a Hutu unity that transcended party divisions in order to unite against the Tutsi threat. (Li, 2004:14) In the film, one presenter claims that “[w]e will win the war anyway. We are the majority.” (Peck, 2005) This added further legitimacy to their actions because the majority agreed to the killings.

The radio was a source of information and entertainment.

Radio RTLM (Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines) employed multiple personalities who could each garner an individual following thus broadening their appeal to a wider audience. They even informed the Hutu killers of where to find specific people and of popular hiding places. One broadcast in the film decreed “[w]e are looking for Faustin Sano and Gerard Gakwaya. They’re said to be near Munini. Don’t let them get away.” (Peck, 2005) It is clear then that radio played a vital role in the organisation of the genocide. Also, they played the music of Simon Bakindi, a popular anti-Tutsi musician. In one scene in the film, a song is broadcast with the words “Let’s rejoice, dear friends, let’s rejoice. All is over now and God is just.” (Peck, 2005) This was a particularly important tactic used by Hutus in the genocide because music is very evocative, memorable and easy to recreate. This means that even when people weren’t listening to the radio they could recreate one of the tunes, which justified people’s

actions.
Radio became a marker of time during the killings. This helped normalise the tragic situation that Rwanda was in at the time. This is clear in the film, when one Hutu farmer enjoys his breakfast while listening to an anti-Tutsi broadcast. Shortly thereafter the farmer says, “I’m going to work” after picking up a club, which implies that he is going to hunt and kill Tutsis. (Peck, 2005) The idea of work being done lends weight to the idea that Tutsi extermination is important business and normalises it which explains why the Hutus were able to kill without remorse over a hundred day period.
Therefore, it is clear that the radio punctuated every aspect of the genocide. While its role may not have been causative, evidence suggests that it aided in amplifying and maintaining the viciousness that was the Rwandan genocide.