Witness to Genocide: The Children of Rwanda: Drawings by Child Survivors of the Rwandan Genocide of 1994 [Paperback]

Richard A. Salem (Editor), Hillary Rodham Clinton (Foreword)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0377003301 | ISBN-13: 978-0377003309 | Publication Date: May 17, 2000

Witness to Genocide: The Children of Rwanda

This book presents art and drawings of Rwandan children who survived the genocide that occured in that country in 1994. The graphic tale told through their art is printed in full color.

Written by Richard A. Salem, an expert in conflict management and an experienced counselor in matters of conflict, in response to his own experiences in Rwanda following the genocide.

A foreword to the book has been written by Hillary Rodham Clinton, who has also visited the country and witnessed first hand the trauma created by this genocide.

Rwandan Ambassador Richard Sezibera, MD, has written the concluding chapter in which he presents the findings of a special "Children's Parliament" in which the child survivors express their own hopes and aspirations for a new Rwanda.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be used in trauma treatment projects in Rwanda.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A truly inspiratiional book... This book is disturbing, It is also a sign of hope." -- Ambassador Andrew Young

Art is a powerful tool to help children communicate...a haunting collection of drawings...Witness is short but compelling reading. -- Conflict Resolution Notes, Vol. 18, No. 1, July 2000

About the Author

Richard A. Salem, is a journalist,lecturer and global traveller. Having been intimately involved in the resolution of many conflict situations, Salem was sent to Rwanda in 1997 by the U.S. State Department as a trainer in community conflict. While there he saw drawings of the 1994 genocide.

"When I first looked at the drawings, I saw how dramatically the children remembered the trauma...the visions of life-threatening events that they still see everyday and that keep them awake every night. It was important that the story be told through their eyes to make people aware of the problems that they face in Rwanda."

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Friendship Pr (May 17, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0377003301
• ISBN-13: 978-0377003309
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.9 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,299,001 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars An Insult, October 16, 2005

By 

A. Louden "anl" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Witness to Genocide: The Children of Rwanda: Drawings by Child Survivors of the Rwandan Genocide of 1994 (Paperback)

It beggars belief that Mrs. Clinton--anyone named Clinton--would have the NERVE to write a book on Rwanda. The Clinton administration knew exactly what was going on in Rwanda and stonewalled every effort at meaningful US intervention. Not sending troops? Morally detestable, but given the political climate and American lack of interest in Africa, well I can understand that. But the Clinton administration went beyond this, to not approving an increase in the strength of UN forces (the request was for around 5000 troops to end the massacres), to CHARGING the UN for the use of badly-needed military equipment (oh, by the way, the US owed the UN a huge sum of money) and finally providing substandard equipment.

As big a fan as I am of the Clinton administration in general, and of Mrs. Clinton, the only words I need to hear fromanyone named Clinton on this issue is a public apology for shamelessly allowing the genocide to occur, and then providing aid to those complicit in the genocide itself after they were expelled from the country.

Otherwise, the book offers little of value. A transcribed oral accounting of children's experience (from an historian) would be more helpful.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Witness to Genocide: The Children of Rwanda, May 17, 2009

By 

Donna Ayerst - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Witness to Genocide: The Children of Rwanda: Drawings by Child Survivors of the Rwandan Genocide of 1994 (Paperback)

"Witness to Genocide: The Children of Rwanda" tells the horrific story of the genocide through drawings created by children traumatized by what they saw and lived through. It is a heartbreaking book that serves to remind the world the level to which we can sink.

I photographed the children as they made some of these drawings, and it is an experience I will never forget. What started out as an exercise to "draw a picture of your most recent nightmare," evolved into a graphic display of murder and loss. The children sat up straight when they started in on their drawing, but by the time they finished, they were bent down, close to the paper, and covering up what they had drawn.

As shocking as the drawings are, one that I remember the most was a beautiful drawing of a women in brightly colored African dress. When asked to explain the picture, the child said "this was the last time I saw my mother."

Everyone should see and read this book. Think of it as a shortened version of "The Diary of Anne Frank".

11 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars In Retrospect -- Hypocritical, April 30, 2003

By 

Thomas A. Florio (Milton, New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Witness to Genocide: The Children of Rwanda: Drawings by Child Survivors of the Rwandan Genocide of 1994 (Paperback)

Now that we know that President Clinton and Madeline Albright fought and succeeded to have the word "genocide" removed from all UN talk about Rwanda, this book reeks of opportunism. It is a way of Mrs. Clinton using the tragedy -- one her husband helped play itself out without aid to the slaughtered Rwandans -- to portray herself and perhaps her husbands administration as being caring. Truly disgusting. Of course this was not known at the date this book was first published, but in light of what we now know, this should stick in the throat of anyone who reads it. Sorry for politicizing this book and laying out more comment than review. I also apologize for giving this book a 1 star rating but the review will not be posted without one and there was no ) star rating.