Romeo Dallaire returned to Rwanda on the 10th anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide. This was a tremendously courageous act by Dallaire because he had to face his inner demons that haunted his thoughts and dreams. These demons that tell Dallaire he could have done more to save the lives of the Tutsi. The documentary visited all the locations where mass genocide took place and it provided real footage during the actual Genocide. This gave amazing insight into Dallaire’s struggles at this time. I was very surprised to see clothing and blood still at some of these sights a decade later. During the documentary Dallaire speaks to many survivors and learns their stories, he also gives speeches in stadiums outlining what went wrong and what western society feels about the Genocide.
The documentary also gave us some insight into the Red Cross and their role in the Genocide. It focused on one man who tried desperately to save lives and support what Dallaire and the UN were trying to achieve. It illustrated that Dallaire was not the only person in Rwanda trying to do something morally correct. I was outraged and a Belgium man accused Dallaire of making mistakes and not doing enough to save the lives of the Tutsi when in fact Dallaire opted to continue his effort in Rwanda even after the UN choose to pull troops out. As well it is ironic how this Belgium man is shifting the blame to Dallaire when in fact Belgium can be pinpointed for the reason there was a Genocide in the first place.
In conclusion “Shake Hands With the Devil” was an insightful documentary that illustrated the improvement and change that has occurred in Rwanda over the past decade. It also showed the positive impact Dallaire had on Rwanda as he was greeted and praised by many people. I personally really enjoyed this film and how it all came together, I would rate it 8.5/10 stars for its overall fluidity and insightfulness.
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