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,

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