The Banality of Courage: Stories of ordinary people who risked their lives to save others in the midst of evil

1. The Banality of Courage: Stories of ordinary people who risked their lives to save others in the midst of evil Stories of rescue in the midst of genocide in Rwanda Hypothesis: Negative stereotypes that portray outsider groups as evil or subversive are part of the explanation of how genocidal events happen. Stories that undermine negative stereotypes of groups previously blamed for genocide promote reconciliation

2. Research on rescuers after the Holocaust • Stories of “heroic” rescuers such as Schindler, Wallenberg, Sugihara . . . • The documentation of “righteous gentiles” at the Yad Vashem memorial museum in Jerusalem. • Pearl and Samuel Oliner, The Altruistic Personality: Rescuers of Jews in Nazi Europe. (Perpetrators, bystanders, and rescuers interviewed) • Collections by Martin Gilbert and Robert Satloff

3. Genocide and mass violence in the 20th century Namibia, Turkey, the HOLOCAUST, Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda and elsewhere. The aftermath of catastrophic violence: Coping with denial, confronting evidence, seeking truth and justice

4. Why gather rescue stories? • In the aftermath of mass violence and genocide RECONCILIATION is possible. • Reconciliation is a nebulous concept but scholars assume that many variables are involved. Governmental institutions, justice proceedings, education and mass media policies and programs are involved. • Stories of courageous rescuers that undermine negative stereotypes can contribute to reconciliation

6. RWANDA 1994 Genocide started after attack on President’s plane Hutu’s wage genocide against Tutsi minority Military and interahamwe forces deployed Roughly 800,000 murdered in 3 months Today: The Tutsi minority is generally in control of the government. There is a somewhat tenuous peace. Gacaca trials are ongoing in villages and towns

7. 2008 population estimate 9.5 million Hutu 84 % Tutsis 15 % Twa 1 %

8. Schoolgirl Nyamata

9. Silas Ntamfurayishyali Nyamata

10. Nyamata Epimaque Munyiragwe

11. Odette Umulisa Kibuye

12. Innocent Ndamyimana Gisanura and Gitabita Nyantantaba Kibuye

13. Hadj Bazirake Jumaine Gisenye

14. Gihara Boys greeting car

15. Christine Mutimura Sister mary-Patrice Mukandutiye Felicita

16. Gihara Mwitakuze Felicita

17. Valentine Umuratwa on her wedding day

18. Muslim shopkeeper Butare

19. The rescuers can be us(or perhaps our children) • What characteristics did most of the rescuers have in common (compared to bystanders)? • a sense of personal efficacy • a sense that people in the other group were no less worthy • a fear that not responding in a moral way would cause them to feel guilt or shame Most seemed to have an ethical framework of care, empathy, generosity. • a religious or humanistic philosophical perspective - all people deserve respect • justice and fairness perceived in global terms (Oliner, 1983) • Heroism as a quest, involving risk, persisting over time or a sudden, one time action. (Zimbardo. 2007)

20. Thou shalt not be a victim Thou shalt not be a perpetrator Above all, thou shalt not be a bystander

21. A better title, perhaps - “The Banality of Courage”

22. Edmond Murenzi and Stephen Gatsinzi

23. Acknowledgements: Research Grants Office Provosts Fund UUP Nejra Nuna Cengic Stephen Gatsinzi Edmond Murenzi Jim Greenberg, Alan Caswell, Deb McClenon ODK Gladys