Ironically, the Tutsi-Hutu division was an artificial distinction created by the Belgians for their own colonial control purposes. The old ethnic tribes of the early 1800s had blended inextricably before the Germans colonized the country in the early 1900s, and the Belgians assumed control as part of German reparations after the First World War. The Belgians issued identity cards that designated anyone with 10 or more cattle as a Tutsi and the rest as Hutu, believing the more successful minority “Tutsi” would make better colonial managers, and it was this identity division that enabled the demonization to occur.

The old Belgian identity card system is gone today, and people no longer speak of Tutsi or Hutu but of Rwandans. There are numerous memorials throughout the country and regular meetings between perpetrators and survivors with the goals of apology and forgiveness. Genocidaire trials continue in gacaca (traditional village-based) courts, but they are increasingly rare with the genocide now 17 years in the past. Throughout the entire process of bringing nearly 1 million genocidaires to justice, voluntary and preemptive admission of guilt has been met with leniency in the name of societal healing.

Rwanda had been a French-speaking country (in addition to the indigenous Kinyarwanda language) from the time the Belgians assumed control of the colony. Habyarimana curried favor with the French as well, and France was proud to count Rwanda among the Francophone countries – that group of countries that speak French as their primary language. But France supported the Habyarimana regime despite knowing of the genocide, so today the old French signs are coming down and signs in English, now the official language, are going up.

The United States also failed to help Rwanda despite knowing of the genocide. On then-President Bill Clinton’s orders, Madeline Albright vetoed the United Nations order that would have sent 5,500 U.N. troops to stop the genocide. Mr. Clinton has since formally apologized to Rwanda, and his foundation is playing an active role in rebuilding the country.

With English becoming the official language, all communication in the country is in transition and getting along in Rwanda requires a bit of French, Kinyarwanda, and English. But with English now the official language, there is a excellent opportunity for organizations like ACEP to make a difference in helping the local physicians develop emergency department standards and a trauma and EMS system.