Straton Musonera
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About this Video

Country of Origin:
Rwanda
Interview Date:
October 14, 2008
Location:
Arusha, Tanzania
Interviewers:
Lisa P. Nathan
Donald J Horowitz
Videographer:
Max Andrews
Timestamp:
39:22 - 44:12

Transcript

0:03
Donald J Horowitz: Well, I could go on for a long time with you, but I think I want to give you the opportunity if there’s anything that’s important for you to say without my asking a question, that you think you would like your children or your grandchildren who are going to see this years from now and say that’s my grandfather, he’s talking now . . .
0:24
Mm-hmm.
0:24
DJH: . . . is there some, some message you’d like to give to people today as well as to people 30 or 40 or 50 years from now, or some insight you have? And you’re free to . . .
0:36
My message is unique. We don’t, the most invaluable asset is peace and really, I have heard many people talking about genocide here and there, of, using wrongly the word genocide. Sometimes it’s because they don’t understand the word itself. They understand it in terms of vocabulary but living that word, they don’t really have this level of understanding it as someone who went through this horrible crime.
1:28
And I would like really, whoever can work for peace should work for peace. When I see what is happening around here in this world it’s really horrible. It’s horrible and I think all human beings should join their hands and work for peace because now we have a global village, what is happening here or in Middle East or in Afghanistan or in United States or in Caribbean Islands affects each human being wherever he or she is.
2:12
So, my message is peace, peace and peace. Thank you.
2:21
DJH: After that I should not ask you anything more but we can change things so that we can put things in different places if we edit this correctly. So I’m going to admit something to you about that. That’s, thank you for what you said. I need to ask you one other question . . .
2:38
Mm-hmm.
2:39
DJH: . . . you were in Burundi when this began.
2:41
Yes.
2:42
DJH: Have you ever thought to yourself what would I have done or what would have happened to me if I had not been in Burundi but I had been in Rwanda at that time?
2:53
What I would have done?
2:55
DJH: Have you ever thought about that, about if you had not been in Burundi in – yeah.
3:02
It’s really – first of all, would I have done anything in front of such a kind of killing machine?
3:09
DJH: (______). What would have happened to you (___), yeah?
3:16
I would have hidden my-, my-, myself wherever I, I would have been able to, t-, to hide my-, my-, myself. But again, it’s not only in Rwanda. Everywhere in the world, when I see innocent people dying, I feel very much affected perhaps because of what happened in Rwanda and really, that’s why I think that everyone needs to stand up against the evil.
3:56
The best way to fight against the evil is not to render evil against evil, no. We can work, change the mindset of those people who have evil mindset. And it’s possible and I believe that it’s possible. People have changed and we have many examples. And even those who are resistant to change can change. The problem is that we always look for short circuits. Sorry, short ways to solutions.
4:42
DJH: Thank you.
4:43
Yeah.