--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Killing Tutsis was a political tradition…" description: "\"“Killing Tutsis was a political tradition in postcolonial Rwanda; it brought people together.”\" — Philip Gourevitch" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/611/philip-gourevitch-17484_israel_killing-tutsis-was-a-political-tradition_251893.png" --- # Killing Tutsis was a political tradition in postcolonial… ![“Killing Tutsis was a political tradition in postcolonial Rwanda; it brought people together.” quote by Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/611/philip-gourevitch-17484_israel_killing-tutsis-was-a-political-tradition_251893.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/611/philip-gourevitch-17484_israel_killing-tutsis-was-a-political-tradition_251893.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/611/philip-gourevitch-17484_israel_killing-tutsis-was-a-political-tradition_251893.png) > ““Killing Tutsis was a political tradition in postcolonial Rwanda; it brought people together.”” [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He critiques the normalization of genocide in Rwanda, noting how political narratives framed mass violence as tradition. **In simple terms:** Genocide was framed as a political tradition in Rwanda. Key Takeaway Recognize and confront harmful political narratives. Themes history political violence genocide denial Mood somber critical Type historical analytical When to use this quote - human rights education - policy analysis - media reporting - peacebuilding initiatives Key Concepts postcolonial studies memory ethics Questions to Reflect On - What role does narrative play in justifying violence? - How can societies prevent such traditions? A Different Perspective Complexities of postcolonial identity can obscure accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Killing Tutsis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing-tutsis-2503733/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Postcolonial Rwanda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/postcolonial-rwanda-2503732/) [Rwanda Brought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rwanda-brought-2503734/) [Tutsis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tutsis-2503736/) [Tutsis Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tutsis-political-2503735/) ## Related quotes > [Humanitarian goods and people must flow in both directions. Gaza cannot and must not be allowed to remain a prison camp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/humanitarian-goods-and-people-must-flow-in-both-directions-gaza/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [I am a peace supporting Jew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/i-am-a-peace-supporting-jew/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/) [Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/) > [A strong, responsible Israel can become a stabilizer in such a turbulent region.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ehud-barak/a-strong-responsible-israel-can-become-a-stabilizer-in-such-a/) [Ehud Barak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ehud-barak/) > [“Hitler invaded Poland on 1 September 1939. Much to the bafflement of the Allies, however, Pope Pius XII said nothing. He refused to condemn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyrus-shahrad/hitler-invaded-poland-on-1-september-1939-much-to-the-bafflement-of/) [Cyrus Shahrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyrus-shahrad/) > [On the McLaughlin Report, August 26, 1990: 'There are only two groups that are beating the drums for war in the middle East, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/on-the-mclaughlin-report-august-26-1990-there-are-only-two-groups/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [ \[Islam\] Leaves no room of human legislation in an Islamic state, because herein all legislative functions vest in God and the only function left… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abul-a-la-maududi/islam-leaves-no-room-of-human-legislation-in-an-islamic-state-because/) [Abul A'la Maududi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abul-a-la-maududi/) > [In the Green Zone in Iraq you have your radio, you have your food, you have your own electricity, your own toilets. Everything is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-colla/in-the-green-zone-in-iraq-you-have-your-radio-you-have-your-food-you/) [Elliott Colla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-colla/) > [The Iranian people have a proud past. They merit a great future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-iranian-people-have-a-proud-past-they-merit-a-great-future/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [All Germany was in turmoil. Revolutionaries seized power in the cities of Munich, Hanover and Cologne. One regional German government after another was toppled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cross-giblin/all-germany-was-in-turmoil-revolutionaries-seized-power-in-the-cities/) [James Cross Giblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cross-giblin/) ## More by Philip Gourevitch > [“Like Leontius, the young Athenian in Plato, I presume that you are reading this because you desire a closer look, and that you, too,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/like-leontius-the-young-athenian-in-plato-i-presume-that-you-are/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [“…the war about the genocide was truly a postmodern war: a battle between those who believed that because the realities we inhabit are constructs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/the-war-about-the-genocide-was-truly-a-postmodern-war-a-battle/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [“As far as the political, military, and economic interests of the world’s powers go, (Rwanda) might as well be Mars. In fact, Mars is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/as-far-as-the-political-military-and-economic-interests-of-the-world/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [“...great and sustained destruction requires great ambition. It must be conceived as the means toward achieving a new order, and although the idea behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/great-and-sustained-destruction-requires-great-ambition-it-must-be/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [“An animal will kill, but never to completely annihilate a race, a whole collectively. What does this make us in this world?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/an-animal-will-kill-but-never-to-completely-annihilate-a-race-a-whole/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [The West's post-Holocaust pledge that genocide would never again be tolerated proved to be hollow, and for all the fine sentiments inspired by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/the-west-s-post-holocaust-pledge-that-genocide-would-never-again-be/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [“My definition of a good book is one that you would read for pleasure despite having no prior interest in the subject. The ostensible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/my-definition-of-a-good-book-is-one-that-you-would-read-for-pleasure/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [ “Just as a state's police swear to prevent and punish murder, so the signers of the Genocide Convention \[in 1948\] swore to police a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/just-as-a-state-s-police-swear-to-prevent-and-punish-murder-so-the/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [“When you're that resigned and oppressed you're already dead. It shows the genocide was prepared for too long. I detest this fear. These victims…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/when-you-re-that-resigned-and-oppressed-you-re-already-dead-it-shows/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [“Colonisation is violence, and there are many ways to carry out that violence. In addition to military and administrative chiefs and a veritable army…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/colonisation-is-violence-and-there-are-many-ways-to-carry-out-that/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [The people are living seperately together," he said. "So there is responsibility. I cry, you cry. You cry, I cry. We all come running,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/the-people-are-living-seperately-together-he-said-so-there-is/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [Political corruption is to Rhode Islanders as smog is to people who live in Los Angeles: nobody complains of its absence, but when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/political-corruption-is-to-rhode-islanders-as-smog-is-to-people-who/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [Genocide, after all, is an exercise in community building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/genocide-after-all-is-an-exercise-in-community-building/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [“So there is responsibility. I cry, you cry. We all come running, and the one that stays quiet, the one that stays home, must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/so-there-is-responsibility-i-cry-you-cry-we-all-come-running-and-the/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [“Novels are nice,' my friend said. 'They stop.' He waggled his fingers to make quotation marks in the air. 'They say, 'The End.' Very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/novels-are-nice-my-friend-said-they-stop-he-waggled-his-fingers-to/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) [Explore all 37 Philip Gourevitch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) ## More Israel quotes > [Humanitarian goods and people must flow in both directions. Gaza cannot and must not be allowed to remain a prison camp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/humanitarian-goods-and-people-must-flow-in-both-directions-gaza/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [The Iranian people have a proud past. They merit a great future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-iranian-people-have-a-proud-past-they-merit-a-great-future/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [In the Green Zone in Iraq you have your radio, you have your food, you have your own electricity, your own toilets. Everything is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-colla/in-the-green-zone-in-iraq-you-have-your-radio-you-have-your-food-you/) [Elliott Colla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-colla/) > [ \[Islam\] Leaves no room of human legislation in an Islamic state, because herein all legislative functions vest in God and the only function left… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abul-a-la-maududi/islam-leaves-no-room-of-human-legislation-in-an-islamic-state-because/) [Abul A'la Maududi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abul-a-la-maududi/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [On the McLaughlin Report, August 26, 1990: 'There are only two groups that are beating the drums for war in the middle East, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/on-the-mclaughlin-report-august-26-1990-there-are-only-two-groups/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [“Hitler invaded Poland on 1 September 1939. Much to the bafflement of the Allies, however, Pope Pius XII said nothing. He refused to condemn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyrus-shahrad/hitler-invaded-poland-on-1-september-1939-much-to-the-bafflement-of/) [Cyrus Shahrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyrus-shahrad/) > [A strong, responsible Israel can become a stabilizer in such a turbulent region.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ehud-barak/a-strong-responsible-israel-can-become-a-stabilizer-in-such-a/) [Ehud Barak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ehud-barak/) > [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/) [Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [I am a peace supporting Jew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/i-am-a-peace-supporting-jew/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [All Germany was in turmoil. Revolutionaries seized power in the cities of Munich, Hanover and Cologne. One regional German government after another was toppled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cross-giblin/all-germany-was-in-turmoil-revolutionaries-seized-power-in-the-cities/) [James Cross Giblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cross-giblin/) [Browse all 16,724 Israel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Killing Tutsis was a political tradition in postcolonial Rwanda; it brought people together.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Philip Gourevitch" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/killing-tutsis-was-a-political-tradition-in-postcolonial-rwanda-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Israel" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/killing-tutsis-was-a-political-tradition-in-postcolonial-rwanda-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/611/philip-gourevitch-17484_israel_killing-tutsis-was-a-political-tradition_251893.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/611/philip-gourevitch-17484_israel_killing-tutsis-was-a-political-tradition_251893.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/611/philip-gourevitch-17484_israel_killing-tutsis-was-a-political-tradition_251893.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Killing Tutsis was a political tradition in postcolonial Rwanda; it brought people together.” — Philip Gourevitch", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Philip Gourevitch", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Killing Tutsis was a political tradition...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/killing-tutsis-was-a-political-tradition-in-postcolonial-rwanda-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/killing-tutsis-was-a-political-tradition-in-postcolonial-rwanda-it/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```