My Conclusions

Although RTLMC is not directly responsible for the Rwandan genocide, it is clear that it helped to incite the horrible actions that resulted in the murder of approximately 800, 000 people.

While RTLMC and the Rwandan genocide is detailed in the commons, the topics are inherently complex, much more so than I anticipated when I started my research. Like anything politically charged, there are numerous perspectives on the topic I chose to examine. I could definitely have chosen to explore more aspects of the genocide including:

Why was there such a lack of intervention? Why were the threats and orchestrated plans not taken seriously? Should the international community have been blamed more because of their inaction? As seen in Hotel Rwanda, the international community played a huge part in the genocide because of its inaction.

There were also issues that because of their complexity made it very difficult to explore. The Arusha Accords and other government documents, in addition to the extensive history of violence and segregation of Rwanda were incredibly complex and honestly, at times difficult to understand. I discovered that many students like myself, as well as organizations have attempted to find answers to the difficult questions surrounding the Rwandan genocide and have utilized the commons to post their own findings. For instance these are only some of the videos available on YouTube that are contributions to the commons about Rwanda.

When does the issue of free speech become irrelevant as a defense for what one has said? The most logical thing I can determine is when it results in the violation of the human rights of others. Free speech is also a contribution to the commons - it's putting ones thoughts/ideologies out for all to hear, yet what are the restrictions? Are there any? With the advent of the Internet especially, it is especially difficult to regulate content and the way in which it is received/perceived by its audience. I think that intellectual property is one of the most contentious issues today, and has been an issue that keeps coming up. From lawsuits that claim murder or suicide was encouraged by listening to music, to the role of the RTLMC in the Rwandan genocide, with whom does liability lie when free speech becomes dangerous? The Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda has determined that liability does in fact lie with those individuals who were associated with RTLMC, mainly because the actions of the RTLMC violated prior peace agreements.

The wealth of information on the Rwandan genocide is vast and overwhelming. I think that it is difficult to do such a topic justice because of the incredible complexities involved with it, from the history of the country to legal ramifications. It was incredibly difficult to pick and choose the information I included in this blog because so much of it was relevant. That issue in itself proves how important it is for all of us to have access to the commons so that we can each contribute to the spread of knowledge in ways that affect the way we perceive our own society and our world.