Analysis of Lee Ann Fuji's Genocide of Cain and Abel
This historical context is researched by Lee Ann Fuji and is labeled Cain and Abel. This speech is her interpretation of how the story Cain and Abel relates to the crimes and genocide that occurred in Rwanda in the 1980’s. “First we have a change in regime of power; old power structure out, new power structure in. This happens pretty quickly. Paul is out, Jude is in. Jude is in because he has the backing of higher-up authorities. He starts organizing mostly men, from all the different cells in his sector into the Interahamwe group.”¹The leader that came into power next was Jude and he hated all of the Tutsi just like Hitler hated the Jews. The Tutsi were hunted and killed and often tricked into walking into their own deaths. Jude promised the the people who were hiding the Tutsi that if they told them to come to a town meeting that the Tutsi would be given houses in different lands because they had previously had their homes burned. They then killed them at the meeting which was in the office of the town hall. Just like Cain had hatred for his brother Abel, the new regime had their hatred for the Tutsi. The new leader in cared blamed the Tutsi people for his unhappiness as read about in Genesis 4 when Cain is angered that God has favored Abel’s offerings over his. “The interesting patterns that the thick sketch does not reflect, but the other data show is that, again, killings are going on in a particular way. They are going on in groups, and the groups are large, which means that a lot of people are watching while others are killing. Conversely, people are rescuing and resisting individually, not in groups.”²
Cain was indifferent about the situation and felt that he had done nothing wrong when God had punished him for his crime. The story of Cain and Abel is reflected in the genocides in the two little villages in Rwanda. Like the story, the characters in the research done by Lee Ann Fuji are also named Cain and Abel. Cain and Abel hide from the killings occurring during the genocide. Both hide with their mother-in-law, but once they leave her house Cain imprisons his brother Abel in jail. At that time, a person in jail was often killed due to mistreatment and lack of structure in the justice system. Abel was doomed to his death and his brother Cain was responsible. The question is why and when does a person turn on each other regardless of the relationship. Many aspects are researched to be said it could be jealousy and the sin that consumes the other person mind.It is believed to be said that the “first killing” or the “first genocide” first occurred when Cain lured his brother Abel into the fields and cold-heartedly killed him.
1.Lee Ann Fuji, 2005, Cain and Abel: As Story of Family, Friends, and Genocide in One Rwandan Village,http://www.ushmm.org/confront-genocide/speakers-and-events/all-speakers-and-events/cain-and-abel-a-story-of-family-friends-and-genocide-in-one-rwandan-village
2.Ibid
