When the 1994 rwandan genocide broke out, he was the only american who refused to leave the country. It must have been about the 2nd week of the genocide that i got the idea of talking on a cassette recorder, to record what was happening around me. By the time the genocide was over, i was so angry, says carl wilkens, an american humanitarian aid worker who had refused to evacuate and the only american to remain in rwanda throughout the. It talks about the reasons why carl wilkens decided to stay inn rwanda, despite his family and the violence surrounding him. Im not leaving by carl wilkens is a book on a traveler who decides to stay in rwanda to aid in the time of genocide in 1994. When the genocide was launched in april 1994, carl refused to leave and was the only. The ioes centre for holocaust education is hosting a special event on wednesday 4th march from 5. Beyond freedom by celine uwineza in her book, uwineza recounts her own heartwrenching. How did he and his wife teresa maintain communication. As the rwandan genocide began, he sent them with a u. To tell the complete story of the 1994 genocide in rwanda is impossible. In 1994, he was the only one out of 257 americans who chose to remain in the country after the genocide began.
Four years earlier, in march 1990, teresa and i had come to rwanda with our three young children, ages 6, 3, and 1. A list of best books by rwandan authors score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Working from tapes made for his family, which chronicle daily events from the sublime to the horrific, wilkens reconstructs both personal and political events triggered by the april 6 plane crash assassination of the presidents of rwanda and burundi. In 2011, i had the privilege of watching carl wilkens speak at the event rwanda. While working as a missionary during the genocide, wilkens intervention led to around 400 lives being saved. In 1994, he was the only american who chose to remain in the country after the rwandan genocide began since 1978, when he first went to africa as part of a college volunteer program, wilkens has spent years working on the continent. Carl wilkens, the only american to stay in rwanda during the 1994 genocide, talked to palo alto high school students on tuesday, march 5. As a humanitarian aid worker, carl wilkens moved his young family to rwanda in the spring of 1990. Carl wilkens is the former head of the adventist development and relief agency international in rwanda. It was a privilege not because carl wilkens was the only american to remain in rwanda.
Carl wilkens, the only american to stay in rwanda during the rwandan genocide in 1994, spoke to about 45 audience members at chapman oct. Educational publishers make up a significant part of the book publishing market in rwanda with institutions such as the institute of scientific and technological research irst, national university of rwanda nur and rwandese institute of dialogue for peace irdp all publishing regular work on historical, political and scientific publications. This book could not be any more accurate of the rwanda genocide, because the author lived it. He visits rwanda from time to time to see his friends and. Thousands of expatriates evacuated and the united nations pulled out most of its troops. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading im not leaving.
The killers in rwanda speak, by jean hatzfeld this book features the testimony of 10 friends from the same village who spent day after day together, fulfilling orders to kill any tutsi within their territory during the 1994 rwandan genocide. Wilkens sent his wife and three children with an american convoy to burundi as he stayed in their home in kigali, the capital city. Carl wilkens moved his young family to rwanda in the spring of 1990 serving as a humanitarian aid worker. Not quite a selfhelp book, wilkins doesnt claim to be perfect shes a work in progress, and this book is a love letter to all of the people who start projects but struggle to get them. Carl wilkens rwanda, post genocide and reconciliation. In early 1994, wilkens was in rwanda with his wife and three children. He headed up the adventist development and relief agency international adra in rwanda and was the only american who chose to stay while the rest evacuated. Rather that focus on their lack of possessions, rwandans make do with what they have, he said, and celebrate those who helped them survive. Carl wilkens was the only american to remain in kigali during the 1994 genocide against the tutsi. Why did carl wilkens decide to remain in rwanda in 1994, with a genocide swirling around him.
No one was more surprised by his decision to remain in rwanda. Im not leaving kindle edition by carl wilkens, brooke schlange. The facts did not outweigh the propaganda, because their was no propaganda. Im not leaving by carl wilkens goodreads share book. Im not leaving rwanda through the eyes of the only american to remain in the country throughout the 1994 genocide. In recent years, the church has been critiqued for its perceived complicity in the ethnic discourse and political corruption that culminated with the 1994 genocide. Carl wilkens has written a book about his experiences in kigali during the genocide and the decision he made to stay behind when most foreign nationals left. Carl wilkens author products adventist book center. Anitha and janviers presence impacted our thinking, keeping me in rwanda. Carl wilkens 1957 is the director of world outside my shoes carl wilkens is the former head of the adventist development and relief agency international in rwanda. Carl wilkens, the only american in rwanda in 1994 at the time of the genocide, came to south nov.
Dr carl wilkens is the former head of the adventist development and relief agency international in rwanda. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The enough project interviewed carl wilkens about his recently published book im not leaving and his continued global efforts to encourage activism, particularly among youth, for human rights. Rwanda through the eyes of the only american to remain in the count. Although thousands of expatriates evacuated, and the united nations pulled out most of their troops, carl was the only american to remain in rwanda during the genocide. In 2011 wilkens released his first book titled im not leaving. Wilkens told his story to students and faculty members nov. The 1994 rwandan genocide isthmus madison, wisconsin. Carl wilkens is an american who was working for the humanitarian arm of the seventh day adventist church in rwanda when the genocide began. Im not leaving rwanda through the eyes of the only american to remain in the country through the 1994 genocide against tutsi. The book begins with wilkins saying goodbye to his wife and kids, with a promise to return. Im not leaving is a nonfictional account of the 1994 rwandan genocide through the eyes of the only american citizen left there, carl wilkens. He has produced a 40 minute documentary film, based on his book im.
Now i was counting on my presence impacting the thinking of the killers, and keeping them away from us. Carl wilkens, sole american to remain in rwanda during. Around 800,000 people were killed in the genocides 100day span. Wilkens was a humanitarian aid worker living with his family in kigali, rwanda in 1994 when the genocide began. When the genocide was launched in april 1994, wilkens refused to leave, even when urged to do so by close friends, his church and the us government. Carl wilkens discusses being witness to rwandan genocide. This book is an attempt to give the world a look at the people living in kigali during this extraordinarily brutal and violent time, a look through the. Interviews carl wilkens ghosts of rwanda frontline pbs. Carl wilkens talk about rwanda international relations blog. Four years earlier, in march 1990, teresa and i had come to rwanda with our three young children, ages 6, 3, and 1 at that time. Carl wilkens is an american with a strong tie to africa first being drawn there as a college student participating in a volunteer program.
Carl wilkens speaks about his experience during rwanda. The author of this book, carl wilkens, saved more lives than the united nations did. Join the center for holocaust and genocide studies as we present an evening with carl wilkens, the only american to stay in rwanda during the countrys horrific genocide. Strengthening society through genocide education in london.
In 2011, carl completed a book detailing these days titled im not leaving. It is based on tapes he made to his wife and children during the genocide. Among the violence and deaths that surrounded him during the rwandan genocide in 1994, carl wilkens was the only american to remain in the country. Find out tonight when wilkins presents his independently published memoir im not leaving. Good books and films about the rwandan genocide orange. Meet carl wilkens im not leaving changing hands bookstore. A story of rescue from the rwandan genocide dr carl wilkens film. Carl wilkens talk about rwanda published by mkansky carl wilkens, an american who remained in rwanda after the genocide began, shared stories about the people he met while living in rwanda and explained that cooperation and respect are the only means to achieving peaceful relations. When the genocide was launched in april 1994, wilkens refused to leave, even when urged to do so by his close friends, adra, his church and the united states government. He will talk about his experiences during his time in rwanda and reflect on how communities can heal and come together in the aftermath of mass atrocities. Carl wilkens, witness to rwandan genocide, tells of.
In every society there are people suffering from hate, wilkens said. To give every detail of his story while in rwanda, carl wilkens wrote a book. Ogot book prize of the african studies associationbetween 1920 and 1994, the catholic church was rwanda s most dominant social and religious institution. In the weeks that followed, he recounts what he tried to do to help, including enlisting rwandas hutu prime minister to. Why i stayed in rwanda carl wilkens tedxursulinecollege. In 1994, he was the only american who chose to remain in the country after the genocide began.
In the genocide, the two extremist groups, the hutus and the. He woke up most mornings in rwanda to gunshots and people with machetes roaming the streets. Carl wilkens sheds light on rwandan genocide the paly voice. Im not leaving kindle edition by wilkens, carl, schlange, brooke. Carl wilkens, rescuer during the genocide against the tutsi in rwanda, attends iwitness presentation in oregon tue, 01122016 5. Carl wilkens is a humanitarian made famous by his refusal to leave rwanda during the genocide in 1994. Humanitarian aid worker carl wilkens will share his story as the only american to remain in rwanda after genocide began when he presents at indiana state university wilkens presentation is scheduled for 56. Sometimes its not about, doing whats right, but more so whats humane.
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