DEAR News Of The Area,
IT was last Sunday afternoon. I had just come inside, as it was getting dark, when my sister rang and told me she was going to Tanzania, Africa to attend a wedding of a 32-year young woman.
She had ordered a new dress from India online and loved the colours, but was not sure if two dresses were needed – one for the party two weeks before, and one for the wedding.
The party was called a “going away” where gifts, normally of fabric, were given.
It was costing a bit, but she sounded excited to be going back.
My sister’s town was having an evening at the CWA and she was auctioning off fabric to help with the costs. I imagine she had a lot of fabric.
About 32 years ago, the bride who invited my sister was born in a hospital in Tanzania weighing 1.1kg. My sister, Sue, was one of the nurses and midwives that helped her survive.
What an amazing story.
But there is more to the events about 32 years ago.
Just 10km from this hospital was a large refugee camp where Rwandan Tutsi people sought refuge from the genocide happening in Rwanda.
Friends were killing friends, neighbours killing neighbours, and many babies, children, women of all ages, pregnant women and elderly were hacked to death.
The Hutu, Tutsi and Twa have lived in Rwanda since about the 5th century. The Tutsi came from a pastoralist tradition and gained social, economic and political ascendancy over the Hutu, who were agriculturalists.
When children grow up, they don’t know how old they are, so it is their height that decides when they can go to school.
Tutsis are tall with lighter coloured skin, and a minority. Hutus are not tall, and darker skinned. This creates inequality and division.
The hospital was built on a bridge. People saw the lights and waded across the river. When the hospital woke up, there were people everywhere.
The number grew to about 500,000.
The Americans were there and so were the Belgians, who were building roads. They used the large equipment to make a clearing in the forest.
A couple of Sue’s friends drove to the British embassy and were told to get out straight away.
Sadly, the United Nations (UN) was nowhere to be seen.
The United Nations were heavily criticised because they did not help. They did not have the money to support a peacekeeping force, and the violence happened so quickly.
The world watched on in horror and disbelief.
The United Nations are an important part of the world, organising peace-keeping forces and sending them to dangerous areas to stop the fighting.
They provide food, water, and medical care to people hurt by wars or natural disasters.
They set up global rules to make sure people are treated fairly and have basic human rights, and help poor countries build better health, education, and financial systems.
The United Nations is an important organisation that needs our support.
Regards,
Colin Hutton,
Thora.
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