Generation Magazine

It was early April in 1994, and while the rest of the world was exploding into spring, Rwanda’s high altitude and proximity to the equator held it close to its usual year-round temperature of 70 degrees. And as Buffalo was thawing and celebrating Easter, the Rwandan president’s plane was struck from the sky by ethnic Hutu extremists. They took control of the state-run radio station, broadcasting a message of hatred toward ethnic Tutsis. Chaos erupted. The killings began.

Buffalo didn’t notice. Many Buffalonians had never even heard of Rwanda. But Alison Des Forges noticed. A former adjunct faculty member, Des Forges was one of the first in the world to realize that a full-blown genocide had begun in Rwanda.

She would prove to be a valuable asset after the horror, which took the lives of between 500,000 and 1 million Tutsis and political moderates. She led a team of researchers to Rwanda and little by little figured out what occurred, using what she learned to write a book detailing the tragedy and the aftermath. She testified in front of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and provided evidence to use against the killers. Des Forges was truly an invaluable asset for the shattered country.

Des Forges was among the 50 that died when Continental Flight 3407 traveling from Newark, N.J. to Buffalo crashed in Clarence, N.Y. in February of 2009.

To celebrate Des Forges’ life and everything that she contributed to the Buffalo community and the world, the one-woman play “Miracle in Rwanda,” starring Leslie Lewis-Sword, will make an appearance at the Student Union Theater for three nights in February.
Feb. 11 is a fundraising night for the Alison L. Des Forges Memorial Committee to help raise money for a scholarship and lectures. The night will feature a reception in the Flag Room, live performances from Henri Muhammad’s School of Music, the opening performance of the show, and post-show speakers including Des Forges’ husband, Roger, and Aloys Habimana, a human rights practitioner and witness to the Rwandan genocide. Tickets for the first night cost $125.

Tickets for the second and third nights are $10 for students and $25 general admission. Feb. 12 includes a showing of the award-winning 2004 film, “Hotel Rwanda” with a post-show discussion starring Paul Rusesabagina—who Don Cheadle plays in the film. The showing will be followed by a performance of “Miracle in Rwanda” and several guest speakers. At 10 p.m., exactly 365 days after Flight 3407 crashed, attendees will hold a candlelight vigil and moment of silence for the victims.

Feb. 13 includes a showing of the film “Sometimes in April,” the performance, several post-show speakers and closing remarks from Roger Des Forges.

Tickets are available at the SBI ticket office, located on the second floor of the Student Union.

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