Kerry Zukus Bücher

In 2004, the Academy Award–nominated movie portrayed hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina as a hero who saved lives during Rwanda’s genocide against the Tutsi in 1994. However, the real-life refugees from the Hotel des Mille Collines do not endorse Rusesabagina’s narrative. Following the film's success, he became a prominent figure, yet he is now associated with the very Hutu Power groups responsible for the genocide. Accusations against him include being a genocide negationist and funding the terrorist group Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). In this account, survivor Edouard Kayihura shares his experiences and those of others who sought refuge in the hotel, revealing the harsh realities faced during those tumultuous days. The book highlights a divided society and Kayihura's quest for safety, exposing Rusesabagina as a politically ambitious Hutu Power sympathizer who extorted money from desperate refugees, threatening to turn away those who could not pay. This work serves as a memoir, a critique of the celebrated Hollywood portrayal, and a political analysis of a fabricated hero. Kayihura’s narrative offers a candid and critical examination of life inside the hotel, illuminating the exploitation of refugees and the ongoing impact of ethnic division that contributed to the genocide.