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Jean Hatzfeld

Machete Season: The Killers in Rwanda Speak

"Machete Season: The Killers in Rwanda Speak" by Jean Hatzfeld is a haunting and powerful exploration of the Rwandan genocide, as told through the voices of the perpetrators themselves. Hatzfeld, a French journalist, conducted extensive interviews with Hutu men who had participated in the mass killings of Tutsi civilians during the 1994 genocide. The result is a chilling account of the brutal violence that swept through the country, as well as a nuanced and complex portrayal of the killers and their motivations. The book is divided into four sections, each focusing on a different aspect of the genocide and its aftermath. The first section, "The Killers," introduces us to the men who carried out the killings, their backgrounds, and their reasons for participating in the violence. The second section, "The Killing," describes the methods and tactics used by the killers, as well as the ways in which they dehumanized their victims. The third section, "The Confessions," presents the killers' attempts to come to terms with their actions and seek forgiveness, while the final section, "The Survivors," offers a glimpse into the lives of those who survived the genocide. Hatzfeld's approach is unique in that he allows the killers to speak for themselves, without judgment or condemnation. This allows the reader to gain a deeper understanding of the social, political, and economic factors that contributed to the genocide, as well as the psychological mechanisms that enabled ordinary men to commit such horrific acts. At the same time, Hatzfeld does not shy away from condemning the genocide and the international community's failure to intervene. He argues that the genocide was not an inevitable result of ancient tribal hatreds, but rather a deliberate and calculated act of political violence. "Machete Season" is a difficult but necessary read, shedding light on one of the darkest chapters in recent history. It is a powerful reminder of the capacity for evil that exists within us all, as well as the resilience and courage of those who survive in the face of unimaginable horror...