Description

The Rwandan Genocide: International Finance Policies and Human Rights

The genocide of the Rwandan Tutsis serves to remind us of the ethnic, political, and economic conditions that are typical for postcolonial states. To gain a more comprehensive understanding of the Hutu-led genocide against the Tutsis, scholars must examine the role of international lenders and finance organizations. A thorough investigation of the forces behind the genocide suggests that institutions of international finance, particularly the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, bear some culpability for the disaster because of how their policies and development demands altered Rwanda’s social, economic, and political structures. The authors conclude by suggesting that international financial policies for postcolonial states should be dictated by human rights concerns and consideration of the social, cultural, and economic needs of a state and its citizenry, rather than the exigencies of free trade, capital mobility, and accumulation.

crimes of globalization, International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group, international finance lenders, international human rights, genocide, Rwanda, postcolonial conflicts

Citation: Social Justice Vol. 35, No. 3 (2008-09): 66-86