Continued From Yesterday

Here are lessons to be learned from the Rwanda experience:

Outside help should not be expected to stop genocide unless there are compelling national interests to the outside country. There have been many examples of no involvement to stop genocide like in Cambodia, Sudan, and Darfur.

It should be no surprise that outside peacekeeping groups in Rwanda departed the country. Outsiders would not stay to risk death by being caught in the middle of groups slaughtering each other.

In order to prevent widespread slaughter between groups, a country needs strong a law enforcement and judicial system. The system should be staffed with the best and brightest at whatever expense it requires.

As ugly and distasteful as it can be, a free press should function and flourish.

A system should not permit inordinate numbers of super rich and powerful people. Also, it should not allow large numbers of extremely poor and powerless folks.

Inheritance taxes and transfer payments help prevent the extremes above.

These points should sound familiar since, in small part, our system functions this way to help keep groups from "going wild".

Mr. Rucesabagina's book, An Ordinary Man, will publish soon.

Have a good day!