Nov 8, 2008

An Ordinary Man...

Paul Rusesabagina (born June 15, 1954) is a Rwandan who has been internationally honoured for saving 1,268 civilians during the Rwandan Genocide.



Hotel Rwanda is a 2004 historical drama film about the hotelier Paul Rusesabagina (played by Don Cheadle) during the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. The film, which has been called an African Schindler's List, documents Rusesabagina's acts to save the lives of his family and more than a thousand other refugees, by granting them shelter in the besieged Hôtel des Mille Collines.
A true story of a man who fought impossible odds to save everyone he could and created a place where hope survived.
The film is listed by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 most inspirational movies of all time.


 We all knew we would die, no question. The only question was how. Would they chop us in pieces? With their machetes they would cut your left hand off. Then they would disappear and reappear a few hours later to cut off your right hand. A little later they would return for your left leg etc. They went on till you died. They wanted to make you suffer as long as possible. There was one alternative: you could pay soldiers so they would just shoot you. That's what her [Tatiana's] father did.

Paul Rusesabagina in Humo, nr. 3365, March 1, 2005


Paul Rusesabagina received the US Presidential Medal of Freedom on
9 November 2005 from President George W Bush.

His autobiography entitled An Ordinary Man was published by Viking Penguin in April 2006.

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