Teenage Refugees from Rwanda Speak Out ANNOTATION
Teenagers from Rwanda, both Hutu and Tutsi, describe the conditions in their war-torn country that led them to seek safety and new lives in the United States and Canada.
FROM THE CRITICS
VOYA - Roxy Ekstrom
Rosen's In Their Own Voices series provides a look at conditions in troubled countries through narratives based on interviews with young refugees and immigrants living in the United States or Canada. The first chapter gives a brief history of the country, including its current situation, and contains a map and several color photographs that enhance the material presented. The explanation of the differences between the Hutu and the Tutsi in the Rwandan book was very helpful. In the Palestinian volume, the statement "collective punishment" of Palestinian communities needed an example. In both volumes, a proverb is included along with a color rendition of the flag, but there is no explanation of its significance. The black-and-white photos scattered throughout are up-to-date, but do not correspond to the text. For example, a picture of very young Rwandan refugee orphans waiting to be transferred to a camp in Zaire is in the story of twenty-one-year-old Sylvie, who came directly to Canada from Rwanda, while no pictures are used in the chapter about Beatrice, who spent a year living in refugee camps. In the Palestinian volume, a picture of Palestinian school boys walking along the street is in Mohammed's chapter, who was born in Saudi Arabia of a Palestinian father and a Syrian mother and has never been to Palestine. The personal narratives, while interesting, are homogenized, conveying little urgency nor a sense of the teenagers behind them. No one stands out as an individual. Three of the Rwandan teenagers are Hutu siblings, whose stories are similar. Of the eight interviewed for this volume, four are identified as Hutu and three as Tutsi, and one is not identified by ethnic group. There is a similar balance between Muslims and Christians in the Palestinian volume. In their stories, the Rwandan young people tell of the terrors and personal horrors of the 1994 massacre. All fled with a fear of imminent death. There is a universal wish for peace tempered by a belief that forgiveness and cooperation between the Hutus and Tutsis will be very difficult to achieve. Most talk of enjoying the freedom and choices available in the United States and Canada and also mention that life is different: "Here I have learned to do things I hadn't done in Rwanda like cooking, washing and cleaning." The Palestinian refugees talk about the problems being political, not religious. "Religion has never been a problem in Palestine," but the United States "has a double standard... if a Jewish person kills Palestinians... he is presented as a madman. However, if a Palestinian does the same thing to the Israelis, he is called a terrorist." Pride at having lived through the Intifada is strong. The peace talks elicit a great deal of support and skepticism. Americans are urged to "know the facts about the Arabs and meet with more Arab people." The individual voices are stronger in this volume. A short glossary defines less familiar terms. The brief bibliography of suggested reading and a short index are of limited usefulness. Twagilimana is Rwandan and Marshood is of Palestinian heritage; both are college professors on the East Coast. Glossary. Index. Photos. Maps. Further Reading. Note: This review was written and published to address two titles: Palestinian Teenage Refugees and Immigrants Speak Out, and Teenage Refugees from Rwanda Speak Out. VOYA Codes: 2Q 1P J S (Better editing or work by the author might have warranted a 3Q, No YA will read unless forced to for assignments, Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9 and Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12).
School Library Journal
Gr 5 UpTeenagers fleeing from Ethiopia and Rwanda relate how they came to be refugees in the United States and Canada. Each title begins with a brief historical survey, followed by profiles of eight young people, each in a separate chapter. The terrible conditions that forced them to leave their homeland; the dangers faced during the actual escapes; and the current challenges they meet in overcoming the language barrier and adjusting to life in an alien culture are all discussed. As one young refugee explains, "They [American kids] called me names because I couldn't understand English. They destroyed my books and made fun of me." Over a dozen black-and-white and a few color photographs accompany the text. About half consist of snapshots of the refugees. While it is admirable that these clearly written books afford young refugees a means of expressing their sadness and frustrations at being displaced, the historical background the introductions provide is superficial and misleading. Specifically, the texts omit information on the role played by Western powers in the gradual destruction of African societies through slavery, colonialism, neocolonialism, exploitation of natural resources, and imperialism. All things considered, these titles do not provide a thorough historical background of these countries and do not deal honestly with the issues facing the young exiles. Readers deserve a more truthful account of these tragic events than these bland titles can provide.Gebregeorgis Yohannes, San Francisco Public Library, CA
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