Crossroads

This documentary highlights the changes due to the massive flow of Rwandan civil war refugees to Tanzania in 1994. Hundreds of thousands Rwandanese have taken shelter just across the border near the village Ngara, next to Tranzanias important trade route. The local population is trying to make ends meet albeit the Rwandan refugees heavily influence the economics and the safety of the area. Local Tanzanians describe how they cope with the economic difficulties and the increasing crime. Also, the construction of the refugee camp Benaco for the Rwandese near Ngara has been a big change for the local community. The documentary successfully shows how the horrific civil war in Rwanda also has its severe consequences across the border.

Social Interest

In the movie it becomes clear that the tensions between the refugees and the local Tanzanians in Ngara are rising. The local court has been overflown with cases of supposed crimes by Rwandan refugees. Most of the local Tanzanians have developed a negative image of the refugees. The overall opinion of the Tanzanians is that the prospects look bleak, although some people have positive reactions according the improved infrastructure around the village Ngara.

Political Relevance

The Rwandan genocide was a result of the rising conflict between the Hutu and the Tutsi living in Rwanda. Ever since the Rwandan independence of Belgium in 1962 the situation between the Hutu and Tusti worsened. In 1994, the Hutu movement Rwandan Patriotic Front committed mass murders on Tutsi, and Hutu moderates. Because of this genocide an enormous exodus of refugees took place. Over two million of people fled from Rwanda to Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda and Zaire. In April 1994 alone, 500,000 Rwandans entered Tanzania

Scenes

Rwandese Hutu and Tutsi corpses in river Tanzania
In this clip we see two Tanzanian soldiers at the boarder of Tanzania and Rwanda, formed by a river. They have seen a vast amount of corpses of murdered Rwandese people floating by in the river. The Rwandese people were Tutsi and Hutu victims of the Rwanda civil war.
Changes Ngara, Tanzania due to Rwandese refugees
A local resident of the Tanzanian village Ngara describes local changes due to the coming of thousands of Rwandese refugees during the Rwanda civil war to the area and the development of the refugee camp.
Criminality in Ngara Tanzania and Rwandan refugees
In Ngara, Tanzania, a group of local men are guarding the village during night by walking around with weapons. They try to capture criminals and drop them off at the police station. The men state that most criminals are Rwandese refugees who fled the Rwanda civil war and live in the refugee camp nearby.
Rwandan refugees in Ngara Tanzanian and increasing work judge.
The local judge working in the village Ngara, Tanzania, states that his workload has increased heavily by the large number of Rwandan refugees coming in the area due to the Rwanda civil war. This clip also shows parts of a trial against a Rwandese man.
Homeless Rwandese children in refugee camp Tanzania
In this clip, homeless Rwandan children living in the refugee camp near Ngara, Tanzania, tell about their lives. Some have been witnesses of murders during the Rwanda civil war.
Rwandan refugee in Tanzania about her life
A female Rwandan refugee living in the refugee camp near Ngara, Tanzania for over 2 years tells her story about the Rwanda civil war . When the murders between the Hutu and Tutsi started she fled the country with her family.