Alison Des Forges (1942 - 2009)

February 13, 2009 12:53 PM

Alison Des Forges, American historian of Africa, MacArthur genius and top human-rights advocate, was an impassioned observer of the Rwandan genocide, lobbying the United States and United Nations to intervene in the killings, saving some Rwandans from certain death, and later writing one of the definitive histories of the events, "Leave none to tell the story". She testified at hundreds of trials and inquiries resulting from the genocide. Last night, she perished aboard Flight 3407. "Her death is a devastating blow," said the president of Human Rights Watch, where she worked as an advisor. "She epitomized the human rights activist — principled, dispassionate, committed to the truth and to using that truth to protect ordinary people."
posted by docgonzo (24 comments total)

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Her book about the genocide is devastating and very, very good.
posted by LobsterMitten at 1:05 PM on February 13, 2009

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posted by ltracey at 1:12 PM on February 13, 2009

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posted by ardgedee at 1:12 PM on February 13, 2009

now would be a good time to explain, god.
posted by klanawa at 1:16 PM on February 13, 2009

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posted by Smedleyman at 1:46 PM on February 13, 2009

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If this thread is showing up on the main site as deleted, why can I comment in it?
posted by dunkadunc at 2:04 PM on February 13, 2009

Dunno but there's no deletion reason yet?
posted by PeterMcDermott at 2:16 PM on February 13, 2009

The fearless leader told me there's a caching issue causing the post not to be included on the front. It's still alive, if intermittently invisible.
posted by docgonzo at 2:18 PM on February 13, 2009

Cue conspiracy theories.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 3:06 PM on February 13, 2009

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posted by iamkimiam at 3:10 PM on February 13, 2009

Thanks for the well presented and researched and timely and sad post.
posted by stonepharisee at 3:45 PM on February 13, 2009 [1 favorite]

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posted by mkim at 5:53 PM on February 13, 2009

now would be a good time to explain, god

comma optional
period not

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posted by hal9k at 6:05 PM on February 13, 2009

I'm wondering how much this will talked about on msm. If it will be talked about. To bury this on page 3 is a crime.
posted by sfts2 at 7:29 PM on February 13, 2009

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posted by boubelium at 11:29 PM on February 13, 2009

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posted by ChrisHartley at 6:58 AM on February 14, 2009

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posted by voltairemodern at 9:07 AM on February 14, 2009

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posted by LittleMissCranky at 9:52 AM on February 14, 2009

There are too few people in this world like Alison. I saw her speak a few years back, and she's been an inspiration since. Truly tragic.

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posted by anthropoid at 10:48 AM on February 14, 2009

I knew her. Her loss is tragic.
posted by Riverine at 11:15 AM on February 14, 2009

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posted by languagehat at 11:51 AM on February 14, 2009

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posted by lullaby at 6:47 PM on February 14, 2009

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posted by benzenedream at 11:23 PM on February 15, 2009

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posted by naoko at 7:05 AM on February 22, 2009