Carl Wilkens was invited to UT by Students Taking Action Now for Darfur, STAND, to speak about his experiences during the Rwandan Genocide.
In his speech’s background, Wilkens showed pictures of some of his experiences and a short video of his campaign for understanding and peace.
Wilkens and his family moved to Rwanda in 1990 to do humanitarian work with the organization, Adventist Development and Relief Agency. With the group, they built schools, hospitals and socialized with their neighbors.
Wilkens gave a background on the Rwandan conflict, speaking a little about how the Rwandan people are divided into Hutu and Tutsi.
“Regardless of the discrimination, it wouldn’t have escalate without the government’s pushing,” Wilkens said.
Wilkens and his wife, Teresa, had a conversation about what they should do when they heard that the president’s plane was shot down and that an evacuation order was given.
“We were torn, because we didn’t want to leave the young lady and man in our house who could be in trouble, and at the time, we couldn’t image the concept of genocide,” Wilkens said.
In the end, Wilkens stayed behind, while his wife and children evacuated the country.
Wilkens continued to do humanitarian works. For example, he would deliver water and needed supplies to orphanages and others in need through armed checkpoints and hostile soldiers who would harass or kill the people who did not fit in or who were sympathetic to the Tutsi.
Red Cross workers were considered sympathetic, and many were killed, which forced the Red Cross to leave.
Wilkens was not excluded from this brutal treatment.
“I had crossed one of the checkpoints, and one of my water barrels had fallen out of my truck,” Wilkens said. “I thought I was far away from their snipers. I got out and started to put the barrel back in when a shot went through the driver’s seat. Suddenly that water barrel was not so important, and I left it and crawled in from the passenger seat.”
Wilkens also prevented a massacre at an orphanage by appealing to the prime minister to move the children to Saint Michael Cathedral.
During the move, the orphans were not allowed to collect their belongings and Wilkens had to go back to the government authorizers to gain a letter of permission to get the left-behind belongings.
Wilkens said he drove up to the orphanage with his truck and the soldiers were there looting the orphanage, but he presented the letter to the leader, who commanded some men to help him load the orphans’ things.
It amazed him that the same men who threatened and killed the orphans were also the same ones who helped load their belongings. This furthered his idea that to build relationships, one needs service and stories.
“The initial reason for staying was the young lady and man in our house that were there, and the reason never changed,” Wilkens said. “We see the needs of others as a vaccine against fear, which is made up of life experience and inspiration of others.”
One of Wilkens’ inspirations came from his neighbors. These unarmed women prevented a massacre in Wilkens’ home, while he and his family slept, unaware of what was going on.
Erin Captain, junior in social work, found out about the event from a flyer advisement.
She said she enjoyed the presentation and had some previous experience with the Rwanda Genocide from a class she took at Pellissippi State.
“Watching this presentation wants me to check out UT’s STAND,” Captain said. “I believe that people do have to speak out.”
Shannon Smith, a senior in psychology, found out about this event from her political science teacher who offered extra credit for attendance.
She said she felt that the stories hit home, and you can image your family going through them. The stories also inspire a call for action.
“They are human beings just like us, and it makes the story more credible to see the faces,” Smith said. “It puts more truth in the story.”