Hôtel des Mille Collines
Encyclopedia
Kigali
Kigali, population 965,398 , is the capital and largest city of Rwanda. It is situated near the geographic centre of the nation, and has been the economic, cultural, and transport hub of Rwanda since it became capital at independence in 1962. The main residence and offices of the President of...
, the capital city of Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
. It became famous as the building in which more than a thousand people took refuge during the Rwandan Genocide
Rwandan Genocide
The Rwandan Genocide was the 1994 mass murder of an estimated 800,000 people in the small East African nation of Rwanda. Over the course of approximately 100 days through mid-July, over 500,000 people were killed, according to a Human Rights Watch estimate...
of 1994. The story of the hotel and its manager at that time, Paul Rusesabagina
Paul Rusesabagina
Paul Rusesabagina is a Rwandan humanitarian who has been internationally honored for saving 1,268 refugees during the Rwandan Genocide. He was the assistant manager of the Sabena Hôtel des Mille Collines before he became the manager of the Hôtel des Diplomates, both in Kigali, Rwanda...
, was used as the basis of the film Hotel Rwanda
Hotel Rwanda
Hotel Rwanda is a 2004 American drama film directed by Terry George. It was adapted from a screenplay written by both George and Keir Pearson. Based on real life events which took place in Rwanda during the spring of 1994, the film stars Don Cheadle as hotelier Paul Rusesabagina, who attempts to...
.
History
The Belgian airline SabenaSabena
SABENA was the national airline of Belgium from 1923 to 2001, with its base at Brussels National Airport. After its bankruptcy in 2001, the newly formed SN Brussels Airlines took over part of SABENA's assets in February 2002, which then became Brussels Airlines...
owned the hotel at the time of the genocide. The European managers were flown out and Rusesabagina, manager of the smaller Hôtel des Diplomates at that time, was made manager. With the help of his wife he bribed the Hutu
Hutu
The Hutu , or Abahutu, are a Central African people, living mainly in Rwanda, Burundi, and eastern DR Congo.-Population statistics:The Hutu are the largest of the three peoples in Burundi and Rwanda; according to the United States Central Intelligence Agency, 84% of Rwandans and 85% of Burundians...
Interahamwe
Interahamwe
The Interahamwe is a Hutu paramilitary organization. The militia enjoyed the backing of the Hutu-led government leading up to, during, and after the Rwandan Genocide. Since the genocide, they have been forced out of Rwanda, and have sought asylum in Congo...
militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
with money and alcohol to keep them from killing the refugees in the hotel. He also managed to provide the refugees with food and water.
The four star hotel continues to operate. It has 112 rooms, a bar/café, three conference rooms, a restaurant, and the now famous swimming pool.
According to the official website 'on September 15, 2005, the Hôtel des Mille Collines was handed over from Sabena Hotels Belgium (its owner during the Genocide) to Mikcor Hotels holding Rwanda'.
The French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
'des Mille Collines' ('of a thousand hills') is another (poetic) name for Rwanda. The real hotel does not actually appear in the film which was largely shot in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. The hotel does however appear as itself in the 2005 HBO film Sometimes in April
Sometimes In April
Sometimes in April is a 2005 historical drama television film about the Rwandan Genocide of 1994, written and directed by the Haitian filmmaker Raoul Peck...
and the 2007 Canadian film "Shake Hands with the Devil" which were shot on location in Rwanda.
Ownership
MIKCOR Hotel Holding has taken over Hotel des Mille Collines from SABENA Hotels for USDUnited States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
$3.2million (approx. RWF
Rwandan franc
The Rwandan franc is the currency of Rwanda. It is subdivided into 100 centimes.-History:...
1.8 billion), according to the contract that was signed on August 10, 2005.
Miko Rwayitare, the Managing Director of the MIKCOR group, said during the handover held at the hotel on Thursday 16, that the group now owns 89% of the Hotel with 8.5% and 2.5% owned by Rwanda Development Bank (BRD) and the government of Rwanda, respectively. Rwayitare is also the Executive Chairman of Telecel International, a communications company.