H.R. No. 1082
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, A little over 10 years ago, some of the worst
atrocities in the history of mankind took place in the African
country of Rwanda, and although the events passed largely unnoticed
by the rest of the world, a true hero emerged from that terrible
carnage and he is Paul Rusesabagina; and
WHEREAS, In April 1994, Mr. Rusesabagina was the acting
manager of the luxury Mille Collines hotel in the capital city of
Kigali when the Hutu militia began brutally killing their Tutsi
neighbors; incited by the assassination of Rwandan president
Juvenal Habyarimana, Hutu extremist politicians blamed Tutsi
rebels for their leader's death and the streets were quickly filled
by Hutu militia, who killed the Tutsi business and political elite
before turning to ordinary citizens; and
WHEREAS, At its peak, the genocide claimed 8,000 lives per
day, and before it was over, it is estimated that somewhere between
800,000 and one million Rwandans were murdered; and
WHEREAS, More than 1,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus found a
safe haven in Mr. Rusesabagina's hotel, which he turned into an
impromptu refugee camp; the hotel had no defense against attacks,
but with exceptional courage and conviction, this ordinary
businessman managed to hold off the encroaching violence for 11
harrowing weeks and save the lives of most of the people he
sheltered, including his own wife and children; and
WHEREAS, Now a businessman in Belgium, Mr. Rusesabagina
served as a special consultant on the 2004 United Artists film,
Hotel Rwanda, which was inspired by his remarkable story; this
powerful and moving motion picture earned three Academy Award
nominations, including one for actor Don Cheadle, who played Mr.
Rusesabagina in the movie; and
WHEREAS, A recipient of Amnesty International's Enduring
Spirit award and the Immortal Chaplains Foundation Prize for
Humanity, Mr. Rusesabagina continues to be involved in charity
organizations aiding survivors of the Rwandan tragedy and has set
up the Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation to further help the
relief effort; and
WHEREAS, In these complex times, it is often difficult to do
the right thing, but Paul Rusesabagina's inspiring story teaches us
that it is possible for one man to make a profound difference if he
is willing to put the welfare of others before his own; it is indeed
a privilege to welcome Mr. Rusesabagina to the State Capitol; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas
Legislature hereby honor Paul Rusesabagina for his extraordinary
humanitarianism and extend to him sincere best wishes for an
enjoyable visit to Texas; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Rusesabagina as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
Coleman
Craddick Geren Menendez
Allen of Harris Giddings Merritt
Allen of Dallas Gonzales Miller
Alonzo Gonzalez Toureilles Moreno of Harris
Anchia Goodman Moreno of El Paso
Anderson Goolsby Morrison
Bailey Griggs Mowery
Baxter Grusendorf Naishtat
Berman Guillen Nixon
Blake Haggerty Noriega
Bohac Hamilton Oliveira
Bonnen Hamric Olivo
Branch Hardcastle Orr
Brown of Kaufman Harper-Brown Otto
Brown of Brazos Hartnett Paxton
Burnam Hegar Pena
Callegari Herrero Phillips
Campbell Hilderbran Pickett
Casteel Hill Pitts
Castro Hochberg Puente
Chavez Hodge Quintanilla
Chisum Homer Raymond
Coleman Hope Reyna
Cook of Navarro Hopson Riddle
Cook of Colorado Howard Ritter
Corte Hughes Rodriguez
Crabb Hunter Rose
Crownover Hupp Seaman
Davis of Harris Isett Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Dallas Jackson Smith of Harris
Dawson Jones of Lubbock Smithee
Delisi Jones of Dallas Solis
Denny Keel Solomons
Deshotel Keffer of Dallas Strama
Driver Keffer of Eastland Straus
Dukes King of Parker Swinford
Dunnam King of Zavala Talton
Dutton Kolkhorst Taylor
Edwards Krusee Thompson
Eiland Kuempel Truitt
Eissler Laney Turner
Elkins Laubenberg Uresti
Escobar Leibowitz Van Arsdale
Farabee Luna Veasey
Farrar Madden Villarreal
Flores Martinez Vo
Flynn Martinez Fischer West
Frost McCall Wong
Gallego McClendon Woolley
Gattis McReynolds Zedler
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1082 was adopted by the House on April
11, 2005, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House