Using Rwanda as a case study, when does the concept of “national interest” come into play?

The concept of national interest is very significant but often it is misapplied and used by certain groups to achieve their mercantile purposes. The example of Rwanda perfectly illustrates that the concept of “national interest” comes into play when the future of the nation is under a threat. To put it more precisely, the civil war that struck the country resulted into the genocidal policies which threatened to a considerable part of the population of the country.

In fact, citizens of the country, being influenced by the ideology imposed on them by the ruling regime, conducted the policy of genocide and were ready to totally destroy opponents. At the same time, it is obvious that the national interests of Rwanda’s people are not limited by interests of certain ethnic groups. In actuality, the concept of “national interest” comes into play when the future of the nation, which was originally diverse, was under a threat. In other words, as soon as the civil was about to start the national interest of Rwanda should prevail over interests of certain politicians or groups which used the opposition between various ethnic group to gain the power in the country and improve their own position in the country and take a higher position in the social hierarchy.