There are similarities and differences. Mind you, I'm going from memory and not quoting any sources, but:

In Rwanda, the aircraft in question was obviouosly shot down by AA fire. The government official who was killed was a member of the ruling party, not the rebels, and it was members of the ethnic group in control that began slaughtering members of the ethnic group from which the rebels came.

I'm normally not a big fan of the crap coming out of Hollywood these days, but I highly recommend the Movie Hotel Rwanda.