Roots of the Rwandan Genocide - 1739 Words

On April 6, 1994, Rwanda experienced a period of great turmoil as thousands of people fell victim to the horrors of the Rwandan genocide. The main targets of the genocide were Tutsis and Hutu moderates. Though the main cause of the genocide was a conflict between two ethnicities, the genocide was also fueled by political factors and social conditions. Rwanda is the smallest sub-Saharan country with a population of about 7 million inhabitants. Although the indigenous peoples of Rwanda are the Twa, they are now the minority. 90% of Rwandas population is comprised of Hutus, and the rest of the populations majority consists of Tutsi people. Hatred between the two ethnic groups had begun in the pre-colonial era, which was long before the 20th†¦show more content†¦As a result, peace and unity between the Hutu and Tutsi military and political groups was never achieved, thus leading to the assassination of the president. The Genocide Roughly 800,000 Tutsis and Hutu sympathizers were killed during the events of the Rwandan genocide. Although tensions were high between the Hutus and the Tutsis long before the genocide began, the assassination of Rwandas second president, President Habyariama, created even more hostility between the two ethnic groups. Extreme Hutu nationalists accused a Tutsi organization called the Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF), and many Tutsis blamed Hutus. Because of this disagreement, extremist Hutu groups such as the Hutu militia and the Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR) were encouraged by radical radio stations to use brutality and force to seek revenge for the death of the Hutu president. Within the first few days of the genocide, Hutu militia groups executed the US Ambassador to Rwanda, Ambassador Rawson, and 250 other Americans. The FAR and Hutu militia used rape as a tactic to defeat the opposing groups. Moreover, the Hutu radical groups used rape as a major weapon throughout the e vents of the genocide. In early July, towards the end of the genocide, the RPF gained control of the country through a military offensive †¦ hundreds of thousands of Rwandans were dead and many more displaced from their homes . Because the genocide lasted only 100Show MoreRelatedEssay on Genocide: Examples of Rowanda and Germany885 Words   |  4 Pagesdefinition, genocide is the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular ethnic group or nation. The Rwandan Genocide was the 1994 mass killing of hundreds of thousands of Rwandas Tutsis and Hutu political moderates by the Hutu dominated government under the Hutu Power ideals. Hutus believed the Tutsi were taking their jobs, and that they were foreigners who had worn out their welcome (Genocide-Rwanda). In comparison to Germany, the largest genocide in history,Read MoreGhosts of Rwanda Essay1374 Words   |  6 PagesRwanda Reflection Does the Genocide in Rwanda have a singular cause? I do not believe so; the cause of genocide in Rwanda in 1994 was due to years of built up hatred between the Tutsis and the Hutus along with many other occurrences. The Rwandan Genocide is no exception with many variables contributing to the horrific events that took place. According to the documentary Ghosts of Rwanda, in 1994, Rwanda experienced a premeditated, systematic and state sponsored genocide with the aim of exterminatingRead MoreChristianity and Genocide in Rwanda800 Words   |  4 Pages Christianity and Genocide in Rwanda by Timothy Longman discusses the roles of the churches in Rwanda and how their influence might have been able to alter the outcome of the genocide. 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The Belgians viewed Tutsi superiorRead MoreRe Writing History And Rwandan Identity Through The Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre Essay1473 Words   |  6 PagesRe-writing History and Rwandan Identity Through the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre In April 2004, the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre opened to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide. Peacefully overlooking the city of Kigali, the Centre seeks to be a place of remembrance and honor for survivors as well as a step towards creating Rwanda’s post-genocide identity. Rwanda has sought to find its place politically, socially, and in memory through this westernized approach to remembranceRead MoreEssay on Restorative Justice: Forgiveness is the Best Punishment852 Words   |  4 Pagesour time in Rwanda. By the end of the massacre one million people were dead and hundreds were left with physical and psychological scars. The genocide was fueled by years of hatred between the Hutus and the Tutsis. After the genocide the Rwandan government was left with the task of designing a justice system suitable to prosecute perpetrators of the genocide and the reestablishment of peace within the country. Due to the lack of a competent judicial system, the go vernment initiated a traditional conflictRead MoreWe Cry On The Inside : Image Theater And Rwanda s Culture Of Silence1688 Words   |  7 Pages It is often discussed that Rwandans have a â€Å"culture of silence† or an aptitude to withhold their personal struggles or opinions. There are phrases in Kinyarwanda that demonstrate this cultural trait such as â€Å"keep it all inside† and â€Å"we cry on the inside† (Blair Fletcher 4). In Blair and Fletcher’s article We Cry on the Inside: Image Theater and Rwanda’s Culture of Silence, a member of one of the theater activities stated â€Å"It’s not easy to explain your problems to another. It’s considered unacceptableRead More Genocide in Rwanda Essay1123 Words   |  5 PagesGenocide War is not a necessary evil humans must endure. Although, war is not necessary, humans go to war to try to gain power, fortune, and to spread their particular group’s religions and beliefs. By definition civilization is an advanced state of intellectual, cultural, and material development in human society, marked by progress in the arts and sciences, the extensive use of record-keeping, including writing, and the appearance of complex political and social institutions. The chaos of warRead MoreWhat was the Cause of the Rwandan Genocide?1116 Words   |  5 PagesWhat was the cause of the Rwandan Genocide? The assassination of the president of Rwanda, Juvenal Habyarimana on April 6, 1994, was the event that started the 100 Day massacre of the Tutsis by the Hutus, known as the Rwandan Genocide. The objective of this investigation is to find out the root of the cause of the Rwandan Genocide. The body of evidence will investigate the history of the conflict between the Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups and the events leading up to the genocide. The evidence includesRead MoreThe Rwandan Genocide s Impact On The Experiences Of The Children And Youths Present At The Time1622 Words   |  7 PagesThe genocide in Rwanda is representative of one of the most horrendous and unnecessary losses to life in recent world history. Rwanda’s crisis is a historical product, not a biological fatality or a ‘spontaneous’ bestial outburst. Both the Tutsi and the Hutu, were not predestined for all eternity to disembowel one another because the taller and thinner of the two came from Egypt, whi le the shorter stockier ones were born in the shores of Lake Kivu. This genocide has a history filled with complex