The Rwandan Genocide

A Civil War Between the Hutus and the Tutsis

Rwanda is a land locked country in Central Africa, bordered by Uganda (north), Tanzania (east), Burundi (south) and DRC (west) Long ago, Rwanda and Burundi were one nation. The Hutu and Tutsi lived here.

Who are the Hutus & Tutsis

•Two groups of people that settled in present day Rwanda close to 2000 years ago.

•Tutsis may have migrated from Ethiopia. •United:

•Developed a single language (Kinyarwanda) •One set of religious and philosophical beliefs.

Working Together • The Hutus and Tutsis farmed and raised livestock. • Fertile soil and regular rain • There are 11 million people who live in Rwanda today. It is one of Africa’s smallest countries in terms of territory only 9,600 square miles but one of the most densely populated.

A Division Begins •1700’s: Rwanda is powerful. •Wealth measured in cattle.

•Tutsi were “rich in cattle”. They were the elite and ruling class. •Hutu had less livestock and less power.

Physical Appearance Hutus and Tutsis did not usually

intermarry. ◦ Each developed distinctive features.

The Tutsis ◦ tall, thin, with narrow features, and fair skin.

The Hutus ◦ shorter, stronger, with broader features, and darker skin.

Colonization •Germans arrived in early 1900s •Germans protected Rwanda but also exploited it.

Colonization Continued

• After WWI, Germany lost Rwanda. • Belgium took control.

Belgium Brings Further Division • In 1916 the Belgians colonized Rwanda and divided up the tribes. •Belgium exploited the class system. •Tutsis gained “superior” status – enjoyed better jobs and educational opportunities (lighter skinned, thinner facial features, taller) •Hutu deprived privileges of Tutsis, become laboring class (darker, wider facial features, shorter)

Why favor Tutsis? •Tutsis appeared more European

•Tall, slender features. •Hutus appeared less European.

No proof of ethnicity? Belgians would simply measure your

physical features.

•More European = Tutsi. •More African = Hutu.

Hutus vs. Tutsis • The Hutus - majority –

•Considered commoners. • The Tutsis minority –

•Considered the elite class •Large estates, servants, and many cattle.

Hutu – 85% Tutsi – 14%

PARMEHUTU 1959 •The Party for the Emancipation of the Hutus. •Hutus resist Belgian power and the Tutsi elite. •150,000 Tutsis flee south

•Burundi was still part of Rwanda.

Belgium Leaves •1959 – Riots in Rwanda many Tutsis killed or fled to Burgundi, Uganda and Tanzania

•In the 1960’s Belgium out of Rwanda.

•Hutus win elections.

•Hutus take their place as leaders in society & government.

•Rwanda and Burundi split into two different countries.

Identification Cards • Laws gave special privileges to the Tutsi • ID cards distinguish who is who.

Rwandan Independence 1962 Belgians give Rwanda independence, UN monitored referendum Gregoire Kayibanda (1924-1976) became countries first president, corrupt and weak leader.

Ousted through Coup d’etat – Major General Juvenal Habyarimana (1937-1994)

Habyarimana created a one party state, he was elected three times between 1978-1988 (only candidate). In 1990 under pressure from Rwanda Civil Society and international groups he created a multiparty democracy

Tutsi flee in 1960s • Tutsis made scapegoats for problems of Rwanda • Angry at past repression, Hutus fight the Tutsis. • Many Tutsis are killed. 50% of Tutsis flee.

Tutsi Exclusion in 70s and 80s Hutu government policy excludes Tutsi ◦ Barred from best universities ◦ Barred from many jobs

Rwandan Patriotic Front Many Tutsi refugees want to return home In 1986 Habyarimana declared that those

who had been expelled in 1982 would not be allowed to repatriate

In 1988 the Tutsi refugees declared their right to return.

This led to rising militancy in the Uganda-based refugee community

Tutsi Refugees and Hutu moderates form Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF)

RPF seizes power in Uganda 1988.

Rwandan Patriotic Front 1990 - the RPF launched a major attack on Rwanda

from Uganda with a force of 7,000 fighters. Because of the RPF attacks (which displaced

thousands & a policy of gov’t propaganda), all Tutsis inside the country were labeled accomplices of the RPF and Hutu members of the opposition parties were labeled as traitors.

Bad Economic times

Coffee prices collapse in 1989. Hutu government scapegoats Tutsis

Igniting Violence •Hutu leader, Dr. Leon Mugesera

•“Send the Tutsis back to Ethiopia!” •Other radical Hutus said

•“Clean up the filth” •“Kill the Tutsi cockroaches.”

RPF vs. Rwanda Habyarimana's forces successfully repelled

the original RPF incursion, in 1990, but the attacks continued for the next two years.

As a result Habyarimana was forced to consolidate his political base and use strong-arm tactics against his own population.

Negotiations – Aug. 1993

• President Habyarimana (a Hutu President) and the RPF. sign a peace accord that calls for a return of Tutsi refugees. • It also calls for a and power-sharing agreement • 2,500 United Nations troops deploy to oversee the peace accord • Although Habyarimana helped broker peace – he encouraged churches and media to demonize Tutsi’s. Propaganda went out to the masses in regards to Tutsi desire to once again enslave the Hutu

Will there be peace? • Rwandan president stalls in creating a unified government in which the power is shared. • Militias train. Violence intensifies.

GENOCIDE…

GENOCIDE During the years leading up to 1994, human rights groups reported numerous human rights violations in Rwanda to the UN. Training of Militia and distribution of weapons like Machetes were done in the open. Government hate propaganda circulated throughout the country “They used to say you have to shorten the Tutsi, who are supposed to be taller than the Hutu. So in Rwanda, when the radio military used to say you have to shorten the Tutsis, everyone understood that you have to kill them.”

April 6, 1994

• Plane carrying President Habyarimana and Burundi president , Cyprien Ntaryamira, is shot down. • No one knows who shot down the presidents’ plane.

April 7, 1994 Extremist radio station, Radio Mille

Collines: • “it is time for us to cut down the tall trees.”

10 Belgian soldiers and the moderate Hutu PM and torured and killed

This began an organized & systematic program for mass extermination

Genocide Between April and June of 1994, an estimated 800,000 Rwandans, from the group known as Tutsis, were killed in the span of 100 days Many were tortured or even hacked to death by machete-wielding neighbors.

Genocide Between April and June of 1994, an estimated 800,000 Rwandans, from the group known as Tutsis, were killed in the span of 100 days

Many were tortured or even hacked to death by machete-wielding neighbors.

The Genocide

• The Hutu militia, 30,000 strong, slaughtered any Tutsi they could find. •They encouraged Hutu civilians to do the same. •Hutus were forced to kill their Tutsi neighbors.

•Some moderate Hutu were also slaughtered.

The U.N. Leaves Rwanda too dangerous for UN? The security council upon the urging of the U.S. and Belgium removed peace keeping forces

Westerners Out France and Belgium rescue westerners. No Rwandans evacuated ◦ Not even employees in western embassies.

UN pulls all but 250 peacekeepers out

Where was the help?

No country sent troops.

GENOCIDE ????? U.N. Security Council condemns the

killing, but omits the word "genocide.“ Had the term been used, the U.N. would

have been legally obliged to act to "revent and punish" the perpetrators

After 100 days of killings the international community recognized the extent of the genocide and the effects of their failure to act.

May 1998: UN Secretary-General apologized to the Parliament of Rwanda

An End to the Genocide • In July 1994, the RPF captured the city of Kigali. • The Hutu government collapsed. • RPF take power & declare a cease-fire • 1½ - 2 million Hutu fled to Zaire (Rep. of Congo)

A New Government •July 19 a new multi-ethnic government formed

•Promised all refugees safe return to Rwanda.

•A Hutu, Pasteur Bizimungu, inaugurated as pres. •Majority of cabinet posts assigned to Tutsis.

Justice for Genocide •Rwandan seeks justice for the murder of close to a million people. •Many have been found guilty of war crimes. •500 have been executed for their war crimes.

•100,000 are still in prison

Works Cited • Human Rights Watch Publications “Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda” http://www.hrw.org/reports/1999/rwanda/Geno1-3-09.htm#P200_83746 • BBC News “Rwanda: How a Genocide Happened” http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1288230.stm •PBS Frontline “Timeline Rwanda: A Chronology of Key Events” http://pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/rwanda/etc/cron.html