Rwandan Genocide

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Rwandan Genocide
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History of Rwanda

• Majority Hutus (85) and minority Tutsis (15)
  lived together peacefully
• Hutus farmers
• Tutsis cattle raisers
• Also, Twa indigenous population
• All share common language
• 2.5 million population (2005)
• Most densely populated country in Africa

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Colonization of Rwanda

• 1894 colonized by Germans
• 1917 given to Belgium after WWI
• Created "Ruanda-Urundi," with Burundi
• Belgians favored Tutsis
• Government issued identity cards to separate
  tribes
• Gave government jobs and special tax cuts to
  Tutsis
• Created discontent and resentment
• 1959 Hutu rebels overthrew Tutsi Monarchy
• Bloody hundreds killed
• July 1962 official independence
• Hutus already controlled much of government
• Over next several years, thousands of Tutsis
  killed and tens of thousands displaced to Burundi

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Belgian Rule
The size of the nose and the color of the eyes
were factors that determined whether a person was
classified as Hutu, Tutsi or Twa.
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Rwandan Civil War

• Tutsi exiles formed Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF)
• 1990 launched civil war from Uganda
• Rwandan government, led by President Habyarimana
  reacted
• Targeted killings of Tutsi population claiming
  RPF trying to take over and enslave Hutus
• Aug. 4, 1992 civil war ended
• Peace agreement in Arusha, Tanzania by both
  parties
• The Arusha Accord outlined that a new
  transitional government be set up, a general
  election be held by 1995, and an international
  peacekeeping force be deployed.

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Rwandan Peace Negotiations

• Even though Habyarimana signed accord, he
  privately dismissed it
• Regularly ordered killing of groups of Tutsis by
  secret death guards
• Included some members of Presidential Guard
• Also trained popular militia Interhamwe
• Feb. 1993 Despite peace negotiations, violence
  flared between RPF and government
• Feb. 1993 UN invited by both sides to help
  negotiate peace agreements
• United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda
  (UNAMIR)
• Led by Canadian Romeo Dallaire

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Rwandan Genocide

• April 6, 1994 President Habyarimana killed in
  plane crash
• RPF blamed
• still not clear if RPF or Hutu extremists
• Sparked well planned genocide signal to
  Interhamwe to being killings
• Hutu government officials called for
  self-defense against Tutsi accomplices and
  enemies
• Used radio and media to promote messages of hate
• Road blocks set up
• Within hours, organized and systematic program
  for mass extermination was underway

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Genocide

• Once genocide began, most of UN peacekeepers
  removed because beyond scope of their commitment
• 10 Belgian peacekeepers killed
• For over 3 months, Tutsis were hunted tortured
  and massacred on the streets, in their homes, in
  churches and in schools
• Civilians joined in violence
• Used guns and often machetes against their
  neighbors
• Identity cards that were introduced under Belgian
  rule used
• RPF invades from Burundi
• Over 2 million Hutus flee to Zaire fearing
  attacks from RPF
• UN responds with limited troops and humanitarian
  aid
• Problem French troops had provided arms to
  government, so majority of Rwandans distrustful

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Rwandan Genocide

• By July, RPF taken control of Kigali (capital)
• Ended genocide
• Around 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus lost
  their lives in 100 days (1/10 of population)

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Refugees
Rwandan refugees tried to escape the horrors of
the genocide by going to Tanzania, but were
turned back by at the borders by Tanzanian
soldiers.
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International Response

• Policymakers in France, Belgium, the United
  States and the United Nations were aware of the
  preparations for systematic extermination but did
  not to intervene
• The U.S., attributing the massacres to "tribal
  warfare," instructed officials not to use the
  term "genocide"
• 1994 - International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
  set up to prosecute those who bear the most
  responsibility for genocide, crimes against
  humanity, and other serious violations of
  international humanitarian law
• So far, 17 people convicted, 24 currently on
  trial and 22 awaiting trial
• Also local courts trying perpetrators
• Gacaca - direct participation of each member of
  the community in confronting, rehabilitating and
  reintegrating accused perpetrators into the
  community

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Lessons

• 1999 Independent inquiry into events
• UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, We will not
  deny that, in their greatest hour of need, the
  world failed the people of Rwanda"
• Resulted in international calls for a system to
  identify potential genocides in their earliest
  stages and intervene so that what happened in
  Rwanda never happens again