Rwanda Genocide Research Paper

In 1962 when Rwanda gained independence (A), the Hutu organised a revolution to overthrow the Tutsi government. When the Hutu government, under President Gregoire Kayibanda , took over, they favoured the Hutu. In 1994 when Juvenal Habyarimana, the ruling Hutu president was killed, the Hutu believed it was the Tutsi, who were trying to get revenge (H). This sparked of the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. The Rwandan Genocide took place between 7th April and 15th July in 1994. It was caused by the ongoing conflict between two ethnic groups of Rwanda, The Hutus and The Tutsis (E). It is well documented that between five-hundred thousand and one million Rwandan Tutsis along with thousands of Hutus, were murdered during this period. It was mainly the

Over the years, there clearly was a build-up of misunderstandings, the extent of which may never be completely unravelled, but they culminated into a genocide (A).

Notable, however, is the fact that when Rwanda was colonised by the Belgians in 1916, the colonisers created a greater divide between the two ethnic groups through their introduction of classism and favouritism of the Tutsis above the Hutu’s, which escalated ethnic tensions. Through a review of various literature sources, this paper endeavoured to explore the situation in Rwanda prior to colonialism followed by the change or impact colonialism brought to Rwanda and then it also discussed the extent to which Belgium colonialism may have contributed to the Rwandan

They usually occur as a result of a pile-up of misunderstandings and tension from the past (A). Therefore this could explain the fact that the Rwandan Genocide occurred many years after the tribal tension between the Hutu and Tutsi as well as colonialism. Before colonisers arrived in Rwanda, there was tribal tension between the two ethnic groups of Rwanda, the Hutu and the Tutsi. The Hutu made up the majority of the total population (85%). Although the Hutu and the Tutsi tribes were the dominant groups in Rwanda, there was also a smaller subdominant tribe called the Twa. Problems between the Tutsi and Hutu groups began as early as the 1300s (E). Although the Tutsi were not indigenous to Rwanda, they spoke the same language as the Hutu, Kinyarwanda (C). However when they arrived in the Rwandan region, they saw themselves as more superior than the local population they found due to their difference in physical appearance, mainly their stature(they were taller). Tutsi segregation from the Hutu took on ritual forms (C). It went to the extent of upholding the belief that Tutsi came from “another world” and that they deserved to be treated in a more superior manner by the Hutu (C). Power and authority were emphasised persistently in the Tutsi culture. This caused great tension amongst the tribes. Rwanda became a feudal kingdom which was ruled by the Tutsi tribe. The Tutsi made themselves Chiefs made the Hutu workers rather