The 1994 Rwanda Genocide

In 1994, a small country known as Rwanda, located in Africa, was devastated by a mass genocide over a short span of time. This tragedy between the Hutus and the Tutsis occurred over a span of 100 days and had 800 000 to 1 000 000 fatalities. Although small in comparison to other genocides such as the holocaust, the damage, emotionally and physically, was certain. The two populations, the Hutus and the Tutsis had major conflict in previous years, this eventually built up, thus resulting in the Hutu people to enforce mass murder on the Tutsis. Over the years there is and was great controversy as to what the main motivation of the Hutu people was to start the genocide. The motives of the Hutu people that caused the Rwandan Genocide of 1994 was

(1) The Tutsis rebel group tried to over throw the Hutu government who had finally become in power after years of inequality. This resulted in months of violence and attacks. Although a peace treaty was later formed in 1993 the Hutus would not forget that Tutsis would again try to force inferiority on the Hutu people. This demonstrates that the Hutu people, although signing a peace treaty, would still hold a grudge on the Tutsis. (2) The repetitive want for inequality from the Tutsi people would continue to enrage the Hutu people and become a major causes of the Rwandan Genocide. The fact that despite the Hutu people winning over the government the Tutsis refused to accept this. Therefore, another reason for the Hutu people to have motive for revenge and begin the Rwandan Genocide was because of the Tutsis, lack of respect for majority of the population of Rwanda (the Hutu) as well as trying to over throw the Hutus and become superior in the nation once

On April 6, 1994 the President of Rwanda and the President of Burundi, both Hutu men, were travelling in a plane. At this time their plane was shot down and all passengers died inside. Not surprisingly, the Hutu could only imagine that the RPF, Rwandan Patriotic Front, the rebel group, shot down the plane. (1) Again, in hope of overthrowing the government that was once theirs. This final straw caused the Hutu people to crave and have reason for revenge. The killing of their leader as well as another Hutu man was now dead. The Hutu people had felt the Tutsis had tried to over throw them too many times and shown too much disrespect to their people. The Tutsis treated the Hutus as if they were their political props to prove their points. The Tutsis treated the Hutus like objects not people, killing whoever was in there way of superiority and power. Therefore, the Hutus final reason and motivation for revenge was to fight for their rights as people and not political