Intro to Rwandan Genocide

1. Intro to Rwandan Genocide

2. Early Roots (Pre-WWI) Rwanda-Urundi was a colony of Germany After WWI and the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was stripped of it’s colonies, including Rwanda-Urundi Rwanda-Urundi became a territory to be controlled by Belgium (League of Nations action) and eventually became two different territories – Rwanda and Burundi

4. Both Germans and Belgians used a class system to divide up the native population of Rwanda and Burundi Tutsis (14%) and Hutus (85%) Tutsis were favored by European powers because they were more “white” Germans and Belgians gave more privileges to the Tutsis (political power, etc) As a result, this bred hatred and resentment from the Hutus

5. Eventually, the Belgians begin to enforce the use of “identity cards” which all Hutus and Tutsis had to carry

6. For decades, the two ethnic groups and Europeans clashed • 1926 - Parmehutu created (Hutu liberation/emancipation) • 1959 - Hutus rebel against Belgian government; forced 150,000 Tutsis to flee to Burundi • 1960 - Hutus win elections • 1961-62 – Belgian powers withdraw and Rwanda and Burundi become two separate, independent nations • 1962 – Rwanda elects a new president, GregoireKayibanda, a Hutu, fighting continues and forced thousands of Tutsis to flee to Burundi (Burundi still controlled by Tutsis)

7. 1963 – Exiled Tutsis (those forced to flee to Burundi attack Rwanda and Hutus) Hutus respond with massacres of Tutsis living in Rwanda, more Tutsis fled (at this point, over half of the Tutsis are living outside of Rwanda) 1967 – renewed massacres of Tutsis 1973 – JevenalHabyarima seizes power, more killings, Tutsis also kicked out of universities, Tutsis restricted to 9% of all available jobs (ethnic quotas)

8. 1975 – Habyarimana political party formed, Hutus given overwhelming preference in public service and military jobs, pattern of exclusion continues throughout 70s and 80s 1986 – Rwandan Patriotic Front formed, a Tutsi dominated organization (based in Uganda) 1989 – coffee prices fall – severe economic problems plague Rwanda

9. 1990 - Rwandan Patriotic Front invades Rwanda from Uganda; fierce fighting follows, cease-fire signed on 3-21-1991 1990/1991 – Rwandan government starts to arm and train civilian militias, interahamwe (those who stand together); Habyarimana government refuses to allow a multiple party system (keeping all of the power) and thousands of Tutsis are massacred in separate incidents across the country

10. Interahamwe

11. 1992 – Prominent Hutu activist appeals to Hutus – send Tutsis back to Ethiopia via the rivers 1993 – Rwandan Patriotic Front launches another attack – fighting last for several months; President Habyarimana continues to refuse to share power, training of militias intensifies, extremist radio stations begins planning attacks, human rights groups begin to warn of the impending disaster

12. March 1994 – Human rights activists evacuate their families as they see what’s ahead April 6, 1994 – President Habyarimana and the president of Burundi are killed when the plane is shot down (extremists are susected because the president was about to sign the Arusha Accords which would have ended the civil war) The night of the plane crash, the killing begins

14. April 7, 1994 – The Rwandan Armed Forces and the Interahamwe set up road blocks and go house to house killing Tutsis and moderate Hutu politicians, thousands die on the first day and the UN forces stand by, forbidden to do anything as it would breech their “monitoring” mandate

15. April 21, 1994 – UN cuts its forces from 2500 to 250 after ten Belgian soldiers were killed April 30, 1994 – UN discusses Rwandan crisis, but refuses to use the word “genocide” to describe it, had they used genocide, the UN could have legally “prevent and punish” the perpetrators

16. May 17, 1994 – UN sends 6800 troops and agrees that “acts of genocide” had occurred, deployed troops delayed because their were arguments over who would pay the bill and provide equipment July 17, 1994 – Rwandan Patriotic Force captured Kigali, although disease and more killings claim additional lives in the refugee camps, the genocide is over

17. Notes: Rwandan Genocide • I. Small country in central Africa • II. Most densely populated in Africa • III. Two major ethnic groups • A. Hutus (Majority – had long been persecuted by European powers) • B. Tutsis (minority – had been favored by European powers) • IV. After planning, Hutu majority launched an assault on Tutsis and Moderate Hutus • V. 4-7-1994 – Approximately 1 million people killed in less than 100 days