I. Genocide in Rwanda

1994: Hutus (86%) committed a genocide against the Tutsis (14%)

Genocide: deliberate, systematic killing of a group of

people b/c of their race, religion, or ethnicity

Background Info: Rwanda: colonized by Belgium Belgians favored Tutsis over Hutus

Tutsis = European appearance (The Master Race) Educated, replaced Hutu chiefs, carried out colonial

policies against Hutus

1933: Identity card system instituted Post WWII: better educated Tutsis fight for

independence (Belgium switched support to the Hutu)

Tutsis fled to neighboring countries 1973: Hutu elected Pres.

Juvenal Habyarimana Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF): Tutsi guerilla

organization aimed to overthrow Hutu Pres.

1990: RPF invaded northeast Rwanda 1993: peace treaty signed betw. Hutu Pres & RPF

Granted the RPF political power/military presence in capital (Kigali)

BUT, Hutu extremists did not accept this peace plan Tutsis & moderate Hutus were targets of 1994 genocide

“HUTU POWER!”

The Genocide Begins… April 6, 1994: Pres’s. plane was shot down by…

Hutu extremists Interahamwe militia (those who attack together)

Hutus who carried out genocide against Tutsis Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana &

Belgian soldiers were killedU.N. w/draws troops

w/in 2 weeks, about 250,000 Tutsis & moderate Hutus were slaughtered …the dead of Rwanda accumulated at nearly three

times the rate of Jewish dead during the Holocaust.

World turned a blind eye July 1994: genocide ended after 3 ½

months w/RPF taking capital, Kigali

April 2000: RPF leader Paul Kagame (Tutsi) was elected Pres. (formed a unity govt.) Has promoted stability & reconciliationHas outlawed ethnicity

No more identity cards

How many died?

800,000 killed (men, women, & children)about 1/7th of total pop. (94% were Tutsi)

NEVER AGAIN! Western pledge to never allow another genocide to

occur since the Holocaust