Rwandan Genocide

“The Scramble for Africa”

• European colonists believed that since the Tutsi migrated to Rwanda from Ethiopia, they were more “Caucasian” than the Hutu and were therefore racially superior and better suited to carry out colonial administrative tasks.

• Belgian forces took control of Rwanda during World War I, and the country was formally passed to Belgian control by a League of Nations mandate in 1919.

Belgian Rule

• In the 1930s, the Belgians introduced large-scale projects in education, health, public works, and agricultural supervision.

• The country was thus modernized but Tutsi supremacy remained, leaving the Hutu disenfranchised and subject to large scale forced labor.

• In 1935, Belgium introduced identity cards labelling each individual as either Tutsi or Hutu.

Post WWII

• After World War II, a Hutu emancipation movement began to grow in Rwanda which eventually lead to the Rwandan Revolution of 1959-1961.

• This revolution contributed to Rwandan Independence (from Belgian Control in 1962) with the creation of a Hutu majority “Republican” Government.

Rwandan Genocide (1994)

• The mass slaughter of Tutsi and moderate Hutu peoples in Rwanda by members of the Hutu majority.

• During the approximate 100-day period from April 7, 1994 to mid-July, an estimated 500,000–1,000,000 Rwandans were killed,

• Constituting as much as 20% of the country's total population and 70% of the Tutsi’s then living in Rwanda.

Rwandan Genocide Cont. (1994)

• The genocide was planned by members of the core political elite known as the Akazu, many of whom occupied positions at top levels of the national government.

• Perpetrators came from the ranks of the Rwandan army, the National Police, government-backed militias including the Interahamwe, and the Hutu civilian population.

“Cut the Tall Trees”

• In Hotel Rwanda, Georges Rutaganda says "Cut the tall trees. Cut the tall trees now!" The Hutu Power radio station begins broadcasting this prearranged code.

• It means begin exterminating the Tutsis.

Paul Rusesabagina (Hutu) attempts to rescue his fellow citizens from the ravages of the Rwandan Genocide.

His wife, Tatiana is Tutsi.

• Georges Rutaganda a friendly goods supplier to the hotel who is also the local leader of Interahamwe, a brutal anti-Tutsi militia.

• The UN Peacekeeping forces, led by Canadian Colonel Oliver are unable to take “assertive action” against the Interahamwe since they are forbidden to intervene in the genocide.