Genocide in Rwanda

GENOCIDE IN RWANDA

GENERAL LAYOUT

1. RWANDA

- This small country in the cemter of Africa was first colonized by Germans for a short period, and then by Belgians.

- Ethnicity: there are two major ethnic groups in Rwanda. Hutu represented about 80-85% of total population before the genocide and about 90% of population after the genocide. Respectively, the Tutsi representaion in the total population has declined from about 14% to 8%. There is another minority group Twa which only makes up 1% of the population in Rwanda.

However, it is difficult to estimate the total Rwandese population as well as the percentage of Tutsi and Hutu because of the constant refugee flaw. For instance, approximately 1 000 000 Tutsi fled from the country in 1959, and 2 000 000 Hutu did so after the genocide.

- After the Belgians left the country, Hutu have overthrown the Tutsi power and have established one-party rule that lasted for over two decades before the genocide.

The President Habyarimana was constantly challenged by the civil war led by the RPF (Rwanda Patriotic Front). Hence, in 1993 the Arusha (Tanzania) accord was achieved which would allow a multi-party government and according to which the President would step from the power.

2. GENOCIDE

According to the 1948 Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide: genocide is qualified as "the act of committing certain crimes, including the killing of members of the group or causing serious physical or mental harm to members of the group with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, racial or religious group, as such".

3. WHAT HAPPENED?

In ten weeks more than 800 000 Tutsi and moderate Hutu civilians were brutally slaughtered.

4. ROOTS

It appears that the colonization "experience" was the major cause for the genocide:

- Before the colonization Tutsis were mainly elite aristocracy, but there were no major ethnic tensions between the two groups

- However, Belgians granted preferential status to Tutsi minority on the basis of racial ideology and myths: Tutsi looked more "European", for example.

- Belgians introduced in 1933 identity cards that showed the ethnic origin of a person. (The Tutsi identity cards were later used in 1994 as the "green light" to the killings.)

- Hutu extremists were the ones who prepared and launched the campaign of extermination.

5. AN ORGANIZED SLAUGHTER

Ð'* The Beginning:

- Acquiring of weapons and machetes started in 1990s.

- Militia training before the genocide.

- Previous propaganda against Tutsi population, mainly on radio.

- Rwandan President Habyarimana is killed as his plane is shot down near Kigali Airport after signing the Arusha accords.

- Roadblocks and barricades are installed in Kigali within an hour of the President's death.

- The killings begin that night.

- Interim Hutu government is installed.

Ð'* Targeting:

- Moderate Hutu politicians and Tutsi leaders are the first to be eliminated.

- The Prime minister ("The Prime Minister Isn't Working Anymore..."), two candidates for the presidency of the transitional assembly (one of whom would have replaced Habyarimana according to the Arusha Accords), and the president of the Constitutional Court, who would have been needed to swear in new authorities are killed.

Ð'* Then, the focus is sharpened on Tutsi population:

- Strategies for thourough elimination are being implemented.

- The Belgian UNAMIR soldiers are killed and the UNAMIR forces are unable to provide security for Tutsi, only for a small part of them.

- While, the towns are searched from one side to another; mass murders go on as Tutsi were told to gather in schools, churches, stadiums, and hospitals for shelter, but instead were killed at those places; the escape is impeded as the barriers and patrols are installed.

6. POPULATION AND BRUTALITY

- Radio broadcasts incited to kill the "enemy" through the country.

- Mass civil population participation was often obligatory.

- Killing everyone: babies, children, pregnant women, old people.

- Soldiers would accompany militia but never shoot.

- Use of machetes: "using grenades and finishing up with machetes"

- Throwing stones to kill.

- Using nail-studded clubs and hoes.

7. CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY

- Rape

- Sexual Servitude, Tutsi women were generally considered to be more beautiful, hence the Hutu militia would use them as "reward" for their "job" and often hold them in servitude for months.

- Mutilation, one of the methods of killing: parts of the body would be cut off and a person left to bleed to death. As well, mutilation was used on women to cut off parts of the body showing they were Tutsi, longer fingers and noses, for instance.

- Tortures, physical and psychological

- Humiliation

- As to be shot was considered the easiest death, Tutsi that had money paid

for their children and relatives to be shot

8. THE END OF GENOCIDE

- RPF overthrows the interim government.