Genocide is more than just a word that wafts through the English language. It is the mass killing of one kind of people. for ethnicity, religion, or a physical feature. Hundreds and even thousands are murdered willingly and with a tactic that solely aims to kill these people. There is a cruel reason behind it all even if it may not seem like it. It all ties into hate or jealousy. The motivation behind these killings is discriminatory. In the Rwandan genocide, many Tutsis were slaughtered and many scarred for life.
In 1994, Rwanda’s population of seven million people was composed of three ethnic groups: Hutu (approximately 85%), Tutsi (14%) and Twa (1%) (Rosenberg.) For many years before the Rwandan Genocide, the Hutus and Tutsis lived together in Rwanda. Not exactly living in peace, but without major conflict. In 1962, The Belgians granted Rwanda independence claiming the Hutu, the majority and the Tutsi, the minority. Tutsis were bitter of this differentiation between them. Although both lived within Rwanda, the Hutus believed the Tutsis were inferior to them. When the Colonial Government of Belgium issued identification cards that separated the Hutus from the Tutsis, this inequality was enlarged.
In the early 1990s, “Hutu extremists blamed the entire Tutsi minority population for the country’s increasing social, economic, and political pressures” (Human Rights Council.) Tutsi‘s were also accused of supporting a Tutsi-dominated rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) (George.) The Hutu remembered past years of oppressive Tutsi rule, and many of them not only resented but also feared the minority causing great tension between both ethnic groups. In hopes of ending this tension, president Habyarimana signs a peace treaty August 1993 during a conference in Arusha, Tanzania (George.)
A plane carrying President Habyarimana, a Hutu, was shot down on April 6, 1994 (Bodnarchuk.) Complete disorder began almost immediately after. Hutus were prepared to take revenge. Under the cover of war, Hutu extremists launched their plot to destroy the entire Tutsi civilian population. This signaled the beginning of a genocide. The Tutsis were accused of killing the President. The Tutsi and the people suspected of being Tutsi were killed on the spot. They were murdered at their homes, streets, anywhere where Hutus could find them. Women were systematically and brutally raped. The 10,000 people who sought refuge in church were slaughtered (United Human Rights Council.) Bodies lined the streets, left out in the open for savage animals to feed upon.
In the weeks after April 6, 1994, 800,000 men, women, and children perished from the Rwandan population. Perhaps three quarters of the Tutsi population (Rosenberg.) At the same time, thousands of Hutu were murdered because they opposed the killing campaign and the forces directing it.
The U.S. was well aware of the genocide but refused to get involved because they feared for their country, a bad name. Romeo Dallaire, a member of the United Nations and intentions to keep peace was at the center of the controversy (Bodnarchuk.) When Dallaire made a trip in August of 1993, he was told that the country was committed to peace (George.) “It was said that Dallaire lacked intelligence data and he didn’t know what he was about to get into. He knew very little of Rwanda and was about to become leader of this country.” (Rosenburg.) Dallaire was brought to Rwanda as a peacekeeper but failed his duty (George.)
Fifteen years after the genocide in Rwanda, the country itself is recoiling from rough times with help from the U.S. and other countries (Rosenberg.) The old city is being but simply forgotten. Memorials have been placed for those who have perished. Survivors have forgiven. They believe that not forgiving someone for their wrong doings is a sin within a sin itself. They believe karma will catch up and bite back harder. The ones who have killed seek peace with orphans and widows of the families. They will never forget is this event that has impacted their lives. They live each day in hopes that the future will stay peacful and believing that a second genocide will be doubtful. Peace will be everlasting.
In 1994, Rwanda’s population of seven million people was composed of three ethnic groups: Hutu (approximately 85%), Tutsi (14%) and Twa (1%) (Rosenberg.) For many years before the Rwandan Genocide, the Hutus and Tutsis lived together in Rwanda. Not exactly living in peace, but without major conflict. In 1962, The Belgians granted Rwanda independence claiming the Hutu, the majority and the Tutsi, the minority. Tutsis were bitter of this differentiation between them. Although both lived within Rwanda, the Hutus believed the Tutsis were inferior to them. When the Colonial Government of Belgium issued identification cards that separated the Hutus from the Tutsis, this inequality was enlarged.
In the early 1990s, “Hutu extremists blamed the entire Tutsi minority population for the country’s increasing social, economic, and political pressures” (Human Rights Council.) Tutsi‘s were also accused of supporting a Tutsi-dominated rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) (George.) The Hutu remembered past years of oppressive Tutsi rule, and many of them not only resented but also feared the minority causing great tension between both ethnic groups. In hopes of ending this tension, president Habyarimana signs a peace treaty August 1993 during a conference in Arusha, Tanzania (George.)
A plane carrying President Habyarimana, a Hutu, was shot down on April 6, 1994 (Bodnarchuk.) Complete disorder began almost immediately after. Hutus were prepared to take revenge. Under the cover of war, Hutu extremists launched their plot to destroy the entire Tutsi civilian population. This signaled the beginning of a genocide. The Tutsis were accused of killing the President. The Tutsi and the people suspected of being Tutsi were killed on the spot. They were murdered at their homes, streets, anywhere where Hutus could find them. Women were systematically and brutally raped. The 10,000 people who sought refuge in church were slaughtered (United Human Rights Council.) Bodies lined the streets, left out in the open for savage animals to feed upon.
In the weeks after April 6, 1994, 800,000 men, women, and children perished from the Rwandan population. Perhaps three quarters of the Tutsi population (Rosenberg.) At the same time, thousands of Hutu were murdered because they opposed the killing campaign and the forces directing it.
The U.S. was well aware of the genocide but refused to get involved because they feared for their country, a bad name. Romeo Dallaire, a member of the United Nations and intentions to keep peace was at the center of the controversy (Bodnarchuk.) When Dallaire made a trip in August of 1993, he was told that the country was committed to peace (George.) “It was said that Dallaire lacked intelligence data and he didn’t know what he was about to get into. He knew very little of Rwanda and was about to become leader of this country.” (Rosenburg.) Dallaire was brought to Rwanda as a peacekeeper but failed his duty (George.)
Fifteen years after the genocide in Rwanda, the country itself is recoiling from rough times with help from the U.S. and other countries (Rosenberg.) The old city is being but simply forgotten. Memorials have been placed for those who have perished. Survivors have forgiven. They believe that not forgiving someone for their wrong doings is a sin within a sin itself. They believe karma will catch up and bite back harder. The ones who have killed seek peace with orphans and widows of the families. They will never forget is this event that has impacted their lives. They live each day in hopes that the future will stay peacful and believing that a second genocide will be doubtful. Peace will be everlasting.