Genocide In Rwanda
Genocide in Rwanda (Culminating Task)
Lynch Alcala
a.) Summary Rwanda is separated into two major ethnic groups, the Huts and the Tutsis. Majority of Rwandans are Hutus who make up about 80 per cent of the population, and only about 15 per cent are Tutsis. These two ethnic groups shared the same language and culture, but there had been conflicts between the two groups that occurred during the colonial period. Rwanda was colonized by Belgians after the first World War. There had been racism going on during the colonial period, the Tutsis, who were seen to have more European characteristics, were considered to be superior to the Hutus. Since then, conflicts and animosity between the two groups started to occur. When the Rwandans finally …show more content…
After that, small massacres keeps happening in Rwanda and almost all the victims were Tutsis. President Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, signed “Arusha Accords” that let the Tutsis participate in the government and weakened the Hutus’ power. The president died on April 6, 1994 when his plane got shot down. No one ever knew who were responsible for this assassination, but the Tutsis were blamed and the animosity between the two groups sparked even bigger. Hutus started killing thousands and thousands of Tutsis, these massive killing were clearly turning out to be a genocide. While thousands of people are being killed in Rwanda, the world stood still and remained idle. The UN somehow ignored the issue and failed to respond quickly to stop the genocide. The Tutsi rebels, RPF, seek revenge and fought with Canadian General Romeo Dallaire’s full support. The RPF succeeded after 100 days of killings, on July …show more content…
One of the most shocking pieces of evidence came from a Hutu soldier who confessed his role in the “death squad”, killing thousands of Tutsis. He said that the death squad leaders are people trained to kill without leaving a trace, he also said that these people were President Habyarimana’s clan. The killings that led to genocide were carried out by a special force called “Interahamwe”. Intherahamwe was raised by President Habyarimana, this group was made up of 8,000 armed Hutu extremists. A UN report conducted several years after the genocide showed that the President had used millions of dollars in international aid to stockpile thousands of machetes, axes, clubs, guns and many other weapons used in the killings. According to an investigation, Interahamwe also practiced massacres to train for the genocide, this was proved by the records of slaughtering more than a year ago before the actual genocide. The genocide was planned by a shadowy group working in the President’s Palace, this group was known as “Network Zero”. Habyarimana and the Network Zero’s plan was supported by thousands of presidential guards and police officers. Their plan was so influential that even the army and the service council participated in the
Lynch Alcala
a.) Summary Rwanda is separated into two major ethnic groups, the Huts and the Tutsis. Majority of Rwandans are Hutus who make up about 80 per cent of the population, and only about 15 per cent are Tutsis. These two ethnic groups shared the same language and culture, but there had been conflicts between the two groups that occurred during the colonial period. Rwanda was colonized by Belgians after the first World War. There had been racism going on during the colonial period, the Tutsis, who were seen to have more European characteristics, were considered to be superior to the Hutus. Since then, conflicts and animosity between the two groups started to occur. When the Rwandans finally …show more content…
After that, small massacres keeps happening in Rwanda and almost all the victims were Tutsis. President Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, signed “Arusha Accords” that let the Tutsis participate in the government and weakened the Hutus’ power. The president died on April 6, 1994 when his plane got shot down. No one ever knew who were responsible for this assassination, but the Tutsis were blamed and the animosity between the two groups sparked even bigger. Hutus started killing thousands and thousands of Tutsis, these massive killing were clearly turning out to be a genocide. While thousands of people are being killed in Rwanda, the world stood still and remained idle. The UN somehow ignored the issue and failed to respond quickly to stop the genocide. The Tutsi rebels, RPF, seek revenge and fought with Canadian General Romeo Dallaire’s full support. The RPF succeeded after 100 days of killings, on July …show more content…
One of the most shocking pieces of evidence came from a Hutu soldier who confessed his role in the “death squad”, killing thousands of Tutsis. He said that the death squad leaders are people trained to kill without leaving a trace, he also said that these people were President Habyarimana’s clan. The killings that led to genocide were carried out by a special force called “Interahamwe”. Intherahamwe was raised by President Habyarimana, this group was made up of 8,000 armed Hutu extremists. A UN report conducted several years after the genocide showed that the President had used millions of dollars in international aid to stockpile thousands of machetes, axes, clubs, guns and many other weapons used in the killings. According to an investigation, Interahamwe also practiced massacres to train for the genocide, this was proved by the records of slaughtering more than a year ago before the actual genocide. The genocide was planned by a shadowy group working in the President’s Palace, this group was known as “Network Zero”. Habyarimana and the Network Zero’s plan was supported by thousands of presidential guards and police officers. Their plan was so influential that even the army and the service council participated in the