COLONIAL MENTALITY AS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE HUTUS AND TUTSIS
COLONIAL MENTALITY AS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE HUTUS AND TUTSIS
Lisha Villacanas
Introduction
The Hutus and Tutsis are ethnic groups living in Rwanda. The Tutsis are the minority while the Hutus are considered the majority. They both live in harmony and while they, like all tribes have conflict but it was nothing they could not settle. During the pre-colonial era, Hutus were the farmers and was marginalized while the Tutsis were the cattle herders, soldiers and administers, because intermarriage was not common, each individual could be categorized by the rise and fall of their riches (Förster, T, 2004). Tutsis were considered to be royal; they were the center of power and that power is usually dispersed by patronage, while the Hutus were likely to be the local chiefs. During the World War the Belgians colonized Rwanda, everything changed after the Belgians left. Their influence has resulted to the well known “Rwanda Genocide” or “the mass killing in Rwanda (Genocide in Rwanda | United Human Rights Council, n.d). This paper presents events that happen in Rwanda, during and after the colonization. By this purpose, it answers the questions: Why such tribes who were living in harmony, now consider each other enemies, what are the incidents that led to genocide. This paper also explains the interventions others made to help Rwanda recover from the horrors of the genocide and the interventions made to prevent the worsening of the aftermath of the genocide. It is important that readers would come to an understanding that sometimes colonizers does not always bring good to their colonies, this happening in Rwanda is just one of those examples.
I.
According to the news, the Tutsis were labeled superior over the Hutus upon the arrival of the Belgium, therefore they gave more privileges to the Tutsis. The Tutsis embraced the idea of their superiority and enjoyed the perks of being favored by the Belgians. They received better education western
Lisha Villacanas
Introduction
The Hutus and Tutsis are ethnic groups living in Rwanda. The Tutsis are the minority while the Hutus are considered the majority. They both live in harmony and while they, like all tribes have conflict but it was nothing they could not settle. During the pre-colonial era, Hutus were the farmers and was marginalized while the Tutsis were the cattle herders, soldiers and administers, because intermarriage was not common, each individual could be categorized by the rise and fall of their riches (Förster, T, 2004). Tutsis were considered to be royal; they were the center of power and that power is usually dispersed by patronage, while the Hutus were likely to be the local chiefs. During the World War the Belgians colonized Rwanda, everything changed after the Belgians left. Their influence has resulted to the well known “Rwanda Genocide” or “the mass killing in Rwanda (Genocide in Rwanda | United Human Rights Council, n.d). This paper presents events that happen in Rwanda, during and after the colonization. By this purpose, it answers the questions: Why such tribes who were living in harmony, now consider each other enemies, what are the incidents that led to genocide. This paper also explains the interventions others made to help Rwanda recover from the horrors of the genocide and the interventions made to prevent the worsening of the aftermath of the genocide. It is important that readers would come to an understanding that sometimes colonizers does not always bring good to their colonies, this happening in Rwanda is just one of those examples.
I.
According to the news, the Tutsis were labeled superior over the Hutus upon the arrival of the Belgium, therefore they gave more privileges to the Tutsis. The Tutsis embraced the idea of their superiority and enjoyed the perks of being favored by the Belgians. They received better education western
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