Examples Of Genocide In Rwanda

Rwanda Genocide is defined as: the deliberate killing of people who belong to a particular racial, political, or cultural group (merriam-webster.com). Genocides usually occur because one group of people feel intimidated by another. “In 1994, Rwanda’s population of seven million was composed of three ethnic groups: Hutu (approximately 85%), Tutsi (14%) and Twa (1%)” (www.unitedhumanrights.org). The Hutu population felt intimidated, and resented the Tutsi population. The Tutsi had previously ruled oppressively, and the Hutu had not forgotten. After President Habyarimana of Rwanda, a Hutu, was killed when his plane was shot down while flying over the capital of Rwanda, the Hutus used the shroud of war to eliminate the Tutsi population. Around
The events that occurred in Rwanda are examples of genocide and human rights violations because the Hutus deliberately killed the members of the Tutsi population, and they took away the most important right that every human has, which is the right to live. When the Germans first colonized Rwanda in 1894, they put the Tutsis in charge mainly for their European characteristics. Following the German loss after World War One, the Germans lost their colonies, and Belgium took control of Rwanda. The Belgians mandated identification cards for every citizen, labeling them as “Tutsi”, “Hutu”, and “Twa”, which just increased the separation and animosity between the two groups. The Hutus were furious that the Tutsi had been granted the leadership roles, because they only accounted for around 14% of the population. In 1959, The Hutus staged a revolution, forcing upwards of 300,000 Tutsi to flee the country of Rwanda. By 1961, the nation was declared a republic by the victorious Hutus. Just a year after this declaration, Belgium granted Rwanda its independence, after a UN referendum. In 1973, Major General Habyarimana was placed in power, and he instituted the
The killings began in the capital city of Rwanda, Kigali, directly after the death of President Habyarimana. Members of the Interahamwe set up road blocks to ensure no Tutsi could escape. They checked each person’s identification card before they were able to pass the road blocks, and if they found a Tutsi, that Tutsi individual was killed. Because of the high prices of ammunition, most victims were killed by hand weapons, and many of them were tortured before their deaths. As stated by (Jennifer Rosenberg, history1900s.about.com) “On April 7, Hutu extremists began purging the government of their political opponents, which meant both Tutsis and Hutu moderates were killed. This included the prime minister. When ten Belgian U.N. peacekeepers tried to protect the prime minister, they too were killed. This caused Belgium to start withdrawing its troops from