Rwandan Genocide: 100 Days Of Horror

Rwandan Genocide, 100 Days of Horror
Genocide occurs more often than one might think. Actually, there is one happening right now! Some have endured for many years, while others have only lasted a few months, such as the Rwandan genocide. The Rwandan genocide, a long-awaited riot, began with Belgian aggressions towards the Tutsis (Belgium had once ruled over Rwanda). The Belgians concluded that the Tutsis were superior to the Hutus, two similar ethnic groups living In Rwanda. After 20 years, the Hutus had enough and they started a revolution that drove nearly away 300,000 Tutsis ("The Rwandan Genocide"). The Hutu Revolution granted Rwanda independence and the Hutus created their own government. Years afterwards, Rwandan exiles, mostly Tutsi
This caused a violent campaign targeted against the Tutsis and moderate Hutus. A day later, they murdered the prime minister at Kigali, Agathe Uwilingyimana and her ten bodyguards, thus creating a political vacuum (“The Rwandan Genocide”) The violence spread from Kigali throughout Rwanda. Using the political vacuum as an advantage, the extremists took control of the government and encouraged locals to kill neighboring Tutsis. By early July, “More than 2 million people…fled Rwanda, crowding into refugee camps in the Congo” (“The Rwandan Genocide”). Also, by early July, the RPF captured Kigali and shortly after declared a ceasefire, along with the government collapsing (“The Rwandan Genocide”). The Rwandan genocide had 800,000 casualties and left “100,000 children…orphaned, abducted or abandoned [and] Twenty-six percent of the Rwandan population still suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder today" (“endgenocide.org”). After the genocide, even thought the slaughter ceased, “the presence of Hutu militias in DR Congo has led to years of conflict there, causing up to five million deaths” (“Rwanda: how the genocide
president, Bill Clinton, decided that it was best for America to not get involved. Also they did not want to deem the Rwandan genocide a “Genocide” because U.S. credibility would diminish if they don’t intervene a “Genocide” (“endgenocide.org”). The international leaders also wanted to keep to themselves, afraid to challenge the genocidal government (“endgenocide.org”). When they chose to step in and play their part, no one cared and the killing did not cease. The United Nations sent in a big group of peacekeepers into Rwanda, trying to make a difference, but it was no use (“Rwandan: how it happened”). The peacekeepers failed their mission and had to return, Rwanda was left in a mess. Shortly after the genocide concluded, the U.S. created the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda(ICTR) to bring the ones who were responsible to justice("endgenocide.org”). In Rwanda, a court system of Gacaca was used to deal with accused and led to 1.2 million cases being tried (“endgenocide.org”). Rwanda suffered three month of destruction, of the same mistake the world once have made and forbid to make again, it suffered a genocide. The Rwandan Genocide, a mass killing that the world’s best peacekeepers could not stop and a event that shared similarities as it’s